Fabrizio De André

Biography

Fabrizio Cristiano De André (Italian: [faˈbrittsjo de anˈdre]; 18 February 1940 – 11 January 1999) was an Italian singer-songwriter and the most-prominent cantautore of his time. He is also known as Faber, a nickname given by the friend Paolo Villaggio, as a reference to his liking towards Faber-Castell's pastels and pencils, aside from the assonance with his own name, and also because he was known as il cantautore degli emarginati or il poeta degli sconfitti. His 40-year career reflects his interests in concept albums, literature, poetry, political protest, and French music. He is considered a prominent member of the Genoese School. He sang in both Italian and in other languages such as Genoese. Because of the success of his music in Italy and its impact on the Italian collective memory, many public places such as roads, squares, and schools in Italy are named after De André.

Biography

Fabrizio De André was born in Pegli, Genoa, Italy, to an upper-class family. He had a warm, deep voice, and started playing guitar at the age of 14. His father gave him some Georges Brassens records, whose songs influenced the style of his first songs. Brassens also inspired De André to become a libertarian and a pacifist, which was influential in his music and later, more-sophisticated productions.

1960s

When he was a student in February 1961, De André debuted, singing two songs in a theater in Genoa. The two songs were later recorded as his first single, "Nuvole Barocche×Nuvole barocche1969 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Nuvole baroccheA2E fu la notteA3Delitto di paeseA4Valzer per un amoreA5Per i tuoi larghi occhiB1Carlo Martello ritorna dalla battaglia di PoitiersB2Il fannulloneB3GeordieB4Amore che vieni, amore che vaiB5La canzone dell’amore perduto" b/w "E fu la Notte", which was released in 1961 and was an imitation of Domenico Modugno. In his following recordings in the early 1960s, De André found a more personal style, mixing literature with traditional songs (in particular medieval ones), presenting himself as a contemporary troubador and storyteller. His narrative centered on the stories of marginalized people and antiheroes. He later recorded protest songs such as "La Ballata del Miché" ("Mickey's Ballad"), which he co-wrote with his friend Clelia Petracchi and considered his first true song; "La Guerra di Piero×La guerra di PieroSeptember 1964 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksALa guerra di PieroBLa ballata dell’eroe" ("Piero's War"), an anti-war song, with music contributed by Vittorio Centenaro, and several other songs. Some of the songs were inspired by his city, Genoa, such as "La Città Vecchia" ("The Old [side of the] City"), which he co-wrote with Elvio Monti; and "Via del Campo", with the music of Enzo Jannacci. He also wrote two songs with his life-long friend Paolo Villaggio, "Il Fannullone" and "Carlo Martello (Ritorna dalla Battaglia di Poitiers)" ("Charles Martel Returns from the Battle of Poitiers"), in 1963.
In 1962, his first son Cristiano De André was born to his first wife Enrica "Puny" Rignon, whom he married in the same year.
His first song to find commercial success was "La canzone di Marinella×La canzone di Marinella1995 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1La canzone di Marinella3:112La ballata dell’eroe2:413Il fannullone3:384Amore che vieni, amore che vai2:415La guerra di Piero3:256Valzer per un amore (Valzer campestre)3:407E fu la notte2:048Il testamento4:069La ballata del Michè2:4510Fila la lana2:2211La canzone dell’amore perduto3:4012La città vecchia3:2113Per i tuoi larghi occhi2:3314La ballata dell’amore cieco (o della vanità)2:5015Nuvole barocche2:2616Carlo Martello ritorna dalla battaglia di Poitiers5:19" ("The Song of Marinella") in 1967, thanks to a television performance by Mina. Following this first success, his first album of new songs was released in 1967 with the title Volume 1. The album opens with "Preghiera in Gennaio×Preghiera in gennaio1967 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAPreghiera in gennaioBSi chiamava Gesù" ("Prayer in January"), which is dedicated to De André's friend Luigi Tenco, a singer-songwriter who committed suicide before the album's release during his participation in the Sanremo Festival. Despite the popularity of this festival, De André refused to participate in any song competition by principle, and rarely appeared on television. In 1966, De André's first compilation album Tutto Fabrizio De André×Tutto Fabrizio De André1966 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1La ballata dell’amore cieco2:52A2Amore che vieni, amore che vai2:43A3La ballata dell’eroe2:43A4La canzone di Marinella3:13A5Fila la lana2:23B1La città vecchia3:23B2La ballata del Michè2:47B3La canzone dell’amore perduto3:42B4La guerra di Piero3:27B5Il testamento4:08 was released.

In 1968, De André released Tutti morimmo a stento, a concept album sung in Italian, with orchestral arrangements of Gian Piero Reverberi—a first for De André. The lyrics of the first song "Il Cantico dei Drogati" ("Junkies' Canticle") were co-written with poet Riccardo Mannerini, one of the most significant people in De André's life. De André and Mannerini also co-wrote lyrics for the 1968 album of the band New Trolls, Senza orario Senza bandiera. In 1969, it was released on the album Volume 3; due to their lyrics, some of its songs were censored by the national Italian television channel but were broadcast by Vatican Radio.

1970s

In 1970 the song "Il pescatore×Il pescatore1970 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAIl pescatoreBMarcia nuziale" ("The Fisherman") was released. The same year, he released La buona novella (The Good News), another concept album that was inspired by the life of Jesus Christ as reported mainly by the Apocryphal gospels. The album was followed in 1971 by Non al denaro non all'amore né al cielo which was inspired by the Spoon River Anthology, a collection of short poems from Edgar Lee Masters, with the collaboration of Nicola Piovani for the music and Giuseppe Bentivoglio for the lyrics. The album's booklet contains an interview from Fernanda Pivano, the Italian translator of Masters' works. In 1973, De André wrote the concept album Storia di un impiegato×Storia di un impiegato1973 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Introduzione1:43A2Canzone del maggio2:24A3La bomba in testa4:01A4Al ballo mascherato5:13A5Sogno numero due3:14B1La canzone del padre5:15B2Il bombarolo4:20B3Verranno a chiederti del nostro amore4:20B4Nella mia ora di libertà5:09, which is about the protests of those years, also involving Piovani and Bentivoglio. In 1974, he released the album Canzoni×Canzoni1974 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Via della Povertà9:35A2Le passanti3:51A3Fila la lana2:39A4Ballata dell’amore cieco3:02A5Suzanne3:27B1Morire per delle idee4:24B2La canzone dell’amore perduto3:20B3La città vecchia3:23B4Giovanna d’Arco4:48B5Delitto di paese3:54B6Valzer per un amore3:35, which includes re-recordings of many old songs and new translations of songs of Brassens, Leonard Cohen ("Suzanne" and "Joan of Arc"), and Bob Dylan ("Desolation Row"), thanks to the collaboration of Francesco De Gregori. In 1975, the experimental (both musically and linguistically) album Volume/8 was a collaboration with the songwriter Francesco De Gregori, and includes a translation of a song by Leonard Cohen ("Seems so long ago, Nancy").
In 1975, De André made his concert debut at La Bussola in Viareggio. Before that event, De André refused to perform live concerts because he considered himself more a songwriter than a performer. In the same period, he moved from Genoa to Sardinia. In 1978, his new concept album Rimini×Rimini31 March 1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Rimini4:08A2Volta la carta3:49A3Coda di lupo5:25A4Andrea5:31A5Tema di Rimini1:51B1Avventura a Durango4:52B2Sally4:49B3Zirichiltaggia2:18B4Parlando del naufragio della London Valour4:42B5Folaghe3:00, which he co-wrote with singer-songwriter Massimo Bubola was released; it includes a translation of Bob Dylan's "Romance in Durango" ("Avventura a Durango"). For the first time, he wrote a song in Gallurese, a local language related to Corsican, "Zirichiltaggia" ("Lizard Den"), inspired by the Ballu tundu, beginning to show his passion for minority languages and music traditions.
In 1977, his daughter Ludovica Vittoria (nicknamed simply Luvi) was born to his partner Dori Ghezzi. Between December 1978 and January 1979, De André toured with the Italian progressive rock band Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM), from which two live albums (In Concerto×In concerto1979 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Bocca di rosa4:392Andrea5:303Giugno ’734:324Un giudice3:365La guerra di Piero3:226Il pescatore4:167Zirichiltaggia2:368La canzone di Marinella4:049Volta la carta4:0410Amico fragile9:21Disc 21Avventura a Durango5:302Presentazione3:343Sally5:074Verranno a chiederti del nostro amore5:065Rimini5:076Via del Campo2:477Maria nella bottega del falegname4:088Il testamento di Tito6:59 - Arrangiamenti PFM, vol. 1×Vol. 1May 1967 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Preghiera in gennaio3:32A2Marcia nuziale3:12A3Spiritual2:37A4Si chiamava Gesù3:12A5La canzone di Barbara2:20B1Via del Campo2:33B2Caro amore3:57B3Bocca di rosa3:09B4La morte2:24B5Carlo Martello ritorna dalla battaglia di Poitiers5:24 and 2) were released. Many years later, in 2020, a video taken from that tour was discovered and published as a DVD with the title "Fabrizio De André e PFM - Il concerto ritrovato".
On 27 August 1979, De André and Dori Ghezzi were kidnapped in Sardinia. They were not released until December.

1980s

Together with Sergio Bardotti De André translated the song "Famous Blue Raincoat" with the title "La Famosa Volpe Azzurra", which was performed by Ornella Vanoni on her album Ricetta di donna (1980).
In 1981, De André and Massimo Bubola released the single "Una storia sbagliata", which was dedicated to Pier Paolo Pasolini and appeared as an opening theme to an Italian television program. Later in 1981, in July, De André released an album without a title, also known as L'Indiano (The Indian) due to the cover reproducing the painting The Outlier by Frederic Remington. The album is more inspired by rock music than De André's earlier ones, partly because of the collaboration in songwriting with Bubola. The arrangements were done by the American-born musician Mark Harris, who also sings "Ave Maria" in Sardinian. The track "Hotel Supramonte" was inspired by the De André's kidnapping experience. In September, De André and Ghezzi produced the next Bubola's album, Tre Rose (Three Roses), where they are also credited in the chorus.
In 1982, De André, who disliked traveling, went on his first and only European tour of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. In 1982 De André made one of his very rare TV presences, singing live the songs Fiume Sand Creek (Sand Creek River) and Andrea on the Italian television program Sotto le stelle. In 1984, Joan Baez sang "Marinella" during an Italian public television program (Blitz, conducted by Gianni Minà).
In 1984 the album Crêuza de mä×Crêuza de mä1984 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracksA1Crêuza de mä6:17A2Jamín‐a4:52A3Sidún6:25B1Sinàn Capudàn Pascià5:33B2Â pittima3:44B3Â duménega3:41B4D’ä mê riva3:05 was released, a collaboration with the multi-instrumentalist Mauro Pagani, a former member of PFM. This album is very unusual: its music was inspired by the Mediterranean music played with instruments from many local traditions, resulting in a special kind of world music and entirely sung in Genoese. David Byrne, later talking to Rolling Stone, named the album as one of the most-important releases of the decade. In 1985, De André co-wrote the song "Faccia di Cane", however unofficially, which was performed by the New Trolls at the Sanremo Music Festival 1985, where it placed third and won the Prize of the Critic. In 1987, De André and Pagani wrote the score of the film Topo Galileo. In 1988 De André sung in the song "Questi posti davanti al mare" together with Francesco De Gregori and Ivano Fossati, who also wrote the song, included in Fossati's 1988 album La pianta del tè. The song won the Targa Tenco in the Best Song category.
In 1985, De André promised his dying father to stop his abuse of alcohol but he continued to be a heavy smoker. In 1989, De André married Dori Ghezzi. Their marriage testimony was witnessed by the actor and life-long friend Beppe Grillo. In the same year, Fabrizio's brother Mauro, a corporate lawyer, who also helped Fabrizio with his career, died.

1990s

In 1990 De André released Le nuvole, another collaboration with Pagani. This album also brings a flavour of social protest, especially the song "La domenica delle salme" ["The Sunday of Corpses"]. The album was arranged by Piero Milesi. The first half of the album (side A) is sung in Italian while the second half (side B) is sung in Sardinian, Genoese, and Neapolitan. The album is also credited to Francesco Baccini for some verses of the song "Ottocento". In 1991, De André toured released the double live album 1991 Concerti×1991 Concerti1991 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Don Raffae’5:112La domenica delle salme6:023Fiume Sand Creek5:084Hotel Supramonte4:315Se ti tagliassero a pezzetti4:096Il gorilla4:237La canzone dell’amore perduto3:448Il testamento di Tito6:519La canzone di Marinella3:39Disc 21Crêuza de mä6:432Jamín‐a4:193Sidún5:584Mégu megún5:305Â pittima3:026Â duménega4:157’Â çímma5:528Sinàn Capudàn Pascià5:249Le nuvole2:25.

In these years, De André collaborated also with other duets in Italian: Genova Blues with Francesco Baccini (1990), Davvero davvero, with Mauro Pagani (1991), Navigare with Ricky Gianco (1992), Don Raffaé with Roberto Murolo (1992) and La Fiera della Maddalena with Max Manfredi (1994). De André also performed Don Raffaé live with Murolo at the 'Concerto del Primo Maggio' (May Day Concert) in 1992 in Rome.
De André also collaborated with the band Tazenda, singing a song in Sardinian ("Etta Abba Chelu") and co-writing the song "Pitzinnos in sa gherra" ["Children in the War"], both of which were included on their 1992 album Limba. He sang in Old Occitan with the band Troubaires de Coumboscuro ("Mis Amour") in 1995. In 1994, he collaborated on the lyrics of his son Cristiano's song "Cose che dimentico" ["Things I forget"]. In 1993, he performed the song "Cielito Lindo" in Spanish as an opening theme for an Italian television show of the same name. In 1996, a rearranged recording of the song Sidún together with Pagani and Exodus community is included in the charity album Fatto per un mondo migliore ["Made for a better world"].
In 1996 he released his last album Anime Salve×Anime salve19 September 1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Prinçesa4:52A2Ho visto Nina volare3:58A3Anime salve5:52A4Dolcenera5:00A5Le acciughe fanno il pallone4:47B1Khorakhané (A forza di essere vento)5:33B2Â cúmba4:04B3Disamistade5:13B4Smisurata preghiera7:08, a concept album about solitude, in collaboration with Ivano Fossati. The arrangements are by Milesi. Fossati also duets with De André on two of the songs, the tile track and "Â cùmba". The first song on the album, "Prinçesa", is inspired by the autobiography of the transsexual Fernanda Farias De Albuquerque. This song was awarded the Targa Tenco as Song of the Year. The last song of the album, "Smisurata preghiera", summarizes the work of writer Álvaro Mutis; De André also released a spanish version of the song titled "Desmedida plegaria", which was included in the score of the film Ilona Arrives with the Rain. The song was awarded the Lunezia Prize.

Also in 1996, De André co-wrote his only novel Un destino ridicolo with writer Alessandro Gennari; in 2008, this novel inspired the film Amore che vieni, amore che vai. In 1997, he recorded a new version of "Marinella", this time as a duo with Mina, which is included in the compilation Mi innamoravo di tutto×Mi innamoravo di tutto6 November 1997 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Coda di lupo5:27A2La canzone di Marinella5:06A3Sally4:53A4La cattiva strada4:37A5Canto del servo pastore3:15B1Bocca di rosa3:10B2Se ti tagliassero a pezzetti4:14B3Jamín‐a5:02B4La canzone dell’amore perduto (live)3:50B5Il bombarolo4:23B6Ave Maria5:27 ["I used to fall in love with everything"]. During the period of 1997–1998, De André went on the longest tour of his career, playing in arenas, open spaces, and theaters. Some of the summer dates were opened by poet and songwriter Oliviero Malaspina, with whom he was planning a collaboration for his next studio album. This long tour had to be interrupted because of the first signs of health problems. He was subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer.
Fabrizio De André died in Milan on 11 January 1999. Two days later, a public funeral took place in the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Carignano, Genoa, in front of a large audience. De André was buried in the family chapel in the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno.

Concerts

Fabrizio De André in Concerto (2004)
Fabrizio De André e PFM - Il concerto ritrovato (2020)

Documentaries

Effedia: Sulla mia cattiva strada (2008)
Dentro Faber (2011) (8 DVDs on different subjects each)
Faber in Sardegna & L'ultimo concerto di Fabrizio De André, directed by Gianfranco Cabiddu, 2015

Tributes

Omaggio a Fabrizio De André (2006) (tribute concert performed in the Roman Amphitheatre of Cagliari on 10 July 2005)
PFM canta De André (2008)

Inspired movies

Amore che vieni, amore che vai (2008) – directed by Daniele Costantini
Fabrizio De André - Principe libero (2018) – directed by Luca Facchini

Novels

De André, Fabrizio (1996). Un destino ridicolo. with Alessandro Gennari. Einaudi. ISBN 88-06-17591-2.

Diaries

De André, Fabrizio (2018). Sotto le ciglia chissà (in Italian). Mondadori. ISBN 9788804675877.

Interviews

Franchini, Alfredo (2014). Uomini e donne di Fabrizio De André: conversazioni ai margini (in Italian). Fratelli Frilli Editori. ISBN 978-8875631604.
Sassi, Claudio; Pistarini, Walter; Ceri, Luciano, eds. (2008). De Andre talk: Le interviste e gli articoli della stampa d'epoca (in Italian). Coniglio. ISBN 978-8860631534.

Biographies

Romana, Cesare G. (1991). Amico fragile (in Italian). Sperling & Kupfer. ISBN 8820012146.
Viva, Luigi (2000). Non per un dio ma nemmeno per gioco: Vita di Fabrizio De André (in Italian) (1st ed.). Feltrinelli Editore. ISBN 9788807815805.
De André, Fabrizio (2007). Guido Harari (ed.). Una goccia di splendore. Un'autobiografia per parole e immagini, con testi inediti (in Italian). Milano: Rizzoli. ISBN 978-88-17-01166-2.

Essayes

Fondazione Fabrizio De André, Bruno Bigoni, Romano Giuffrida, Accordi eretici, La Nave di Teseo, 2021. ISBN 8893950928.
Pistarini, Walter (2010). Il libro del Mondo - Fabrizio De André: le storie dietro le canzoni (in Italian). Giunti. ISBN 9788809748514.
Zanetti, Franco; Sassi, Claudio (2019). Fabrizio De André in concerto (in Italian). Giunti. ISBN 9788809881389.

Photobooks

Harari, Guido (2001). E poi, il futuro... (in Italian). Mondadori. ISBN 9788804497080.
Harari, Guido (2007). Una goccia di splendore (in Italian). Rizzoli. ISBN 9788817011662.

Comics

Algozzino, Sergio (2008). Ballata per Fabrizio De André (in Italian). Padova: Edizioni Becco Giallo. ISBN 978-8897555100.
Biani, Mauro (2009). Come una specie di sorriso (in Italian). Viterbo: Stampa Alternativa.
Milazzo, Ivo; Càlzia, Fabrizio (2010). Uomo Faber - biografia a fumetti di Fabrizio De André. Novara: De Agostini.