When did I first "meet" Lucio Dalla?
I’d been living in Bologna for several weeks when my Bolognesi friends excitedly told me they’d just seen Lucio in Piazza Maggiore.
“Chi è Lucio?”, I asked.
“Lucio Dalla!”
“Chi è Lucio Dalla?”
Looks of surprise … I hadn’t heard of Lucio Dalla? Not only was I living in his city, I was living on via D’Azeglio – his street!
Lucio Dalla, they explained, is a singer-songwriter from Bologna. He’s famous in Italy, and all over the world for his unique style of music.
Although none of my friends actually knew Lucio, they spoke of him with pride, almost like he was a real friend of theirs.
That evening, I went back to my apartment – just up the street from Signor Lucio’s – and started listening to his music. Caruso, Piazza Grande, Anna e Marco, Attenti al Lupo …
Initially, I have to admit … I was not convinced.
Some of the songs were catchy … others just sounded strange.
What genre was Lucio's music?
It was like a mix of pop, jazz and even some random opera-like moments.
Still, I kept listening. The more I was able to decipher the lyrics, I realized that Lucio was singing a lotttt about Bologna. Clearly, he loved his city.
Shortly after I was introduced to Lucio’s music, he suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. I had just discovered Lucio’s love of Bologna. Now, I was about to witness Bologna’s love of Lucio.
For weeks, crowds flooded via D’Azeglio to pay homage outside of Lucio’s home. Navigating the masses to get to my apartment, I waded my way through a sea of emotion: people singing Lucio’s songs, calling his name, sharing memories of him and his music.
During Lucio’s funeral, Piazza Maggiore overflowed with mourners. The size of the crowd was impressive, but the feeling in the air was even more impressive. It was as if part of the city had been lost.
For the remainder of my time in Bologna, Lucio's songs flowed into my life.
The songs began to naturally color and accompany my days.
I related to the subject of many of Lucio’s songs – life in Bologna. Slowly, I began to develop a real and special connection to Lucio and his city. It almost began to feel like a friendship. Although Lucio was gone, I felt like I was just getting to know him.
Now that I’m back in the States, I am so grateful for the interconnectivity between Lucio and his beloved Bologna. Without ever having to get on a plane, he is able to transport me to my beloved Bologna … through his music.
Italian Vocabulary related to Lucio Dalla
All Around Italia helps you learn about Italy and also learn Italian! Here are some words related to Lucio Dalla. Have you heard these before?
il cantautore/la cantautrice – singer-songwriter
Lucio Dalla è un cantautore italiano di Bologna. / Lucio Dalla is a singer-songwriter from Bologna.
mancare – literally “to miss”; also “to pass away”, a less harsh alternative to morire (to die)
Quando Lucio Dalla venne a mancare improvvisamente nel 2012, una folla di fan bolognesi si radunò a casa sua in via D’Azeglio per settimane per onorarlo. / When Lucio Dalla passed away unexpectedly in 2012, a crowd of Bolognesi fans gathered by his house in via D’Azeglio for weeks to honor him.
grande – great, as in large or awesome; in Bologna, you will often hear the exclamation “Grande!” meaning “Great!” or “Awesome!”
Nella canzone “Le Tue Ali Bologna” di Lucio Dalla ed altri collaboratori, parte del ritornello è “Tu sei grande Bologna” . / In the song “The Wings of Bologna” by Lucio Dalla and other collaborators, part of the chorus is “You are great, Bologna”.
Listen to Lucio Dalla's Music about Bologna
Bring Italian into your everyday life by listening to Lucio's music.
DARK BOLOGNA – This fun and quirky song released in 2006, late in Lucio’s career, is about Bologna. It mentions many aspects of the city: never getting rained on thanks to the porticos, the soccer stadium, a good slice of pizza at Altero, the local newspaper il Resto del Carlino, the church of San Luca.
To best experience the song, I recommend this Youtube video, which includes images of Bologna. The video doesn’t include the lyrics and isn’t closed captioned. If you’d like to follow along, you can find the lyrics here.
PIAZZA GRANDE – Released in 1976, Piazza Grande is one of Lucio Dalla’s most famous songs. It is from the perspective of a man who has made Piazza Grande his home.
You may be wondering if Piazza Grande is a real place. It is … it’s just not called Piazza Grande. The song refers to Bologna’s Piazza Cavour, nearby Lucio’s childhood home. Many mistakenly think it refers to Piazza Maggiore – Bologna’s largest piazza. Piazza Maggiore, however, does not have grass and benches, as mentioned in the song. Piazza Cavour does.
Regardless of whether you’re in Piazza Cavour or Piazza Maggiore (or anywhere else in the world!), Piazza Grande is a lovely song to enjoy! You can listen and follow along with the lyrics on Youtube.
LE TUE ALI BOLOGNA – This simple ode to Bologna was released in 1988 by Lucio Dalla and three other famous musicians from the city: Gianni Morandi, Luca Carbonari, and Andrea Mingardi. The song is the official anthem of Bologna’s soccer team – of which Lucio was a huge fan.
Listen and follow along with the lyrics on Youtube. You’ll be ready to sing along the next time you find yourself in the Bologna soccer stadium!
For more of Lucio’s songs and other songs from Emilia-Romagna, check out our Emilia-Romagna Spotify playlist.
