La mia canzone per Maria

"La mia canzone per Maria" opens with a melody that seems tailor-made to stick in your memory. It’s not just the song itself, but that blend of blues and pop that was already evident on Lucio Battisti’s 1968 single. Interestingly, it wasn’t a new song: the B-side, “Io vivrò (senza te),” had already been recorded by the Rokes, with Battisti even playing the organ during those sessions. But here, on this single, the Italian put his own spin on it, as if the song needed that touch to fit his voice.

The recording came at a pivotal moment: just as Battisti was beginning to define his solo sound, after leaving behind his time with Mogol and the Rokes. The track made its way onto his self-titled debut album, and “Io vivrò (senza te)” ended up appearing again on *Emozioni*. But what’s most striking is that, before Battisti recorded it, a group called I Fuggiaschi had already tried their hand at a demo version, though it remained unreleased until On Sale Music unearthed it in 2000. Clocking in at 3:11, “La mia canzone per Maria” wasn’t intended to be a massive hit, but rather another step in the exploration of a style that didn’t yet have a name.