by Mario Luzzato Fegiz
Interview with the singer-songwriter: “I made Pippo Baudo and Katia Ricciarelli fall in love, I had Wojtyla as my fans.” Nowadays, young people suggest songs with incomprehensible lyrics, words that I don’t know what they mean mean. They produce stupid things with forced rhymes.
Italian pop has a champion of emphasis and melody named Amedeo Minghi. From “The Scent of Time” (the song that made Pippo Baudo and Katia Ricciarelli, who sang it out of competition, fall in love with Sanremo) to “Decenni”, from “1950” to the pleasant catchphrase that always Still “go away” is “Love” (recently revived by Fiorello and Nina Zilli and by Stefano Bollani with Valentina Cenni), Minghi is a concentrate of romance and internationality with firm roots in tradition. He was the first to compose and publish a song about Pope Wojtyla entitled “A Man Who Came from a Distance”, a truly moving song about the life and pontificate of the Bishop of Rome: from his youth as a worker and poet to to his death attack, from his travels to distant lands to fight against poverty and war, pilgrims of peace… “In the Vatican,” recalls the artist, “there was already a song about the Pope, written by Marcello Marrocchi, author from “Perdere l’amore”. ” (with which Massimo Ranieri won Sanremo in 1989, editor’s note) and they were looking for an interpreter. I was invited to perform in the Sala Nervi with the orchestra and choir under the direction of Monsignor Marco Frisina as part of a celebration of the priesthood of the Pope, who, which does not happen often, personally followed the concert in which I was included, rearranged and followed, also rewritten “A man who came from afar.” At the end the Pope gave me many compliments and asked me about the lyrics of the song because he didn’t understand all the words well. “If Mozart were alive today,” Minghi adds, “he would be working for Disney and composing soundtracks for animated films, which is the greatest thing for a musician “It’s a challenge.” Back then, high-quality work was done right down to the last detail. I wouldn’t be able to do it today.
The song “The Scent of Time” was a hit and made love at first sight blossom between Baudo and Ricciarelli…
“I wrote a lot of dirty songs. So much so that five band members and my collaborators married fans they met while touring. That is why today I am surrounded by the fruit of my songs. I make music in all areas, with changing styles and atmospheres. And there is no shortage of “catchy music” that encourages the first kiss…” They found themselves at the center of a very creative moment for Italian music. “I worked with Bacalov, Morricone, Mogol, Pasquale Panella and Gaio Chiocchio, an extraordinary poet. Just think of “1950”, “When Summer Will Come” and “Sognami”: they are songs that highlight the positive side of life. experienced the beautiful things. Ennio Morricone was more than a friend. I played guitar for Mia Martini, went to Bocelli’s house in Forte dei Marmi several times (and I co-wrote the song “Per noi”). Everything leaves lasting traces. Morricone paid attention to details. The creation of the song “The Scent of Silence” amused him and, above all, the presence of a large symphony orchestra gave him joy. The dialogue between classical and light was never attempted. I am an anomaly in the world of entertainment. How does it relate to classical music? “Strong. I hear it often, it’s all beautiful, it’s art par excellence.
It was a surprise to discover that Katia and Baudo…
“Yes. Katia has a strong, very decisive character. He has a perfect Verdi voice. But my favorite author remains Puccini.
Why Puccini?
“He knows how to touch sensitive notes, he knows how to move, he knows how to reach people’s hearts.”
Mietta?
“It was a triumph, the “Trottolino amoroso”: 500,000 copies sold.”
Califano?
«I have worked there in the past. And somehow I’m still working on it. “Sarò franco”, an album with unreleased songs by Califano, has been released. Where I composed the music and sang the unreleased “My inheritance”.
When did you discover the singer Califano?
«I think the melancholy in his way of singing is fantastic. One evening the first 70s aces played the song “Fijo mio” at Club 84 in Rome and it was a triumph. Until that evening he was just a copywriter. From that night on, he was a singer-songwriter… a handsome man with a special voice.”
He also worked with Rita Pavone.
“Yeah, I was wondering how he managed to get so much voice over that minimal body. When he called me, I was very pleased. Already prepared and professional at the age of 15. She sang one of my beautiful songs, “Ti perdo e non ordini,” with which she won several awards. The song was rejected in Italy. Instead, he triumphed in France.
You have often collaborated with Pasquale Panella, the author of the Mogol Battisti texts.
“A genius who knows how to manipulate words like no other.” He wrote wonderful things. What connected us was the desire to experiment. Together we worked in search of new sensations, with four-hour phone conversations… in the middle of the night to unlock secret corners of creativity.
De Gregori, referring to the recent death of his wife Chicca, said: “Without her I will be very bored” (Elena Palladino, wife of Amedeo Minghi, died on January 7, 2014 after 40 years of marriage, editor’s note).
“Francesco is right, because loneliness is strong. I don’t know how many years Francesco lived with his wife. My relationship was very important… it’s difficult to find the words… In the album I’m working on, “Anima faded”, there’s a lot of me and her. I had to mourn. If you don’t express what you feel inside, it rots… All the love songs I wrote are dedicated to Elena. She was the only one who could see me cry (I wrote it immensely), admitted in true intimacy. My first contact. It was important to me that she heard the songs first.”
The two daughters Alma and Annesa?
“You are another indescribable thing.”
Are you a grandfather?
“From a tall, handsome 20-year-old boy and a 5-year-old granddaughter. A pearl that adores me. It’s not Barilla’s picture, but it looks like one.
His relationships with journalists?
“I refuse interviews to 90% of journalists. Because I don’t trust much… There is always a difference between what I said and what comes out in print. I prefer live TV.”
How have you seen this world change?
“Every generation has the duty to change everything. That’s how it’s always happened. If young people don’t do it, who should? We did that too. What nonsense… take Latin out of schools, parties, confederations, on the streets, under any pretext. And then? In the end everything was the same as before or even worse. We have failed to change the world. Now young people are suggesting songs with incomprehensible lyrics, words that I don’t know what they mean. Because there are too many. We come from far away, from true poetry, where words mattered. But the more words you add, the less you say. With forced rhymes you can produce incredible nonsense. The level is low today. “Worrying.”
Technologies?
“Enough. I always write the songs on the piano. I started with the guitar, then switched to the piano in the 80s. When I move into the studio, I am forced by the technology. I tell the young people: Don’t give in 90% of your work to the computer. Don’t rush. The computer helps, but does not replace. It is no use to act arbitrarily. You must understand what you really know and are. And tell it in the best possible way.
You have worked with Mariella Nava, among others.
“Yes, but you critics did the song “Futuro come te” as a duet with her. They renamed us “Duo Novembre”.
Yes, it is true. For us we needed pop, rock or songwriting. We were merciless with the Italian bel canto.
“But there was also something good in bel canto… It wasn’t wise to underestimate us. This song was about new topics like the internet. You were a little behind.”
Other collaborations?
“With Marcella Bella, Anna Oxa, Marisa Sannia, Gianni Morandi, Andrea Bocelli”.
And then Bongusto, Di Capri, Bruno Martino. What do you think?
“I didn’t know what an atmosphere song was. It just occurred to me. “La vita mia” is sung in church at weddings, but also at funerals… A priest made me sing it at the request of the deceased, even though the song spoke of a love that goes wrong. Is the public abusing my songs? That’s fine.”
His models?
“When I was young I loved Cat Stevens, a very interesting voice. The greatest orchestrator was Neil Diamond.
The best memories?
«Years ago I was at the Mességué beauty farm. There I meet Gino Bramieri and we hit it off immediately. In the evening we decide to play a game of Scala 40. It lasted three days. For each card, Gino told a different joke. We were silly and laughed at every nonsense. Nobody touched the cards during breaks. He invented something with every piece. Those lightning jokes that were hilarious. I think I had the funnest week of my life. I’ve never laughed so much.
And then?
«I would add two incredible situations. An absurd New Year’s Eve. I came back from an evening. It was me and my driver. We stopped at midnight. Abandoned service area. Quick toast. In the distance the midnight explosions… Set off sober, with a sip of champagne in your body. Another New Year’s Eve: me and my wife. Me in a tuxedo, she in a long one. Ready to go out, expecting at a party. But my dog, who was called Totò and was a golden retriever, was already starting to whine. And so we toasted together with Totò at our house. We didn’t want to leave the dog alone. Nevertheless, I was elegant and perfectly made up and felt full of affection and joy.”
Which Bramieri joke do you remember best?
“Lifeguard: Hey, do you know you’re not allowed to pee in the pool?” Bather: “But everyone does!” Lifeguard: yes, but not off the diving board.”
October 1, 2023 (modified October 1, 2023 | 07:27)
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