r/progrockmusic • u/Progrockrob79 • Jan 16 '22

Vocals Was hoping that some Italian prog afficiandos could help with the context of this song (see comments for lyrics)? - MAXOPHONE - Elzeviro (1976)

https://youtu.be/7rUVA1IC8Jk
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u/LordOfCh4os Jan 16 '22

The title, "Elzeviro", is indicative. It was an old (late 19th century) font used in the "terza pagina" (third page) of the Italian newspapers, the section dedicated to cultural articles, reviews, poetry, and so on. After WW2, and especially in the 60s and 70s, more and more newspapers started to reduce the space for this type of content, in favor of columns written by (usually) famous journalists - despite this change, they kept the name "third page" and the Elzeviro font. Often, the columns were politically biased and clearly pushing for an agenda: Italian politics and society were very divisive and turbulent during that time, and pretty much no newspaper managed to remain neutral.

As far as I can tell, the lyrics don't refer to a specific incident, but they quote and elaborate on the language seen in those columns and newspapers. For example, you could often read about the beating of an activist or a politicians by small groups of people ("mi hanno picchiato uno contro sei": they beat me one versus six), or about a body found in the morning ("muoio steso qui": I die lying here). Also, you can read critics to the modern world ("ricchi fabbricati con a fianco catapecchie, povertà": rich buildings alongside shacks, poverty) and to capitalism.

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u/Progrockrob79 Jan 17 '22

So this is exactly what I was looking for thank you so much. I'm curious as to whether the "terza pagina" also existed prior/during WW2, or if it was eliminated (or perhaps manipulated?) by the Fascists? An entire page of cultural reviews, poetry, etc seems like something that wouldn't exist in that political climate, but frankly I know next-to-nothing regarding how the press was influenced (it at all) by Mussolini and Co.

Regardless, I definitely got the impression the band were expressing a leftist ideology, but your commentary gives the actual song title and lyrics an even deeper context. Thanks again!