“March 4, 1943” is one of the most loved songs by Lucio Dalla. A real poem with a particular story. The title was not supposed to be “March 4” and, to participate in the Sanremo festival, I change the song. Let’s find out the meaning of this song together, today, which would have been Lucio’s birthday. March 4, 1943: the story of a title
This song was not supposed to be called that, but “Gesubambino”. A difficult title that, for reasons of censorship, could never be chosen. So this song bears the name of the day of its author’s birth: Lucio Dalla. A few days ago she remembered his death and today, instead, we remember his birthday with the song that symbolizes his life. The piece bears the signature of Lucio and Paola Pallottino. The song was sung live for the first time in December 1970 at the Duse theater in Bologna and was so loved by the Rca record companies that they decided to bring it to Sanremo. The meaning of March 4, 1943
It was supposed to be a song dedicated to Lucio Dalla’s father, but then it became a song about his mother. A song about life and love, about broken chains and absences. The text, particular, enigmatic at times, was censored. In fact, one verse said “And even now that I curse and drink wine, for thieves and whores I am the Child Jesus”. He became, as we all know, “And even now that I play cards and drink wine, for the people of the port my name is Baby Jesus”. So we have several versions of this song. In addition to the censored one and the original one, there is also the one presented in the “Banana Repubblic” tour together with Francesco De Gregori. “Anna and Marco” by Lucio Dalla: the manifesto of young people of all times
“Anna e Marco” by Lucio Dalla and the song that tells of two doubting and restless boys about their future A song for our Lucio
Lucio we miss. We miss his words, his contraceptive music, his humble charisma, his depth. We miss Lucio as an artist and as a man. The thing we can thank him for is that he inherited some unforgettable songs. Among these, surely, March 4, 1943, which we will always listen to again with pleasure to keep the greatest Italian singer-songwriter close to the heart. The text of “March 4, 1943”
The text of March 4, 1943
He says he was a handsome man and came, he came from the sea
he spoke another language, but he knew how to love
and that day he took my mother, on a beautiful meadow
the sweetest hour, before being killed.
So she remains alone in the room, the room on the harbor
with the only dress, shorter every day
and although she did not know the name and not even the country
I expect as a gift of love, from the first month.
She turned sixteen, that day my mother played
the tavern verses, I sing to her a lullaby
and hugging me to her chest that she knew, she tasted of the sea
she played at being a woman, with the baby to swaddle.
And perhaps it was for fun, and perhaps for love
that he wanted to call me, as Our Lord
of his short life, the memory, the biggest memory
and all in this name, that I carry with me
and even now that I play cards and drink wine
for the people of the port I am, Baby Jesus
and even now that I play cards and drink wine
for the people of the port I am, Baby Jesus “The year that will come” by Lucio Dalla, the song that tells our hopes for the future
Lucio Dalla gives us a letter-poem that is always contemporary, with a message of hope to embrace the coming year
Stella Grillo
