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THE REVIEW
"Pure archaeology of Italian beat" is how delrock defines it, criticizing it as if it were an Inter-Poggibonsi game in March. And yet.
In 1966, the national Lucione is a clumsy clarinet player who has already toured several areas in the Bologna region, in the company, among others, of Pupi Avati - whom he had left in '62, precisely because of Dalla's wild clarinet antics.
A comic strip, in short.
Seeing him now on the cover, legs crossed next to his "Idols," brings a smile. And listening to what the Belpaese offered at the time - a dull poor copy of the English beat - is even worse. But Dalla brings his passion for jazz, the fiery kind from dixieland bands, and a curiosity towards James Brown who was starting to make waves across the ocean.
The songs are little more than sketches dominated by an omnipresent Farfisa, tender mockeries of the genre ("Quando ero soldato", "LSD"), as well as genuflections to what the era demanded ("Lei non è per me" and practically the entire second side). In between, tributes to James Brown (a wild "I got You" and "Mondo di uomini", from "It's a Man Man's World"), an intense title track and "Paff...Bum!", which stands out only because it will be presented at the Sanremo festival paired with none other than his majesty, the Yardbirds.
Another four years will pass before a follow-up, and Dalla will be the first to lose track of this debut.
Those were truly different times, no doubt about it.
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Summary by Bot
Lucio Dalla's debut album '1999' from 1966 is viewed as an unpolished but passionate representation of the Italian beat scene, mixing jazz influences and tributes to artists like James Brown. The album features rough sketches dominated by Farfisa keyboards and reflects the evolving music landscape of the era. Though criticized for its amateurish qualities, it captures a moment of youthful experimentation. Dalla himself later distanced from this work as his style matured.Tracklist Lyrics
Lucio Dalla
Lucio Dalla (Bologna, 4 March 1943 – 1 March 2012) was an Italian singer‑songwriter, musician, and actor. A clarinetist and saxophonist with jazz roots, he rose from 1960s beat beginnings to a celebrated 1970s–80s run that fused pop invention with streetwise poetry. Landmark works include Com’è profondo il mare, Lucio Dalla (1979), Dalla (1980), and the song Caruso.49 Reviews
