Il Re del Mondo - The King of the World

Strano come il rombo degli aerei da caccia un tempo Stonasse con il ritmo delle piante al sole sui balconi ... E poi silenzio ... e poi, lontano Il tuono dei cannoni, a freddo ... E dalle radio dei segnali in codice Un giorno in cielo, fuochi di Bengala ... Ia Pace ritornò Ma il Re del Mondo Ci tiene prigioniero il cuore Nei vestiti bianchi a ruota ... Echi delle danze sufi ... Nelle metro giapponesi, oggi Macchine d'ossigeno Più diventa tutto inutile E più credi che sia vero E il giorno della fine Non ti servirà l'Inglese ... E sulle biciclette verso casa La vita ci sfiorò Ma il Re del Mondo Ci tiene prigioniero il cuore Il Re del Mondo © 1979 Franco Battiato "Il Re del Mondo" refers to a book by René Guénon. One of the mainsprings of Guénon’s thought is the idea that the society of the modern West is not a triumph of evolution (an idea he despised) but rather a reflection of an extremely degenerate age that he equated with the Hindu Kali Yuga, or Age of Darkness. One corollary of this idea is the belief that humanity did have a connection with a sacred centre and hierarchy – in prehistoric times – but this connection has been obscured and to all practical purposes lost. Thus it was natural for Guénon to hold to an idea of a hidden sacred kingdom. “This ‘Holy Land,’ which is defended by guardians who keep it hidden from profane view while ensuring a certain exterior communication, is to all intents and purposes inaccessible and invisible to all except those possessing the necessary qualifications for entry,” he wrote. The song intro is an intriguing mix of time signatures (starting with the first minor chord: 4, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3, then alternating 3-4-3s on the alternating major and minor chords), keeping you a little off balance until the regular groove of the song kicks in.

Strange how the rumble of the fighter planes one time clashed with the rhythm of the plants in the sun on the balconies . . . and then silence . . . and then, far away the thunder of cannons, with cold intention . . . and from the radios some signals in code. One day in the sky, Bengal sparkler fireworks. . . peace returned, but the King of the World holds prisoner our heart. In their whirling white garb . . . echoes of Sufi dances . . . In Japanese metros, today, oxygen machines. The more everything becomes useless, the more you believe it’s true. And on the final day English won’t do you any good. . . . and on the bicycles near home life touched us, but the King of the World holds prisoner our heart. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser L'Era del Cinghiale Bianco was released in 1979 and represented a 180-degree turn from Battiato's first eight avant-garde albums, which ranged from electronica to musique concrète to minimalist piano explorations. Battiato reinvented himself as a pop singer/songwriter and in so doing created a unique sound and style he would continue to rework for the rest of his career. The songs on this album introduce several touchstones for Battiato, with references to spirituality, ancient and modern history, Arabic culture, and his native Sicily. Violinist Giusto Pio collaborated on the arrangements. The constellation that we call the Age of Aquarius was once that of the Boar. In the Celtic tradition, the White Boar symbolized spiritual knowledge, or Consciousness.

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