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Rating: It was 1968 when the Dik Dik released their first album. Unlike many similar bands that took quite a few years to release their first record, they didn't take long. Supported by Disco Ricordi, they gave birth to their eponymous album. We are in 1968, a year of significant importance, but where are the Dik Dik in all this? Let's face it, the album suffers too much from the British Invasion to the point of almost being overshadowed by it. Nevertheless, the group recorded its most famous song, 'Senza Luce.' But let's proceed in order.
The band initially was a power trio. Giancarlo Sbriziolo on vocals and bass, accompanied by Pietro Montalbetti and Erminio Salvaderi. When one talks about Dik Dik, 'Senza Luce' inevitably comes into the conversation, and the connection to Procol Harum is almost mandatory. Just a year before, in 1967, the latter had released one of the most suggestive and indecipherable songs in music history. 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' is not just a song but almost an enigma. Perhaps due to its very peculiar lyrics or maybe it's because of that organ intro that I would dare to call unstoppable. Yes, because it's one of the few things that, every time I listen to it, it's always like the first time. Who knows if the Dik Dik's move was purely heartfelt or if they had already glimpsed the song's immortality. In any case, smartly or not, they did what Italians were great at doing at the time. Adapting English hits with Italian lyrics that often had nothing to do with the original. No harm done if the result is songs like 'Senza Luce.' Some harm in other cases, but oh well. Returning to the song, in short, Dik Dik stayed true to the difficulty of the lyrics by crafting them in an equally indecipherable way. The first verse seems to speak of a hangover. Suddenly, the story breaks off and reveals a longing for freedom and happiness expressed through a gaze at a starry sky, and between the lines, an almost evanescent figure emerges that we don't even know if it's real. But it becomes so in the third verse, in a strange comparison with another woman. It seems a bit forced, yet the Whiter Shade of Pale effect renders it, how shall I say, wonderful.
Could a single cover ever be enough? Obviously not, so here emerges 'Sognando California', 'stolen' from The Mamas & The Papas, one of the key groups of the psychedelic/folk scene of the summer of love. This time, they didn't even change the title (California Dreamin'). Aided by Mogol for the lyrics, here's a splendid depiction of the dream par excellence. The warm Californian summers. The words are unforgettable (Ti sogno California/ E un giorno io verrò).
Let's be honest, the rest of the tracks are heavily influenced by the vintage Kinks. 'Dolce di giorno', written by Mogol and initially performed by Battisti, '1-2-3', a cover of Len Barry, obviously Italianized, slightly better 'Guardo te e vedo mio figlio.' In short, besides the two major classics, there's little to salvage, but as is known, the end of the '60s imposed sounds that the band would later abandon in favor of more '70s-oriented music, still within the genre. It's also curious how a record containing barely adequate tracks produced two of the most famous songs of those years. And let's be honest, just 'Senza Luce' alone would be worth the purchase.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sognando la California (02:40)
Cielo grigio su
Foglie gialle giù
Cerco un po’ di blu
Dove il blu non c'è
Sento solo freddo
Fuori e dentro me
Ti sogno California
e un giorno io verrò
Entro in chiesa e là
Io cerco di pregar
Ma il mio pensiero invece va
Ritorna sempre là
Al sole caldo che vorrei
Che qui non verrà mai
Ti sogno California
e un giorno io verrò
Assolo
Cielo grigio su
Foglie gialle giù
Cerco un po’ di blu
Dove il blu non c’è
Se lei non mi aspettasse
So che partirei
Ti sogno California
e un giorno io verrò
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