Il silenzio del rumore Delle valvole a pressione I cilindri del calore Serbatoi di produzione... Anche il tuo spazio è su misura Non hai forza per tentare Di cambiare il tuo avvenire Per paura di scoprire Libertà che non vuoi avere... Ti sei mai chiesto Quale funzione hai? Il silenzio del rumore © 1972 Franco Battiato The classical piece at the beginning of "Il silenzio del rumore" is "Tales from the Vienna Woods" by Johann Strauss II. |
The silence of the noise of the pressure valves, the cylinders of heat, production tanks . . . Even your space is made to order, you don’t have the drive to try to change your future for fear of discovering liberty, which you don’t want to have . . . Have you ever asked what function you have? English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser "Pollution from 1972 is the captivating follow-up to Fetus. Like its predecessor, the album features Baroque textures, motorik rhythms, weird tape effects and Battiato's perfectly oblique vocals. Upon hearing Pollution, Frank Zappa joyfully proclaimed it 'genius.' . . . Pollution touches on themes of environmental catastrophe. Futurist allusions seep in through eccentric lyrics (at times sung backwards) about hydraulics, magnetic fields, etc., yet listeners don't need to speak the artist's language to grasp his melancholy vision. With Pollution, Battiato solidifies not only his cult figure status, but also many of his forward-thinking ideas on rock 'n' roll." - Superior Viaduct review After the release of Fetus, Battiato began touring. Al.Sa., the Milan publicity firm that collaborated with Battiato on his first two albums and that was instrumental in creating a Battiato persona that intrigued the Italian public, dubbed the tour "Battiato Pollution." The concerts, or “happenings” as they were conceived, were not simply presentations of the music from Fetus. Rather they were spectacles, with Battiato the avant-garde artist breaking down the old order in his outrageous costumes and with symbolic acts like breaking a large cross at some point during the show. The cross was meant to symbolize traditional culture, and is pictured on the back side of the Pollution album cover. The music on Pollution was developed and recorded concurrently with the Battiato Pollution tour. Again on this second album, the lyrics were written by Sergio Albergoni and Gianni Sassi (credited to Frankenstein), the principals of Al.Sa. |
Franco Battiato - musician, singer/songwriter, composer of electronic, avant-garde and classical music, filmmaker, painter, student of history and of esoteric and spiritual traditions. Battiato was by turns intellectual, poetic, visceral and meditative; his musical journey and artistic voice are absolutely unique in the landscape of Italian pop music. His career was marked by multiple reinventions as he followed his muse for over fifty years of making music and meaning.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Il silenzio del rumore - The Silence of the Noise
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Areknames - Gnikkalebllahsfi
Ima areknames Mala areknapes Ima areknames Mala areknapess Atenoip arret elevoun Sisopromatem ereitnorf alled etnem Areknames © 1972 Franco Battiato To understand these lyrics, read them backwards (it's not perfect; e.g., “atenoip” should be “atenaip”); that gets you "se manchera" in Italian and "if shall be lacking" in English. As theorized by Joel Cairo on Genius Lyrics, the translation of "Ima" and "Mala" has them being chord indications: ima -> a-mi = accordo – mi (in English: chord - E) and mala -> alam = accordo – la minore (chord - A minor). Battiato associated chords with chakras; E is the third note in a C scale -> 3rd chakra, A is the sixth note in a C scale -> 6th chakra. The 3rd chakra is associated with the solar plexus and symbolizes mental activities, intellect, personal power, and will; the 6th chakra is associated with the third eye and evokes intuition, extrasensory perception, and inner wisdom. Therefore, the un-reversed first two lines could be: If willpower shall be lacking, If wisdom shall be lacking. |
Ec gnikkalebllahsfi mac gnikkalebllahsfi Ec gnikkalebllahsfi mac gnikkalebllahsfi Tenalp htrae ehtwen Sisohpromatem sreitnorf ehtfo dnim English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser "Pollution from 1972 is the captivating follow-up to Fetus. Like its predecessor, the album features Baroque textures, motorik rhythms, weird tape effects and Battiato's perfectly oblique vocals. Upon hearing Pollution, Frank Zappa joyfully proclaimed it 'genius.' . . . Pollution touches on themes of environmental catastrophe. Futurist allusions seep in through eccentric lyrics (at times sung backwards) about hydraulics, magnetic fields, etc., yet listeners don't need to speak the artist's language to grasp his melancholy vision. With Pollution, Battiato began touring. Al.Sa., the Milan publicity firm that collaborated with Battiato on his first two albums and that was instrumental in creating a Battiato persona that intrigued the Italian public, dubbed the tour "Battiato Pollution." The concerts, or “happenings” as they were conceived, were not simply presentations of the music from Fetus. Rather they were spectacles, with Battiato the avant-garde artist breaking down the old order in his outrageous costumes and with symbolic acts like breaking a large cross at some point during the show. The cross was meant to symbolize traditional culture, and is pictured on the back side of the Pollution album cover. The music on Pollution was developed and recorded concurrently with the Battiato Pollution tour. Again on this second album, the lyrics were written by Sergio Albergoni and Gianni Sassi (credited to Frankenstein), the principals of Al.Sa. |
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Beta
Son felice di essere un beta Il mio giorno non è duro Dentro il mare mi posso vestire Dai gamma e dai delta Farmi ubbidire Quando gioco non rompo mai niente La violenza non ho nella mente La violenza non ho nella mente La violenza non ho nella mente Dentro di me vivono la mia identica vita Dei microrganismi che non sanno Di appartenere al mio corpo... Io a quale corpo appartengo? Beta © 1972 Franco Battiato The classical piece at the end of "Beta" is an excerpt from "The Moldau," part of a larger symphonic tone poem by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. |
I’m happy to be a beta. My day isn’t hard. In the ocean I can dress myself with the gamma and delta, make myself obey. When I play I never break anything. Violence I don’t have in my mind. Violence I don’t have in my mind. Violence I don’t have in my mind. Inside of me lives my identical life of microorganisms that don’t know they belong to my body . . . And me, to what body do I belong? English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser "Pollution from 1972 is the captivating follow-up to Fetus. Like its predecessor, the album features Baroque textures, motorik rhythms, weird tape effects and Battiato's perfectly oblique vocals. Upon hearing Pollution, Frank Zappa joyfully proclaimed it 'genius.' . . . Pollution touches on themes of environmental catastrophe. Futurist allusions seep in through eccentric lyrics (at times sung backwards) about hydraulics, magnetic fields, etc., yet listeners don't need to speak the artist's language to grasp his melancholy vision. With Pollution, Battiato solidifies not only his cult figure status, but also many of his forward-thinking ideas on rock 'n' roll." - Superior Viaduct review After the release of Fetus, Battiato began touring. Al.Sa., the Milan publicity firm that collaborated with Battiato on his first two albums and that was instrumental in creating a Battiato persona that intrigued the Italian public, dubbed the tour "Battiato Pollution." The concerts, or “happenings” as they were conceived, were not simply presentations of the music from Fetus. Rather they were spectacles, with Battiato the avant-garde artist breaking down the old order in his outrageous costumes and with symbolic acts like breaking a large cross at some point during the show. The cross was meant to symbolize traditional culture, and is pictured on the back side of the Pollution album cover. The music on Pollution was developed and recorded concurrently with the Battiato Pollution tour. Again on this second album, the lyrics were written by Sergio Albergoni and Gianni Sassi (credited to Frankenstein), the principals of Al.Sa. |
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Plancton - Plankton
Sto vivendo da due secoli in oceani Ho imparato come respirare mare Le mie mani diventano squame Sotto il mare sta cambiando la mia struttura E il mio corpo è sempre più uguale ai pesci I miei capelli diventano alghe Plancton © 1972 Franco Battiato |
I’ve been living for two centuries in oceans. I learned how to breath sea, my hands become fins. Under the sea my structure is changing and my body is ever more equal to the fishes, my hair becomes algae. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser "Pollution from 1972 is the captivating follow-up to Fetus. Like its predecessor, the album features Baroque textures, motorik rhythms, weird tape effects and Battiato's perfectly oblique vocals. Upon hearing Pollution, Frank Zappa joyfully proclaimed it 'genius.' . . . Pollution touches on themes of environmental catastrophe. Futurist allusions seep in through eccentric lyrics (at times sung backwards) about hydraulics, magnetic fields, etc., yet listeners don't need to speak the artist's language to grasp his melancholy vision. With Pollution, Battiato solidifies not only his cult figure status, but also many of his forward-thinking ideas on rock 'n' roll." - Superior Viaduct review After the release of Fetus, Battiato began touring. Al.Sa., the Milan publicity firm that collaborated with Battiato on his first two albums and that was instrumental in creating a Battiato persona that intrigued the Italian public, dubbed the tour "Battiato Pollution." The concerts, or “happenings” as they were conceived, were not simply presentations of the music from Fetus. Rather they were spectacles, with Battiato the avant-garde artist breaking down the old order in his outrageous costumes and with symbolic acts like breaking a large cross at some point during the show. The cross was meant to symbolize traditional culture, and is pictured on the back side of the Pollution album cover. The music on Pollution was developed and recorded concurrently with the Battiato Pollution tour. Again on this second album, the lyrics were written by Sergio Albergoni and Gianni Sassi (credited to Frankenstein), the principals of Al.Sa. |
Monday, October 2, 2017
Pollution
La portata di un condotto È il volume liquido Che passa in una sua sezione Nell'unità di tempo E si ottiene moltiplicando La sezione perpendicolare Per la velocità che avrai del liquido A regime permanente La portata è costante Attraverso una sezione del condotto Atomi dell'idrogeno Campi elettrici ioni-isofoto Radio litio-atomico Gas magnetico Atomi dell'idrogeno Campi elettrici ioni-isofoto Radio litio-atomico Gas magnetico La portata di un condotto È il volume liquido Che passa in una sua sezione Nell'unità di tempo E si ottiene moltiplicando La sezione perpendicolare Per la velocità che avrai del liquido A regime permanente La portata è costante Attraverso una sezione del condotto Pollution © 1972 Franco Battiato |
The flow rate of a conduit is the liquid volume that passes by one of its sections in a unit of time. And it is obtained by multiplying the perpendicular section by the velocity you have of the liquid. In a permanent regime, the flow rate is constant through a section of the conduit. Atoms of hydrogen Electrical fields ions-isophoto Radio lithio-atomic Magnetic gas. Atoms of hydrogen Electrical fields ions-isophoto Radio lithio-atomic Magnetic gas. The flow rate of a conduit is the liquid volume that passes by one of its sections in a unit of time. And it is obtained by multiplying the perpendicular section by the velocity you have of the liquid. In a permanent regime, the flow rate is constant through a section of the conduit. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser "Pollution from 1972 is the captivating follow-up to Fetus. Like its predecessor, the album features Baroque textures, motorik rhythms, weird tape effects and Battiato's perfectly oblique vocals. Upon hearing Pollution, Frank Zappa joyfully proclaimed it 'genius.' . . . Pollution touches on themes of environmental catastrophe. Futurist allusions seep in through eccentric lyrics (at times sung backwards) about hydraulics, magnetic fields, etc., yet listeners don't need to speak the artist's language to grasp his melancholy vision. With Pollution, Battiato solidifies not only his cult figure status, but also many of his forward-thinking ideas on rock 'n' roll." - Superior Viaduct review After the release of Fetus, Battiato began touring. Al.Sa., the Milan publicity firm that collaborated with Battiato on his first two albums and that was instrumental in creating a Battiato persona that intrigued the Italian public, dubbed the tour "Battiato Pollution." The concerts, or “happenings” as they were conceived, were not simply presentations of the music from Fetus. Rather they were spectacles, with Battiato the avant-garde artist breaking down the old order in his outrageous costumes and with symbolic acts like breaking a large cross at some point during the show. The cross was meant to symbolize traditional culture, and is pictured on the back side of the Pollution album cover. The music on Pollution was developed and recorded concurrently with the Battiato Pollution tour. Again on this second album, the lyrics were written by Sergio Albergoni and Gianni Sassi (credited to Frankenstein), the principals of Al.Sa. |
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Ti sei mai chiesto quale funzione hai? Were You Ever Asked What Function You Have?
Ti sei mai chiesto quale funzione hai? © 1972 Franco Battiato |
"Pollution from 1972 is the captivating follow-up to Fetus. Like its predecessor, the album features Baroque textures, motorik rhythms, weird tape effects and Battiato's perfectly oblique vocals. Upon hearing Pollution, Frank Zappa joyfully proclaimed it 'genius.' . . . Pollution touches on themes of environmental catastrophe. Futurist allusions seep in through eccentric lyrics (at times sung backwards) about hydraulics, magnetic fields, etc., yet listeners don't need to speak the artist's language to grasp his melancholy vision. With Pollution, Battiato solidifies not only his cult figure status, but also many of his forward-thinking ideas on rock 'n' roll." - Superior Viaduct review After the release of Fetus, Battiato began touring. Al.Sa., the Milan publicity firm that collaborated with Battiato on his first two albums and that was instrumental in creating a Battiato persona that intrigued the Italian public, dubbed the tour "Battiato Pollution." The concerts, or “happenings” as they were conceived, were not simply presentations of the music from Fetus. Rather they were spectacles, with Battiato the avant-garde artist breaking down the old order in his outrageous costumes and with symbolic acts like breaking a large cross at some point during the show. The cross was meant to symbolize traditional culture, and is pictured on the back side of the Pollution album cover. The music on Pollution was developed and recorded concurrently with the Battiato Pollution tour. Again on this second album, the lyrics were written by Sergio Albergoni and Gianni Sassi (credited to Frankenstein), the principals of Al.Sa. |
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