Patriots (album)

Patriots
Studio album by Franco Battiato
Released	1980
Length	28:58
Label	EMI Italiana
Producer	Angelo Carrara
Franco Battiato chronology
L'era del cinghiale bianco (1979) Patriots (1980) La voce del padrone (1981)

Patriots is the tenth studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Franco Battiato, released in 1980.

Production

The album had initially as working title I telegrafi del Martedì Grasso ('The Mardi Gras Telegraphs'), before Battiato decided opting for a fragment of the title of the lead single "Up Patriots to Arms". ^{[1] [2]} It was recorded in Alberto Radius' studios in Milan in July 1980. ^[2] The cover art was realized by Francesco Messina and photographer Roberto Masotti. ^[1] In the back cover, Messina wrote a long text, Preghiera del giovane patriota ('Prayer of the young patriot'), which is considered the artistic manifesto of Battiato's music of the period. ^[3]

Release

The album was released in October 1980. ^[2] In 2010, it was released Patriots - 30th Anniversary Edition, which included four bonus tracks and the music video of "Up Patriots to Arms". ^[4] In 2021, Patriots - 40th Anniversary Edition was released; it included three different bonus tracks, the Spanish and English versions of "Up Patriots to Arms" and the Spanish version of "Prospettiva Nevski". ^[4]

Reception

The album was described as "a conjunction link between the previous album and the following one, even if it cannot be considered simply a transitional album. All the aspects that would become peculiar to the Battiato of these years are brought into focus there", notably the use of fragmented lyrics, which incorporate references and citations from low and high culture, the use of foreign languages, and the use of irony. ^[5] Patrizio Ruviglioni from Rolling Stone Italia referred to it as "an avant-garde work in its day, which was misunderstood, and then re-evaluated bit by bit as a small Battiato classic". ^[6]

Track listing

Patriots track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Up Patriots to Arms"	Franco Battiato	Battiato, Giusto Pio	5:01
2.	"Venezia-Istanbul"	Battiato	Battiato, Pio	4:37
3.	"Le aquile"	Fleur Jaeggy	Battiato, Pio	4:10
4.	"Prospettiva Nevski"	Battiato	Battiato, Pio	3:56
5.	"Lunedì"	Battiato	Battiato, Pio	4:43
6.	"Arabian Song"	Battiato	Battiato, Pio	3:40
7.	"Passaggi a livello"	Battiato	Battiato, Pio	3:38

References

1. Zuffanti, Fabio (30 June 2020). "Patriots". Franco Battiato: Tutti i dischi e tutte le canzoni, dal 1965 al 2019 (in Italian). LIT Edizioni. ISBN   978-88-6231-868-6.
2. Spessato, Carla (20 October 2021). "Patriots". Franco Battiato: Come un incantesimo. Giunti. ISBN   978-88-09-95527-1.
3. Zingales, Christian (9 September 2010). Battiato on the beach (in Italian). LIT. ISBN   978-88-6231-613-2.
4. "Franco Battiato e l'edizione speciale 'PATRIOTS - 40th Anniversary'". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 18 May 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
5. La Posta, Annino (2010). "1979-1982: Un centro di gravità permanente". Franco Battiato: soprattutto il silenzio. Giunti. ISBN   978-88-09-74253-6.
6. Ruviglioni, Patrizio (11 November 2020). "In 'Patriots' di Battiato c'era già tutto, ma pochi lo hanno capito". Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 8 June 2025.

External links

Patriots at Discogs (list of releases)