Guccini's 'L'Avvelenata' and the Critic Who Became His Friend
Francesco Guccini, the renowned Italian singer-songwriter, died on Thursday at 86. His passing has sparked renewed interest in his famous 1976 song, 'L'avvelenata,' which takes a jab at critic Riccardo Bertoncelli, saying, "What can I tell you? Go and do, because there will always be, you know, a failed musician, a pious one, a theorist, a Bertoncelli, or a priest spouting nonsense." The song arose after Bertoncelli's harsh critique of Guccini's 1975 album 'Stanze di vita quotidiana,' which he deemed unoriginal. Though they had a rocky start, the two made amends, and Bertoncelli acknowledged the song's positive effect on his career. Guccini stopped performing it in the 2000s, seeing it as an overreaction, while Bertoncelli called his review a "youthful mistake."
Key facts
- Francesco Guccini died on Thursday at age 86.
- Guccini's song 'L'avvelenata' (1976) mentions critic Riccardo Bertoncelli by name.
- The song was inspired by Bertoncelli's harsh review of Guccini's 1975 album 'Stanze di vita quotidiana' in the magazine Gong.
- Bertoncelli and Guccini reconciled shortly after the song's release and became friends.
- Guccini offered to remove Bertoncelli's name from the song, but Bertoncelli refused.
- The song was included on the album 'Via Paolo Fabbri 43' (1976), Guccini's most acclaimed album.
- Guccini stopped performing 'L'avvelenata' live in the 2000s.
- Bertoncelli later regretted the review, calling it a 'youthful mistake.'
Entities
Artists
- Francesco Guccini
- Riccardo Bertoncelli
- Bob Dylan
- Carl Barks
- Allen Ginsberg
- Jack Kerouac
- Guido Gozzano
Institutions
- Gong
- RSI
Locations
- Lugano
- Switzerland
- Bologna
- Italy
- Novara
- Via Paolo Fabbri 43