La Musica Italiana (feat. Calcutta)

Giorgio Poi's song 'La Musica Italiana,' featuring Calcutta, is a reflective and somewhat melancholic exploration of the relationship between music, memory, and cultural identity. The lyrics juxtapose the past and present, highlighting a sense of nostalgia for Italian music and culture while also critiquing its current state. The song opens with a distinction between 'musica modale' (modal music) and 'musica alla moda' (fashionable music), suggesting a tension between traditional and contemporary tastes. This sets the stage for a deeper exploration of how music serves as a cultural touchstone, especially when one is far from home.

The song's narrative voice seems to be addressing someone who has left Italy, possibly for a place like Minnesota, as indicated by the reference to 'tua zia del Minnesota' (your aunt from Minnesota). This person is on a diet, metaphorically consuming only 'musica leggera' (light music), which could imply a superficial engagement with culture. The lyrics mention iconic Italian musicians like Vasco Rossi, Franco Battiato, Lucio Battisti, and Lucio Dalla, contrasting their profound impact with the perceived sadness of contemporary artists like Calcutta and Giorgio Poi themselves. This critique is tinged with a sense of loss and longing, as the narrator wonders if the person still finds Italian music distasteful ('se ti fa ancora schifo la musica italiana').

Nostalgia is a recurring theme, as the narrator imagines the person missing familiar comforts like Parmesan cheese and feeling a sense of homesickness ('un po’ di nostalgia sulla pasta'). The song suggests that distance can alter one's perception, making things seem better or more beautiful from afar ('dalla stanza accanto, sembra sempre tutto più bello'). This idea is reinforced by the repeated notion that songs sound better from the next room, implying that memory and distance can romanticize the past. Ultimately, 'La Musica Italiana' is a poignant reflection on how cultural identity and personal history are intertwined with music, and how these connections evolve over time and distance.