Antonello Venditti
Quando verrà Natale

"Quando verrà Natale", the first album composed of 7 tracks in Venditti's career, represents a milestone in his discography. In it, the religious discourse is openly manifested, as evidenced by the opening track "A Cristo", which cost Alessandro an accusation of offending the state religion! The reason for the accusation was a compromising line: "Ammazzete Gesù Crì quanto sei fico", which a police officer reported during a concert, resulting in a six-month suspended sentence, both in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. In the LP version, it was corrected to "quanto so' fichi", as well as the correction in "impegnato su in Irlanda" which originally was "impegnato un po' più a destra". In fact, Venditti aimed to portray a more human God than the one talked about by the Catholic Church; it was not (only) provocation. The song, aside from the episode, highlights the guitar arrangement. Indeed, the Cyan 3, a group composed of two guitars, a keyboardist, and a drummer, also contributed to the record. Moreover, Luca Balbo played guitar on the album. The religious theme continues with the next track "Marta", one of the first songs where Venditti presents adolescent female portraits and where the protagonist prays but "no God will answer": rather than questioning the religious cornerstone, however, the song speaks of a conflicted relationship with her father. It continues with "Piazzale degli Eroi" with a major melodic solution which amplifies the piece. The song depicts a politically right-wing environment, just consider the line "too little money in pocket to spy on you" and especially "no, I don’t want to go through Piazzale degli Eroi anymore", clearly rejecting the right-wing ideology. Side A closes with the political disillusion of "Ora che sono pioggia". Emblematic are the lines "I have never been the type to accept orders and compromises, with men, women and even with saints" leading to the final verse "that thing that remains I see: it’s only love".

We turn the vinyl over and find the masterpiece of the album, "Campo de' Fiori", which Antonello wrote right after the "A Cristo" affair. The piano chords, as usual, take center stage. The song cites another historical place in Rome, this time in contrast to Piazzale degli Eroi, as a popular neighborhood where "children grow up well, always steal but never betray", thus praising street life in its most positive sense. The track is also a reflection on time, which has already defeated "the shadows of an era" and "daddy's money", perhaps referencing the economic independence the singer-songwriter achieved with his early albums. "Figli del domani" may be the album's lesser episode, with Venditti envisioning a world where humans are perfect, never make mistakes, and never cry.

The grand finale is entrusted to the title track, "Quando verrà Natale", almost experimental as it repeats only two lines throughout the song, but there's a change in intensity first increasing and then decreasing: the verses are "When Christmas comes, the whole world will change / When Christmas comes, everything will smile", as if waiting for the Christ mentioned in the first song, creating a circular discourse. Christmas will also return in the later release, ten years on, Mai nessun video mai, which clearly references this song.

"Quando verrà Natale" is considered by some to be Venditti's best LP, although according to the author, it doesn't reach 5 stars, a privilege that will (the only case in the entire discography) be reserved for the subsequent Lilly.