Volume I: Marcia nuziale - Wedding March

Matrimoni per amore, matrimoni per forza ne ho visti d'ogni tipo, di gente d'ogni sorta di poveri straccioni e di grandi signori di pretesi notai di falsi professori Ma pure se vivrò fino alla fine del tempo io sempre serberò il ricordo contento delle povere nozze di mio padre e mia madre decisi a regolare il loro amore sull'altare. Fu su un carro da buoi se si vuole esser franchi tirato dagli amici e spinto dai parenti che andarono a sposarsi dopo un fidanzamento durato tanti anni da chiamarlo ormai d'argento. Cerimonia originale, strano tipo di festa, la folla ci guardava gli occhi fuori dalla testa eravamo osservati dalla gente civile che mai aveva visto matrimoni in quello stile. Ed ecco soffia il vento e si porta lontano il cappello che mio padre tormentava in una mano ecco cade la pioggia da un cielo mal disposto deciso ad impedire le nozze ad ogni costo. Ed io non scorderò mai la sposa in pianto cullava come un bimbo i suoi fiori di campo ed io per consolarla, io con la gola tesa suonavo la mia armonica come un organo da chiesa. Mostrando i pugni nudi gli amici tutti quanti gridarono "per Giove, le nozze vanno avanti" per la gente bagnata, per gli dei dispettosi le nozze vanno avanti, viva viva gli sposi. Marcia nuziale © 1967 Fabrizio De André based on La marche nuptiale © 1957 Georges Brassens "Marcia nuziale" is De André's adaptation of "La marche nuptiale" by Georges Brassens, from his 1957 album Oncle Archibald. Georges Brassens was one of De André's earliest and strongest influences, offering inspiration both from his music and from his personal philosophical leanings - towards anarchism and against war and hypocrisy.

Marriages of love, marriages of necessity, I have seen every type and every sort of person: poor beggars and great nobles, posturing notaries, deceitful professors. But even if I live until the end of time, I will always cherish the happy memory of the poor wedding of my father and mother, determined to make their love official at the altar. It was on an ox cart, if one wishes to be frank, pulled by friends and pushed by relatives who were going to marry them, after an engagement of so many years you could call it by then one of silver. An original ceremony, a strange kind of party, the gathered watched us, eyes nearly out of their heads. We were observed by the townsfolk, who had never seen marriages in that style. And behold, the wind blows and carries off the hat my father was tormenting in one hand. And here falls the rain from an ill-tempered cloud determined to stop the wedding at any cost. And I'll never forget the weeping bride, she cradled her wildflowers like a child. And I, to console her, I with tense throat played my harmonica like a church organ. Shaking their bare fists, their friends all shouted “By Jove, the wedding will go forward!” For the people all drenched and for the vexatious gods, the wedding proceeds. Long live, long live the bride and the groom! English translation © 2014 Dennis Criteser Volume I is De André’s first full studio album, released in 1967 on the Bluebell label. It was produced by Gian Piero Reverberi and Andrea Malcotti. Reverberi shares writing credits on the music of six of the songs.

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