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From album
La voce del padrone
Franco Battiato · 1981 · Track 2
Details
Duración5:22
ÁlbumLa voce del padrone
Año1981
ISRCITUM72001394
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The story behind
When you find yourself playing Bandiera bianca, you'll notice the song opens with direct quotes from Bob Dylan, specifically from Mr. Tambourine Man and The Times They Are a-Changin'. It doesn't stop there; it also nods to Alan Sorrenti's Figli delle stelle, Gino Latilla's Tutte le mamme, and The Doors' The End. The chorus, in particular, borrows a line from Arnaldo Fusinato's 1849 poem, L'ultima ora di Venezia. To close, the lyrics are inspired by the title of Theodor W. Adorno's book, Minima Moralia, which it twists with the phrase "Minima Immoralia". These references, far from being a simple collage, construct a sonic and lyrical tapestry that invites reflection on surrender to stupidity, a direct contrast to the call for mobilization in an earlier song by Battiato. The music, a blend of pop rock, new wave, and synth pop, with a duration of 5:19, was composed by Franco Battiato alongside Giusto Pio.
This track, released in 1981, is part of the album La voce del padrone, a work that marked a milestone for Franco Battiato. The record not only became the first to sell over a million copies in Italy but also solidified the Sicilian artist as a central figure in the Italian music scene. La voce del padrone remained at the top of the charts for eighteen non-consecutive weeks in 1982, demonstrating its significant impact. Bandiera bianca was the only single extracted from this album, and its live performance occurred during the "Patriots" summer tour, with its official premiere at the Mostra internazionale di musica leggera in Venice in September 1981. The album's name, in turn, refers to a record label of the time.