Fabrizio De André: Via del Campo

Via del Campo contained on the 1967 album Volume I is one of Fabrizio De André's most famous songs. The song was also released in 1967 on the A-side of a 45 rpm; the B-side featured the song Bocca di Rosa. The title of the song comes from a street in the historic center of Genoa, namely Via del Campo. When the song was written, this street in Genoa was one of the poorest and most degraded streets in the city where the lower classes and prostitutes lived. Fabrizio De André almost goes so far as to beatify the prostitute. In many of his songs the Genoese singer-songwriter often referred to the so-called last ones as the men closest to purity. Purity that stems from their living outside hypocrisy and the rules of decency.

Lyrics Via del Campo Via del Campo there is a pretty The big leaf-colored eyes All night she stands on the threshold Sells everyone the same rose.

Via del Campo there is a little girl With lips the color of dew Gray eyes like the street nascon flowers where she walks.

Via del Campo there is a whore The big leaf-colored eyes If you feel like loving her Just take her by the hand

And you feel like you're going far away She looks at you with a smile you didn't believe that heaven Was only there on the second floor.

Via del Campo there goes a deluded man To beg her to marry To see her climb the stairs Until the balcony closed.

Love and laugh if amor answers Cry loudly if she does not hear you From diamonds nothing is born From dung flowers are born from diamonds nothing is born out of dung are born flowers.

(Text taken from deandrefabrizio.altervista.org)