Padre davvero - Father, Truly

Ora che sono mezza inguaiata E che ho deluso le tue speranze Vieni di corsa, mi hanno avvisata Per dirmi in faccia le tue sentenze Padre, davvero lo vuoi sapere? Se tu non vieni mi fai un piacere! Mi avevi dato per cominciare Tanti consigli per il mio bene Quella è la porta, è ora di andare Con la tua santa benedizione Padre, davvero sarebbe bello Vedere il tuo pianto di coccodrillo! E certo tuo padre ti diede di meno Solo due calci dietro la schiena E con mia madre dormivi nel fieno Anche in aprile e di me era piena Padre, davvero sarebbe grande Sentire il parere della tua amante! Poi sono venuta e non mi volevi Ero una bocca in più da sfamare Non sono cresciuta come speravi E come avevo il dovere di fare Padre, davvero, che cosa mi hai dato? Ma continuare è fiato sprecato Che sono tua figlia, lo sanno tutti Domani i giornali con la mia foto Ti prenderanno in giro da matti Ah, non mi avessi mai generato! Padre, davvero, ma chi ti somiglia? Ma sei sicuro che sia tua figlia? Padre davvero © 1971 Antonello De Sanctis and Piero Pintucci "Padre davvero" won the 1971 Festival of Avant-Garde Music and New Trends and helped launch Martini's career. Martini's father was rather violent, and he left the family when Martini was 15; this song speaks to the generational conflict, the delusion, rage and rebellion that so many young people felt and shared coming out of the Sixties. Growing up, music was a means of escape for both Mia Martini and her sister, Loredana Bertè, who also became a successful singer.

Now that I’ve half messed up and that I’ve disappointed your hopes, you come running, they warned me, to tell me to my face your verdicts. Father, truly do you want to know? If you don’t come, you’ll make me happy! You gave me, to start off, so much advice for my benefit. That’s the door, it’s time to go with your holy benediction. Father, truly it would be wonderful to see your crocodile tears! And for sure your father gave you less, only two kicks behind the back. And with my mother you slept in the hay, even in April and she was full with me. Father, truly it would be great to hear the opinion of your lover! Then I came and you didn’t want me, I was one more mouth to feed. I didn’t grow up as you hoped and as I had the duty to do. Father, truly, what have you given me? But to continue is wasted breath. That I am your daughter, everyone knows. Tomorrow the papers with my photo Will tease and drive you insane – Ah, you never spawned me! Father, truly, but who resembles you? But are you sure that I’m your daughter? English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser Oltre la collina (Beyond the Hill) was Mia Martini's debut album, as well as the debut of her nom de plum (she was born Domenica Rita Adriana Bertè and her previous singles were released under Mimì Bertè). The album treats a number of heavy topics - suicide, spirituality, sexual violence, illness - and Italy wasn't ready for an album so direct, emotionally honest, and dark. The album suffered poor sales, but stands out as a bold statement and testament to Martini's lifelong desire to sing only material that she could personally connect with. She was, at the time, a sort of Gypsy-hippie recreating herself and escaping from the emotional subjugation that traditional southern Italian culture could inflict on women.