Lucio Battisti
Il Mio Canto Libero

THE REVIEW

"Il Mio Canto Libero", released in 1972, is Battisti's fifth album and represents the peak of the first period of his career. In fact, as was already evident with the previous "Amore e Non Amore", the singer from Poggio Bustone had begun experimenting with new sounds, which would lead him to compose very experimental and challenging albums. In this album, Battisti demonstrates that he has matured musically and, compared to "Emozioni", he composes melodies that are immediate yet very elaborate, supported by no less than 19 musicians, plus an entire orchestra.

The 8 songs on this album have entered the history of Italian pop music, thanks to their freshness, starting with the first track, the mini-suite "La luce dell'est". Introduced by the orchestra, the song is supported by the guitar arpeggios and Lucio's voice, with other instruments joining in turn, eventually leading to a very catchy and poetic chorus ("A te che sei il mio presente a te la mia mente/ e come uccelli leggeri fuggon tutti i miei pensieri/ per lasciar solo posto al tuo viso/ che come un sole rosso acceso arde per me/"). Some believe Mogol's lyrics contain many metaphors for Eastern Europe, but I don't quite see it... This is followed by the whimsical "Luci-Ah" with cheerful music that reminds of village festivals and an amusing text about a girl who gets up to all sorts of mischief (listen to believe it). The third song is "L'Aquila", played almost entirely with an acoustic guitar, where a man dissatisfied with his woman's love longs to become like an eagle, free to soar in the sky in search of happiness. "Vento nel vento" is another love song, introduced by a piano and featuring an organ that creates a solemn atmosphere before the strings arrive. Another whimsical piece is "Confusione", in which Lucio plays with his voice. This is followed by the masterpiece "Io vorrei... non vorrei... ma se vuoi" in which Lucio thanks his woman for helping him out of the depression caused by another love affair. The chorus is very famous ("Come può uno scoglio arginare il mare...") and the music perfectly complements the mood generated by the lyrics. "Gente per bene e gente per male" presents a conversation between Lucio and some girls. Even though the general atmosphere is cheerful, the song is a true anthem to freedom and a rebellion against the flattening of modern society that marginalizes those who do not "sing" in the choir; in fact, the outsider finds solace in a "distinguished lady," much more deserving than the snobbish group. The last track is the very famous title track, in my opinion, the best song ever written by Battisti, and one of his most famous. A love song dedicated to the woman loved by Lucio, but also to the world and nature in all its forms. The final part is stunning, with trumpets and an almost gospel-like choir that belts out the beautiful chorus: "In un mondo che prigioniero è/ respiriamo liberi io e te/ e la verità si offre nuda a noi/ e limpida è l'immagine ormai/".

Thank you again, Lucio!!!