Giorgio Rapetti is back, being honored by Anzano del Parco (Como) for his successful experiences at the "Mulino," where his legacy and voices have become legendary. On the cusp of 90, Mogol always knows how to dispense "Emotions," as he will surely do for the third time in Milan from September 26th to 29th. And... he recalls that failed Giro d'Italia on horseback, following in the footsteps of the 1970 Apennine crossing.
-----
His cell phone number should end in …75. It's been in our phone book for twenty years or more. We called him again in the week leading up to September 14, 2025, to see if we could possibly meet him near the Anzano del Parco Mill, in the province of Como, nestled in a verdant corner of paradise overlooking Lake Alserio, where my Lagotto—pardon the pun!—Hugo loves to run around whenever we're in the area.
No response. He must have changed his account.
With Hugo in his comfortable car, we head toward the agreed-upon point, carefully watching for anyone we see and hoping not to encounter dangerous individuals, whom some have labeled members of the Epaminonda Clan, who have been at home here for years. And here I "stop" because continuing would involve undue risks. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The "He" in question is Giorgio Rapetti, aka (and what an art!) Mogol, Milanese by birth, citizen of the world, lyricist by profession, creator of emotions by vocation, born in 1936: therefore 89 years old in August and the banner of the 90th birthday milestone always before his wide-awake eyes.
Five hundred people bought tickets to occupy one of the neatly arranged chairs on the grass, which the previous days' rain had revived, although it had made it slippery. There were people of all ages, and not just the seasoned ones like myself. It's a good indication of how relevant Mogol & Battisti still are. The organizers can look forward to the Anzano Preview of the event, designed for Milan, scheduled for September 500-26, with well-founded hopes of success.
When you say Mogol, you think of Lucio Battisti. He still looks good, Mogol. "His" afternoon unfolds between old and fresh emotions. He was awarded honorary citizenship because there, in Anzano del Parco, he studied episodes and moments that made history. There, for example, at the "Il Mulino" recording studio, "Il mio canto libero" was born, which is worth dusting off in writing so as to share it with those who don't know it. The web lends us a hand:
[Verse 1]
In a world that
It doesn't take anymore
My free song
It is you
And the immensity
It opens up around us
Beyond the limit
Of your eyes
[Verse 2]
The feeling is born
It is born amidst tears
And it rises very high
And it goes
And he flies on the accusations of the people
Indifferent to all his legacies
Supported by a longing for love
Of true love
[Refrain]
In a world that (Stones one day houses)
Prisoner he is (Covered with wild roses)
We breathe free (They come back to life)
You and I (They call us)
And the truth (Abandoned Woods)
She offers herself naked to us (Therefore, virgin survivors)
And the image is clear (They open)
Now (They hug us)
[Post-Chorus]
New sensations
Young emotions
They express themselves very purely
In us
The robe of ghosts of the past
Falling leaves the picture immaculate
And a warm wind of love rises
Of true love
And I rediscover you
[Verse 3]
Sweet companion who
You don't know where to go
But you know that wherever you go
You will have me by your side
If you want it
[Instrumental]
[Interlude]
Stones one day houses
Covered with wild roses
They live again
They call us
Abandoned woods
And therefore survived virgins
They open
They hug us
[Refrain]
In a world that
Prisoner he is
We breathe free
You and I
It is the truth
She offers herself naked to us
And the image is clear
By now
[Post-Chorus]
New sensations
Young emotions
They express themselves very purely
In us
The robe of ghosts of the past
Falling leaves the picture immaculate
And a warm wind of love rises
Of true love
And I rediscover you
Nothing more to add, of course. Let's savor it to infinity.
This masterpiece was released to the world in November 1972, a couple of years after the adventure on horseback from Milan to Rome, up and down the Apennines, from the economic capital to the political capital of Italy. That adventure consolidated the relationship between Mogol, a seasoned rider, and Lucio Battisti (a novice), and was documented by the singer-songwriter himself in "Sorrisi e Canzoni TV," a weekly magazine that was gaining a lot of followers at the time and with which I once had the privilege of collaborating, albeit sporadically.
In June 1970, Mogol & Battisti rode from Lombardy to Lazio, discovering the beauty of Italy and immersing themselves in the nature that – it is said – gave birth to Rapetti's "green line," not to be confused with the Rai television program, and of which the Milanese is proud because it testifies to his never-ending environmentalist vocation.
Thanks to the training that had continued in the preceding weeks, those 21 days of riding were the preamble to an infinite number of initiatives organized by Mogol and embraced by Battisti: magical moments that were relived on Sunday, September 14, at the Mulino di Anzano del Parco, together with snippets of what was staged by the founders and followers of the “Scuderia Numero Uno” label, for which Lucio Battisti was in good company (Edoardo Bennato, Formula 3, Mia Martini, Dik Dik, Ivan Graziani with Anonima Sound, Tony Renis, Mario Lavezzi and so on).
Let's move on: that cell phone number that ends in ...75 is constantly stuck in a TIM answering machine. Too bad. It would have been nice to relive it. firsthand That idea of doing a Giro d'Italia on horseback (and not by bicycle), perhaps in 2011 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italian unification, visiting the country's capitals: from Turin to Florence, to Rome... Better times will come. We can only look forward to "Emozioni" and its third performance at the end of September in Milan, thanks to "L'isola che non c'è" by "quel gran genio" Francesco Paracchini, from the Teatro del Buratto to the Teatro Menotti, and perhaps even on the Historic Tram of the ATM, the Milanese Tram Company.
Leave a comment (0)