Lucio Battisti
was born in Poggio Bustone,a little town in the middle of Italy,
in March 1943.
He moved with the family to Rome in 1950.
In 1964, with a Roman garage band called Campioni, he formed his first musical experience.
In spring 1965
he set off for Milan, Italy's center of records and publishing,
where he know
Christine Leroux a French talent scout.
In autumn 1965
Christine brought him in contact with Mogol, one of best Italian
lyricists, and
soon a fruitful partnership developed.
In 1966, as
composer, Battisti had three hits in a row ("Per una
lira"- Ribelli, "Dolce di giorno"
- Dik Dik, "Uno in più" - Riki Maiocchi).The same
year, he records his first single as singer
entitled "Per una lira".
In 1967, as
composer, Battisti had great success with "29
Settembre" - Equipe 84 and as
singer he records his second single entitled "Luisa
Rossi".
In 1968 he took
part in the Cantagiro Festival with the song "Balla
Linda" and made his
breakthrough also as a singer.The same year Grass Roots made a
hit of it as "Bella Linda" in
USA.
In 1969 he
competes with Wilson Pickett at the Sanremo Festival with the
song
"Un'avventura".
In March, he release his first studio album entitled "Lucio
Battisti".
A U.K. group called Amen Corner (with future Paul McCartney and
Wings session musician
Andy Fairweather-Low) also had a number one hit, with
Mogol/Battisti's "Il Paradiso" ("If
Paradise Is Half As Nice").
1969 is the "Acqua azzurra, acqua chiara" and "Mi
ritorni in mente" year, the year he
becomes a star in fact since the each of his songs as become a
hit and nothing can stop
Battisti.
In 1970 Battisti
release some real masterpiece.
As singer "Fiori rosa, fiori di pesco" and
"Emozioni".
As composer "Insieme" and "E penso a te"
respectively performed by Mina and Bruno Lauzi.
The same year, he records his second studio album entitled
"Emozioni".
In 1971 he
records a new single entitled "Pensieri e parole" this
song will be 19 weeks on the
top of hits.
In July release his third album entitled "Amore e non
amore" where there are also some
instrumental songs.
In October his music publishing house "Ricordi" release
a compilation entitled "Lucio Battisti
- Vol. 4".
In November Battisti leave the Dischi Ricordi record company and
he started up a new label
with Mogol to record under Numero Uno.In the meantime he records
a new single entitled
"La canzone del sole", the beauty of the song is
confirmed by its commercial success.
During 1971 as composer he release some great successes
"Eppur mi son scordato di te" -
Formula Tre,"Vendo casa" - Dik Dik, "Amor
mio" - Mina, "Amore caro, amore bello" - Bruno
Lauzi in Italy and Hervè Vilard in France.
Love Affair records a song entitled "Wake Me I Am
Dreaming", a English version of 1969 "Mi ritorni in
mente"
"Billboard", America's music trade magazine, honored
Lucio with the 1971 "Trendsetter
Award".
In 1972 Battisti
records two "concept" albums.
In April release "Umanamente uomo: il sogno" with
"I giardini di Marzo" as single.
Every track is so completely different and original from the
others that the album has all the
characteristics for becoming a fundamental episode in Italian
music history.
Songs like "Innocenti evasioni", "E penso a
te", "Comunque bella" emerged during this
period.
In November his album and single "Il mio canto libero"
were released.Both recordings stayed
several months on the top of the bestseller lists and the album
alone sold 750.000 copies.
The song "Il mio canto libero" will be recorded also in
English,Spanish,German, and French.
In 1973 Battisti
release a new album entitled "Il nostro caro angelo"
mixed in London.
From the charming "La collina dei ciliegi", to the
hermetic title-track Battisti pursues other
sounds, other words.
In September he was in Hamburg to record a German album called
"Unser Freies Lied" with
lyrics by Udo Lindenberg.
In 1974 he
records one of his most experimental album entitled "Anima
latina".
This album exceeds by far "Il nostro caro angelo"
achievements. It breathes an even more
latin air, Mediterranean colors and patterns melt to give a
groove owing a lot to Italian
progressive.
Mick Ronson records a song entitled "Music Is Lethal",
a English version of 1972 "Io vorrei...
non vorrei... ma se vuoi" with David Bowie's lyrics.
In February 1976
Battisti release a new album entitled "Lucio Battisti, la
batteria, il
contrabbasso, eccetera", where the song "Ancora
tu", one of his biggest hit internationally,
has a clear disco-music imprint.
With the same title the album is also released in Spanish (the
lyrics are translated by Carlos
Ramon Amart) and the single "Respirando" will be a hit
in Spain.
In 1977 he
leaves for Los Angeles.
In Hollywood Battisti starts working on the project of a American
release of some his most
successful hits and some new songs which are translated by Mogol
and Peter Powell.
In March release in Italy a new album entitled "Io tu noi
tutti" where emerged songs like
"Amarsi un pò" and "Si, viaggiare".
In August release, in USA and U.K., his first English album
entitled "Images" with 5 new songs like "To Feel
In Love" and "Keep On Cruising"
and the English version of "Il mio canto libero" (A
song To Feel Alive) and "La canzone del
sole" (The Sun Song).
In the same year release in Spain his second Spanish album
entitled "Emociones" and the
single "Sentir amor".
In 1978 he
leaves for London to record a new album entitled "Una donna
per amico".
With songs like "Prendila così", "Perchè
no", "Una donna per amico"and "Nessun
dolore".
The beauty of the album is confirmed by its commercial success:
over 900.000 copies sold in
Italy alone or, the highest commercial breakthrough ever reached
by Battisti.
Other artists, such as the songstress Mina, widely recorded his
songs.
Since 1978 there has been silence about Battisti : no interview,
no photos, no TV, no radio, no
concerts.
In 1980, while
recording new album in England, he had a crisis of faith and left
his
professional relationship with Mogol.
The album entitled "Una giornata uggiosa" with songs
like "Con il nastro rosa" will be their last
collaboration.
In 1982 Battisti
worked with Greg Walsh
In September release a new album entitled "E già".
The lyrics of "E già" are written by his wife.
From 1986
Battisti worked with poet Pasquale Panella.
In April release his new album entitled "Don Giovanni".
The album has all the characteristics for becoming a
revolutionary episode in Italian music
history.
In 1988 he release a new album entitled "L'apparenza".
In 1990 Battisti records a new album entitled "La sposa occidentale".
In 1992 he release a new album entitled "Cosa succederà alla ragazza".
In 1994 Battisti
release his last album entitled "Hegel".
Sadly, Lucio Battisti passed away in a Milan hospital on
September 9, 1998. He was 55 years old.