Jovanotti is an important and iconic contemporary italian singer. He begin singing hip hop, rap, and disco and has evolved to include other forms like funk, international peces, and classical components. Jovanotti has also become socio-politically involved by singing of philosophy, religion, and politics. This is traditional of italian cantautori, but not really true of american singers. Though many americans sing of social justice and equality, it is not as common to write explicitly of philosophy or religion. It is interesting how he fits ideas seamlessly into songs, like seen below. He has teamed up with other artists to advocate for noble causes, like his and Bono’s fight to cancel foreign debt in poor african countries.
One song of Jovanotti’s that i think demonstrates his talent is “Ragazzo Fortunato.” it was released in 1992 so it is in his pop phase, yet includes important moral questions. It is about how lucky he is to have the life he does. There are also verses like this that allude to philosophical dilemmas:
Siddhartha me l’ha detto
Che conta solo l’amore
E tutto quello che ti serve
È stare dentro al cuore
Ma se devo dirla tutta
Qui non è il paradiso
All’inferno delle verità
Io mento col sorriso
I really like this song because it has an interesting and engaging beat. The beginning chorus of “hey” and the words that are added between verses make the piece sound more complete and catchy. I especially like the juxtaposition between the voices of jovanotti and the featured woman. She is not listed anywhere because she only comes in at the beginning and chorus but i think the blending of voices enhances the song a lot. Not to mention, the instrumentals bring everything together and solidifies a rhythm.
Bettina's Music 