Born in Milan in 1938, Adriano Celentano, known as "the springy one," has been a fixture in Italian media since his career took off in 1959. A talented singer with a long list of internationally acclaimed records, Celentano is also a key figure in Italian comic cinema, dominating the box office with his low-budget films in the 1970s and 1980s. Famous for his energetic physical performances and "dance like no one is watching" moves, Celentano has captivated audiences in both cinema and music for nearly 70 years.
Throughout his monumental career, he has released an astonishing 40 albums and hundreds of singles, selling over $150 million worth of records worldwide. This achievement makes him the second best-selling Italian musician, standing shoulder to shoulder with the internationally renowned singer and actress Mina. In addition to his music, he acted in and directed a nearly equally extensive list of movies, earning further acclaim for his remarkable physicality and suave facial expressions. So, join me as we take a quick dive into the career of one of Italy's most accomplished musicians.
As a young man, Celentano worked as a watchmaker and made his first foray into music around the age of 20, inspired by the burgeoning rock-and-roll scene in America, headlined by superstars like Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, and, of course, the King of Rock, Elvis Presley. He first formed a band with Giorgio Gaber and Enzo Jannacci, two musicians who would go on to become legends in their own right. After releasing a number of critically acclaimed early records, the trio were noticed by Ezio Leoni, an executive at Jolly Records' A&R. From that point on, Celentano's career blossomed, releasing an extensive list of singles and four studio albums in just under three years.
This work ethic was as crucial to his success as the quality of the songs he released and remained a key factor throughout his career. Songs like "24.000 Baci" (1961) introduced his infectious style to a broader audience, sparking Italy's love for rockability and swing. It was under this spotlight that "the springy one" was born, as audiences were captivated by his spring-like movements, adding another layer of excitement to his already catchy tunes. In this sense, he was like one of his idols, Elvis Presley, who could command a room with just his facial expressions and movements.
As his music career was taking off, Adriano Celentano also demonstrated his artistic versatility by appearing in several films, including his first leading role in Howlers in the Dock (1960). It wasn't long before he stepped into the director's seat, making his directorial debut with Super rapina a Milano (1964). Throughout his career, he avoided acting in big-budget movies, preferring to lend his talents to lower-budget films. This often meant that the success of the movie depended on the cast, particularly the lead actors. This is where Celentano truly shined, as audiences fell in love with his swagger and charisma, while also being doubled over with laughter due to his natural talent for physical comedy. He appeared in 39 films throughout his career and married Claudia Mori, a fellow singer and actress with whom he often shared the screen. His legacy in Italian cinema was perhaps as impactful as his legacy in music, as he helped pioneer a unique genre of physical comedy through his flashy movements and expressive face.
After a relatively short stint with Jolly Records, Celentano took control of his career by founding Clan Celentano in 1962, a record label that is still active today and has been home to famous musicians from around the world. He received numerous gold discs for the music he released under the label, a title awarded to songs that sold over a million records. One of his most notable hits was "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (1972), a snappy yet nonsensical record that aimed to mimic the sounds and slang of American rock.
Calling it nonsensical isn't a criticism of Celentano; it's exactly how the song was intended. In an interview with Guy Raz, Celentano explained: "Because I like American slang—which, for a singer, is much easier to sing than Italian—I thought I would write a song that only had as its theme the inability to communicate... to do this, I had to write a song where the lyrics didn't mean anything." NPR praised the song for its genre-bending style and even suggested it could be considered the world's first rap song. His television performance brought even more attention to the track, with Celentano groovily dancing while mimicking a professor giving a lecture, all of which combined into an impressive musical number. Yet despite his flashiness, the quality of his music always shone through, simply because it was that good. Many artists who try to release as much music as possible often sacrifice quality, but this was not the case for Celentano. Readers of this article should listen to "Il Tempo Se Ne Va" (1980), one of my personal favourites, or really anything from his "golden age" between the '60s and '90s, which boasts a seemingly endless catalog of music.
Celentano continues to make music to this day, at the ripe age of 86 years old, with him recently being featured on the song, "Toscana Fanboys" (2023), by Peter Fox. He has also dropped a countless number of albums in the current century, carrying his music over to more modern audiences. Roughly a decade ago he made his first live appearance in nearly eighteen years in a televised performance on Canale 5 which drew in over nine million viewers. He would go on to continue actively performing throughout his late 70s and into his early 80s, however he recently retired from actively performing in 2023, handing the reigns off to his "second-in-command" Adolfo Sebastiani. He is also the father of three, his most well-known child being Rosalinda Celentano, an actress who is known for her role in Passion of the Christ (2004). Thus, for the past year Celentano and his wife, Claudia Mori, have enjoyed a relaxing retirement from active performances, yet don't be surprised if we hear a few more records from the Italian workhorse; but even if we don't, his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of many, and in the very fabric of the Italian music scene.
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