La torre - The Tower

Giù dalla torre Butterei tutti quanti gli artisti Perché le trombe del giudizio suoneranno Per tutti quelli che credono in quello che fanno Per gli spartani Una volta era uguale Buttavano giù da una rupe Quelli che venivano male Giù dalla torre Butterei tutti quanti i teatranti E nostra signora dei turchi Specchio delle mie brame, chi è fra noi il più bravo del reame E salverei Chi non ha voglia di far niente E non sa fare niente Chi non ha voglia di far niente E salverei Chi non ha voglia di far niente E non sa fare Giù dalla torre Butterei tutti quanti i registi Gli attori e gli elettrodomestici Per la vigilia della distruzione Ritorneranno dinosauri antidiluviani Una razza di super-rettili Che si mangerà scialalalalalà I presentatori Specie quelli creativi Che giocano ai quiz elettronici Si mangerà chi fa ma non sa quel che fa Si salverà Chi non ha voglia di far niente E non sa fare niente Chi non ha voglia di far niente Si salverà Chi non ha voglia di far niente E non sa fare La torre © 1982 Franco Battiato "La torre" is a rant against people in show business, people whom Battiato described as "prima donnas, creative types out of necessity, cretin presenters, and those who believe blindly in everything they do." There is a direct reference to the 1968 film Our Lady of the Turks, by Carmelo Bene.

Down from the tower I’d throw every last artist. Why will the trumpets of the judge sound for all those who believe in what they do? For the Spartans one time it was the same, they threw down from a cliff those who turned out bad. Down from the tower I would throw every last thespian and our lady of the Turks, mirror of my desires, the one who among us is the best of realm. And I would save whoever doesn’t feel like doing anything and doesn’t know how to do anything, whoever doesn’t feel like doing anything. And I would save whoever doesn’t feel like doing anything and doesn’t know how. Down from the tower I would throw every last director, the actors and the home appliances. On the eve of destruction the antediluvian dinosaurs will return, a race of super-reptiles who will eat – sha-la-la-la-la-la – the emcees, those creative types that play electronic quizzes - whoever does without knowing what they do will be eaten. He will be saved, who doesn’t feel like doing anything and doesn’t know how to do anything, he who doesn’t feel like doing anything. He will be saved, who doesn’t feel like doing anything and doesn’t know how. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser L'arca di Noe was released in 1982. Giusto Pio collaborated on the musical compositions and arrangements. After its release, there were some critics who began to reassess Battiato and who charged him with putting forward right-wing ideas. To which Battiato responded, "Stupidly, there are those who have defined me as 'idealogue of the new right,' but in reality I am a conservative, in the ancestral sense. Because I think that all the current technological and scientific development, indeed a sort of neo-religion, has strongly deteriorated the qualities of man. And I, to the contrary, am for the recovery of the best traditions of civilized man." These charges led Battiato to avoid encounters with both the press and the public and concentrate on his work in the studio as producer and writer for other artists.

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