Sulle corde di Aries - On the Strings of Aries

After the release of his first album, Fetus, Battiato performed regularly and continued to do so through the making of his second album, Pollution. Meanwhile his publicity firm was developing the image of Battiato as an iconoclastic avant-garde artist, a musician who remained distant from his public, confronting them with challenging material in the process of repudiating traditional Italian music tastes. Some concerts got out of control as audience members became rowdy and fights broke out. Battiato grew ever more uncomfortable with this public persona. He cared more about creating new music and felt the need to exit the path he was on. So he distanced himself from his collaborators/promoters and moved to New York City to “find himself.” Instead of experiencing creative renewal, he fell into a deep state of spiritual crisis and isolation. Ending his life seemed like the best solution. One night he surrendered to his despair, only to find himself in an exalted state of being that he’d only previously experienced in his reveries while exploring the new electronic sounds of his VCS3 synthesizer. He returned to Sicily and realized he needed to build into his daily life a routine of retreat and meditation. Battiato said, “During the recording of this album I discovered my road, my instinctive nature, in the primordial sense.”

Sequenze e frequenze - Sequences and Frequencies

La maestra in estate Ci dava ripetizioni Nel suo cortile Io stavo sempre seduto Sopra un muretto A guardare il mare Ogni tanto passava una nave Ogni tanto passava una nave E le sere d'inverno Restavo rinchiuso in casa Ad ammuffire Fuori il rumore dei tuoni Rimpiccioliva la mia candela Al mattino improvviso il sereno Mi portava un profumo di terra Sequenze e frequenze © 1973 Franco Battiato Battiato brings together two images of himself from his childhood, one in summer and one in winter. He has said that the message of this song is that each one of us needs to find our own solutions in ourselves, which is possible only through the purification of oneself.

The teacher in summer tutored us in her courtyard. I was always seated on top of a little wall, to watch the sea . . . every once in a while a ship passed, every once in a while a ship passed. And during the winter evenings I stayed locked inside in the house to moulder. Outside, the sound of the thunder, my candle reduced down. In the morning, suddenly the calm brought to me a scent of earth. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser “Franco Battiato is often heralded as Italy's answer to Brian Eno. . . (Battiato) turned pop music upside down in the early '70s with three classic LPs – Fetus, Pollution and Sulle Corde Di Aries – that formed a confluence of avant-folk sensibilities and analog electronics. . . 1973's Sulle Corde Di Aries is the third chapter in Battiato's foray into esoteric pop. While the artist would venture further out into avant-garde terrain on subsequent releases, his early records enjoy a lyrical and playful spirit – eschewing traditional, song-based composition in favor of kosmische voyages. On Sulle Corde Di Aries, Battiato guides the labyrinthine structural changes and majestic tones to evolve gradually over four electroacoustic suites. . . While Fetus and Pollution are often considered his masterpieces, Sulle Corde Di Aries remains a hidden gem in Battiato's catalogue. With more of a cohesive album-feel than the previous records, Sulle Corde Di Aries slows the pace to take in the sweeping scope of otherworldly sounds and soulful harmonies.” – Superior Viaduct review.

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Aria di rivoluzione - Air of Revolution

Quell'autista in Abissinia Guidava il camion Fino a tardi E a notte fonda Si riunivano A quel tempo in Europa C'era un'altra guerra E per canzoni Solo sirene d'allame Compagni, chi di noi non sarebbe contro la guerra? Però, lo splendore delle "stelle del mattino" (armi) di Müntzer sopra i contadini in rivolta, quando illuminavani i loro aguzzini di una luce sanguinosa... Però, la melodia del lanciafiamme di Stalin quando, a Natale, urlava nelle orecchie gelate dei soldati di Hitler: "Pace sulla Terra" Passa il tempo Sembra che non cambi niente Questa mia generazione Vuole nuovi valori E ho già sentito Aria di rivoluzione Ho già sentito Chi andrà alla fucilazione Però..... l'eleganza dei missili automatici nei cieli di Ho Chi Minh, quando i prodotti di ingegneria da Detroit davano loro l'incredibile bacio..... Però.....la bellezza della mitragliatrice sopra la spalla del guerrigliero boliviano, quando fornisce argomenti sorprendenti che i suoi oppressori finalmente capiscono.... La cosa migliore, però..... Poliziotti addestrati contro il popolo quando annegano nel flusso della massa rabbiosa, rigettata attraverso le valli stradali. Ma finalmente, finalmente prendere tra le loro mani non le armi, ma la mano salvatrice di coloro che cercano pace....... Aria di rivoluzione © 1973 Franco Battiato At the song's beginning, Battiato refers to his father who for a time was a truck driver in East Africa during the Fascist period of colonialism. Battiato's verses alternate with the two halves of a poem by German singer/songwriter Wolf Biermann ("Genossen, wer von uns wäre nicht gegen den krieg") that lays out the fascinations of the tools of war.

That driver in Abyssinia drove the lorry until late, and deep in the night they would gather. At that time in Europe there was another war, and for songs only emergency sirens. “Comrades, who among us would not be against the war? But . . . the splendor of the “morning stars” (arms) of Müntzer above the peasants in revolt, when they lit up their tormentors with a bloody light . . . But . . . the melody of Stalin’s flamethrowers when, at Christmas, it screamed in the frozen ears of Hitler’s soldiers: “Peace on Earth” . . . Time passes, it seems that nothing changes. This generation of mine wants new values and I have already felt the air of revolution, I have already sensed who will go into the shooting. But . . . the elegance of the guided missiles in the skies of Hi Chi Minh City, when the products of Detroit’s engineers gave them the incredible kiss . . . But . . . the beauty of the machine gun over the shoulder of the Bolivian guerrilla, when he supplies surprising arguments that his oppressors finally understand . . . The best thing, however . . . Policemen trained against the populace when they drown in the rush of the angry mob, rejected along the valley roadways. But finally, finally taking in their own hands not the arms, but the saving hand of those who search for peace . . . English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser “Franco Battiato is often heralded as Italy's answer to Brian Eno. . . (Battiato) turned pop music upside down in the early '70s with three classic LPs – Fetus, Pollution and Sulle Corde Di Aries – that formed a confluence of avant-folk sensibilities and analog electronics. . . 1973's Sulle Corde Di Aries is the third chapter in Battiato's foray into esoteric pop. While the artist would venture further out into avant-garde terrain on subsequent releases, his early records enjoy a lyrical and playful spirit – eschewing traditional, song-based composition in favor of kosmische voyages. On Sulle Corde Di Aries, Battiato guides the labyrinthine structural changes and majestic tones to evolve gradually over four electroacoustic suites. . . While Fetus and Pollution are often considered his masterpieces, Sulle Corde Di Aries remains a hidden gem in Battiato's catalogue. With more of a cohesive album-feel than the previous records, Sulle Corde Di Aries slows the pace to take in the sweeping scope of otherworldly sounds and soulful harmonies.” – Superior Viaduct review.

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Da Oriente ad Occidente - From East to West

Riduci le stelle in polvere E non invecchierai Mi appare in sogno Venere Tu padre che ne sai? Lontano da queste tenebre Matura l'avvenire Il cielo è senza nuvole Padre fammi partire! La luce sul vulcano Mi indicherà l'uscita Al fuoco delle tenebre Scelgo una nuova vita Da oriente ad occidente © 1973 Franco Battiato

Reduce the stars to dust and you won't grow old - Venus appears to me in a dream. You, father, what do you know of it? Far from this darkness the future matures, the sky is without clouds. Father, let me depart! The light on the volcano will show me the way out. In the fire of the darkness I choose a new life. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser “Franco Battiato is often heralded as Italy's answer to Brian Eno. . . (Battiato) turned pop music upside down in the early '70s with three classic LPs – Fetus, Pollution and Sulle Corde Di Aries – that formed a confluence of avant-folk sensibilities and analog electronics. . . 1973's Sulle Corde Di Aries is the third chapter in Battiato's foray into esoteric pop. While the artist would venture further out into avant-garde terrain on subsequent releases, his early records enjoy a lyrical and playful spirit – eschewing traditional, song-based composition in favor of kosmische voyages. On Sulle Corde Di Aries, Battiato guides the labyrinthine structural changes and majestic tones to evolve gradually over four electroacoustic suites. . . While Fetus and Pollution are often considered his masterpieces, Sulle Corde Di Aries remains a hidden gem in Battiato's catalogue. With more of a cohesive album-feel than the previous records, Sulle Corde Di Aries slows the pace to take in the sweeping scope of otherworldly sounds and soulful harmonies.” – Superior Viaduct review.

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