Beehive
Kiss me Licia e i Beehive

Eighties.

The "Kiss me Licia" phenomenon explodes, thanks to the homonymous animated series that narrates the more or less tangled love stories of the protagonists Licia, Mirko, Satomi, and most importantly, the emerging Rock group they are part of: the Beehive.

The line-up of said group features Mirko as the singer, Satomi as the keyboardist, Matt on drums, Toni on guitar, and another character whose name I couldn't find even after exhaustive research (but that doesn't matter much. The unnamed will rightfully enter History with his companions!). What I intend to review now is the debut album, dated 1985 and titled with a flash of inspired creativity: "Kiss me Licia e i Beehive". It consists of 12 tracks with titles so simple that they make those proposed in the latest Vasco album, which I just reviewed, pale in comparison. Here they are for you:

1. Kiss me Licia
2. Freeway
3. Fire (instrumental version)
4. Lonely boy
5. Baby I love you (instrumental version)
6. Andrea e Giuliano
7. Freeway (instrumental version)
8. Let me feel
9. Baby I love you
10. Fire
11. Kiss me Licia (instrumental version)
12. Il mio gatto Giuliano

Some of these songs have entered my everyday life strongly and have never left since then, especially the catchy "Baby I love you", indispensable in the phantasmagoric live performances of the band, and I am about to quote a snippet:

"Baby I love you I wonder thing undone
Baby I need you vorrei vederti ma tu
no, non vuoi venir, solo impazzirò senza di te"

And, certainly, you might object that with regards to the depth of the lyrics, it's not doing well (I can already hear the jokes... you're not doing well either, etc.), but undoubtedly it combines an instantly impactful chorus with an effective and instrumentally divine musical accompaniment. The few themes dealt with in the album make one think it is a concept album, but in reality, it is much more if contextualized in the situation it gravitates around, and to do so, just examine the characters who composed (or contributed by inspiring the artists) the music.

Licia, hindered by a father full of prejudices towards Mirko and Satomi, discriminated against only for their perhaps unusual but true Rockstar hairstyles; Andrea, the little brother of our frontman, who apart from his shockingly but enviably electric blue hair, is a splendid child who concentrates and divides his efforts between connecting the Licia-Mirko story and lovingly caring for his enormous cat Giuliano; Satomi, already a friend of Licia and in love with her, who will soon have to face one of life's sad realities: the betrayal by his brotherly friend Mirko, who as we know, will win Licia's heart; and finally Mirko himself, a tormented singer, who has to bear the reputation of a womanizer, act as a father to little Andrea, and puts his whole self into his group.

You will agree with me that given such premises, the debut couldn't have been better, the melodies and the warm voice of the showman are irresistible, and they strike the listener directly, whether young or old, who finds themselves involved and overwhelmed by a compelling EP.

Here, I could have done better, but the excitement and passion I have for my first Rock band, and the charm that Satomi still exerts on me (my first crush, even back then I went crazy for the long-haired ones...) made me lose rationality.

PS: The following albums were released in this order:

"Love me Licia e i Beehive" (1986)
"Licia dolce Licia e i Beehive" (1987)
"Teneramente Licia e i Beehive" (1987)
"Balliamo e cantiamo con Licia" (1988)

Featuring a superb Cristina D'Avena as the protagonist of a successful series inspired by the Japanese cartoon, which sadly will never reach the glory gained by its respective paper version.