La buona novella
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La buona novella is the name of the fourth studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André, released in 1970. Its plot revolves around the New Testament apocrypha.
Development
The LP is a concept album inspired by several apocryphal gospels, mainly the Gospel of James and the Arabic Infancy Gospel.
Producer Roberto Dané had the original idea for the album and submitted it to Antonio Casetta of Produttori Associati, who in turn advised him to discuss the idea with De André, who was stuck in a creative rut at that time. After a year of work, the album was ready.
Narration in this album, in accordance with the apocrypha, emphasizes the human traits of traditional biblical characters (i.e. Joseph) and focuses more on some minor characters (i.e. Titus and Dumachus, the two thieves crucified along with Jesus). De André himself considered it "one of his best works, if not the best".
Track listing
- All lyrics written by Fabrizio De André.
- All songs composed and arranged by Fabrizio De André and Gian Piero Reverberi, except where noted.
- "Laudate Dominum" (Praise the Lord) (0:22)
- "L'infanzia di Maria" (Mary's Childhood) (5:01)
- "Il ritorno di Giuseppe" (Joseph's Return) (4:07)
- "Il sogno di Maria" (Mary's Dream) (4:0)
- "Ave Maria" (Hail Mary) (1:54)
- "Maria nella bottega del falegname" (Mary In the Carpenter's Workshop) (3:15)
- "Via della Croce" (Way Of the Cross) (4:33)
- "Tre madri" (Three Mothers) (2:56)
- "Il testamento di Tito" (Titus' Testament) (5:51) (Fabrizio De André, Corrado Castellari)
- "Laudate Hominem" (Praise the Man) (3:26)
Criticism
The album was heavily criticized at the time of its release due to its themes. During the students' protests period, many regarded it as conservative, anachronistic and generally uncompatible with the idea of social change promoted by the protests. When De André was asked why he would make an album about Jesus Christ at a time like that, he answered that "Jesus is the greatest revolutionary of all history". He also explained that the album is "an allegory, a comparison between the best and most reasonable principles of the protest movement and the spiritually wider ones of a man, born 1968 years before, who got himself nailed to a cross in the name of universal brotherhood and egalitarianism, against any abuse of power".
Personnel
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| Studio albums |
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| Live albums |
Fabrizio De André in concerto (1979) • Fabrizio De André in concerto vol. 2 (1980) • 1991 concerti (1991) • In concerto (1999) • Ed avevamo gli occhi troppo belli (2001) • In concerto volume II (2001) • Fabrizio De André e PFM in concerto (2007)
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| Anthologies |
Tutto Fabrizio De André (1966) • La canzone di Marinella (1968) • Nuvole barocche (1968) Fabrizio De André (Black Anthology) (1976) • Fabrizio De André (Blue Anthology) (1986) • Il viaggio (1991) • La canzone di Marinella (re-issue) (1995) • Mi innamoravo di tutto (1997) • Da Genova (1999) • Peccati di gioventù (2000) • In direzione ostinata e contraria (2005) • In direzione ostinata e contraria 2 (2006)
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| Singles |
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"Nuvole barocche" (1961) • "La ballata del Michè" (1961) • "Il fannullone" (1963) • "Il testamento" (1963) • "La guerra di Piero" (1964) • "Valzer per un amore" (1965) • "Per i tuoi larghi occhi" (1965) • "La città vecchia" (1965) • "La canzone dell'amore perduto" (1966) • "Geordie" (1966)
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Post-Karim
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"Preghiera in Gennaio" (1967) • "Via del Campo" (1967) • "Caro amore" (1967) • "La canzone di Barbara" (1968) • "Carlo Martello ritorna dalla battaglia di Poitiers" (1968) • "La canzone di Marinella" (1968) • "Il gorilla" (1969) • "Leggenda di Natale" (1969) • "Il pescatore" (1970) • "La stagione del tuo amore" (1970) • "La stagione del tuo amore" (1970) • "Nuvole barocche" (re-issue) (1971) • "Un matto (Dietro ogni scemo c'è un villaggio)" (1971) • "Suzanne" (1972) • "la cattiva strada" (1974) • "Il pescatore" (re-issue) (1978) • "Una storia sbagliata" (1980)
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| Tributes |
Canti randagi • Äia da respiâ - Genova canta De André • Faber - Amico fragile • Mille papaveri rossi • Non più i cadaveri dei soldati • 2004 Crêuza de mä • Non al denaro non all'amore né al cielo • PFM canta De André • Duemila papaveri rossi • Fabrizio 2009 • De André canta De André • Sogno n°1
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