I Giganti -

I Giganti was an Italian beat group that released thirteen singles and the 1966–69 albums I Giganti and Mille idee dei Giganti, followed by the 1971 symphonic album Terra in bocca (Poesia di un delitto).

Members: Mino Di Martino (vocals, guitar), Francesco “Checco” Marsella (vocals, keyboards), Sergio Di Martino (vocals, bass), Enrico Maria Papes (vocals, drums)

Background

I Giganti formed in 1964 in Milan as a four-piece vocal–instrumental unit comprised of drummer Enrico Maria Papes, bassist–guitarist Sergio Di Martino, guitarist–keyboardist Giacomo Di Martino, and keyboardist Francesco Marsella. Each member contributed vocally, with Papes’ distinct bass register often anchoring their harmony stacks. In their live repertoire, they emphasized American and British beat, rendered with Italian lyrics and arranged for vocal quartet delivery.

By late 1964, they signed with Ri-Fi and quickly emerged as a core presence in Italy’s growing beat scene. In April 1965, the released their first single: “Fuori dal mondo (Keep Searchin’),” a Del Shannon cover backed with “Solo per voi (Bad Boy),” a UK hit for Mary Wilde.

In December 1965, they dropped their second single — “Una ragazza in due” backed with “Lezione di ritmo” — original material composed in the beat idiom; “Lezione di ritmo” integrates gospel handclaps and sectional call-and-response phrasing.

These early singles established I Giganti’s blend of vocal dexterity and pop rhythmic sensibility. Their rising visibility on Italian television and radio led to national tours and inclusion in major music festivals.

I Giganti

I Giganti released their self-titled debut album in May 1966 on Ri-Fi.

Their album vocal-centric arrangements with rhythmic and stylistic references drawn from British and American popular forms.

Drummer Enrico Maria delivers low-register lead vocals across much of the album, offset by layered harmonies that reflect American doo-wop and early surf influences. Keyboardist Giacomo Di Martino adds electric organ textures and light piano accents beneath the vocal lines. Sergio Di Martino alternates between rhythm guitar and bass, reinforcing the harmonic base while supporting vocal counterlines. Guitarist Francesco Marsella supplies twang-inflected fills and brisk strummed cadences, aligning the group’s vocal phrasing with tight instrumental punctuation.

The material emphasizes short-form beat structures with sectional changes built around choral refrains, handclaps, and unison breaks. Ballads like “Perché una luce” use suspended phrasing and organ sustain, while uptempo numbers such as “Giorni di festa” and “Una ragazza in due” pivot on syncopated backbeats. “La bomba atomica” draws attention for its theatrical pacing and narrative framing, using minor-key modal turns. “Lezione di ritmo” showcases stacked vocals over call-and-response rhythmic breaks, invoking gospel patterns.

A1. “Fuori dal mondo” [Outside the World] (2:02)
A2. “Ora siamo qui” [Now We Are Here] (2:55)
A3. “Son così” [That’s How I Am] (2:23)
A4. “Solo per voi” [Only for You] (2:28)
A5. “Perché una luce” [Because a Light] (3:36) — uses suspended chords and organ sustain beneath slow vocal phrasing
A6. “In paese è festa” [There’s a Party in Town] (2:35)

B1. “Tema” [Theme] (3:02)
B2. “Una ragazza in due” [One Girl Between Two] (2:15) — pivots on brisk backbeat and vocal unison phrases
B3. “La bomba atomica” [The Atomic Bomb] (3:28) — minor-key narration with theatrical phrasing and modal coloring
B4. “Il mio giorno verrà” [My Day Will Come] (2:10)
B5. “Lezione di ritmo” [Rhythm Lesson] (3:00) — structured around gospel-style call and response over clapped beats
B6. “Giorni di festa” [Holiday Days] (3:14) — combines upbeat vocal quartet harmonies with rhythmic vocal phrasing

Recording occurred in early 1966 at Ri-Fi’s in-house studio in Milan with production overseen by in-house staff. The original LP contained a full-color photo of the band on front cover.

The album includes the band’s 1966 breakout hit “Tema,” issued prior to the LP as a standalone single. It became a nationwide success after the group’s televised performance on Un Disco Per L’Estate, remaining at No. 1 for seven weeks.

1966-68 singles

Between their debut album and the 1969 release of Mille idee dei Giganti, the group issued a series of stylistically varied singles that sustained their national popularity and showcased their evolving range.

Their breakout single appeared in April 1966: A. “Tema” / B. “La bomba atomica” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16144) — “Tema” became a #1 hit after its performance on Un Disco per l’Estate; “La bomba atomica” used theatrical pacing and minor-key modal phrasing to dramatize its antiwar theme.

In May, promotional follow-up paired: A. “Tema” / B. “Ora siamo qui” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16153) — issued for radio play only. That same month, a retail variant appeared: A. “Ora siamo qui” / B. “Son così” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16159) — both included on their debut LP.

In September 1966, they issued: A. “Ce vò tiempo” / B. “‘Na guagliona yè yè” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16168) — sung in Neapolitan dialect, this marked a rare venture into regional pop crossover.

In November 1966, they released: A. “E lei ti aspetterà” / B. “Piri-piri-uà (Pensiero d’amore)” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16170) — continued their exploration of romantic themes framed by light orchestration and vocal quartet interplay.

The first single of 1967 appeared in January: A. “Proposta” / B. “La tomba dell’amore” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16181) — the A-side offered melodic restraint and lyrical introspection.

In February, “La tomba dell’amore” reappeared as part of a split promo with Iva Zanicchi: I Giganti A: “La tomba dell’amore” / Iva Zanicchi B: “Vita” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16189) — distributed to radio outlets.

That June, they issued: A. “Io e il presidente” / B. “In paese è festa (A Taste of Honey)” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16216) — the A-side used allegory in its lyric; the B-side was an Italian-language version of Bobby Scott’s 1960 standard.

In January 1968, they released: A. “Da bambino” / B. “Tabù” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16243) — the A-side reflected nostalgic themes; the B-side explored more subdued, moody textures.

In June, they covered a Gershwin classic: A. “Summertime” / B. “Un uomo va” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16275) — the A-side adapts “Summertime” with harmonic layering; “Un uomo va” underscores narrative phrasing.

Their final 1968 single arrived in October: A. “Una storia d’amore” / B. “Sixteen Tons” (Ri-Fi RFN NP 16288) — paired an original love ballad with a cover of Merle Travis’s Depression-era workers’ lament.

This sequence of releases demonstrated I Giganti’s willingness to experiment with lyrical tone, regional dialects, and foreign material—all while retaining their signature vocal focus.

Mille idee dei Giganti

I Giganti released their second album, Mille idee dei Giganti, in April 1969 on Ri-Fi.

The album (A Thousand Ideas from the Giants) appeared three years after their debut, during a transitional period in Italian beat music yielded to psychedelia. While Mille idee retained the band’s vocal-pop foundation, it shifted toward piano-led arrangements with fewer group harmonies. Several tracks originated from earlier sessions and reflect the group’s 1966–67 sound.

Pianist Giacomo Di Martino takes the central melodic role across most tracks, with arrangements built around brisk piano runs and rhythm guitar accents. Vocal duties shift toward solo delivery, departing from the debut’s layered quartet harmonies. Sergio Di Martino reinforces bass lines and supplies occasional guitar. Francesco Marsella intersperses light electric guitar textures, while drummer–vocalist Enrico Maria supports the rhythm section with compact, brush-driven patterns and maintains his signature baritone presence on select tracks.

The material divides between newly arranged piano-led beat songs and earlier-styled cuts drawn from the band’s pre-album singles period. “Il lavoro” retains the harmonic style of the debut with its rhythm-and-blues cadence and vocal blend, indicating an earlier origin. “Una poesia che finirete voi” and “Vorrei cambiare il mondo” pivot on more reflective moods, using sparse phrasing and reserved instrumental backing. “La ballata delle streghe” closes the album in a brisk surf-rock tempo, contrasting the slower pacing of the prior tracks.

A1. “Arrivano i Giganti” [The Giants Are Coming] (2:31)
A2. “Le stagioni del nostro amore” [The Seasons of Our Love] (1:56)
A3. “Il castello di Samuele” [Samuel’s Castle] (2:21)
A4. “I problemi” [The Problems] (2:10)
A5. “Il lavoro (Even the Bad Times Are Good)” (2:18) — adapted from the 1967 hit by The Tremeloes; retains vocal group phrasing and beat structure
A6. “Notturno d’amore” [Love Nocturne] (1:57)

B1. “Una poesia che finirete voi” [A Poem You Will Finish] (3:32)
B2. “Vorrei cambiare il mondo” [I’d Like to Change the World] (2:46)
B3. “L’amore ha i tuoi occhi” [Love Has Your Eyes] (2:18)
B4. “Un momento d’amore” [A Moment of Love] (2:23)
B5. “La ballata delle streghe” [The Witches’ Ballad] (1:26) — closes the album with surf-rock tempo and vintage 1960s structure

Sessions occurred over a span of months between 1967 and early 1969 at Ri-Fi’s Milan facilities under in-house production.

Mille idee dei Giganti presents a saturated collage of photo cutouts and hand-drawn elements arranged against a stylized psychedelic backdrop. Assorted instruments appear amid animals, dismembered mannequin limbs, motorcycles, and monochrome photographs of the band. The album title appears in a hand-rendered yellow bubble letters at the bottom.

Terra in bocca (Poesia di un delitto)

I Giganti released their third album, Terra in bocca (Poesia di un delitto), in November 1971 on Ri-Fi.

Conceived as a theatrical concept suite, Terra in bocca marked a radical departure from I Giganti’s vocal-beat origins. Written by journalist Piero De Rossi and composed by Vince Tempera, the album presents a multi-voice narrative that allegorizes Mafia repression in a 1930s Sicilian village through the story of a murdered boy, his grieving father, and a complicit society. Its structure blends dramatic recitation with sung motifs and brief instrumental interludes. The album was promptly banned from Italian radio due to its political content, contributing to the band’s disbandment shortly after release.

Giacomo Di Martino leads much of the album’s narrative in spoken and sung passages, alternating roles with drummer Sergio Papes, bassist Sergio Di Martino, and keyboardist Francesco Marsella. All four members rotate vocal duties, alternating solo declamations with harmonized refrains. Guitarist Marcello Dellacasa (Latte e Miele) and bassist Ares Tavolazzi (pre-Area) appear on select tracks, while Vince Tempera contributes piano, Mellotron, and organ passages. Instrumental accompaniment functions in service of the libretto, underpinning text with abrupt meter shifts, suspended cadences, and modal motifs.

The album opens with acoustic guitar arpeggios framing a sung eulogy for the murdered youth. Each movement corresponds to a scene, transitioning from folk motifs to brief instrumental interjections, interrupted by spoken dialogue or narration. The first suite introduces themes of local oppression, the silent power of omertà, and interfamily feuds over water rights. The band weave brief lyrical melodies (“Tu, pieno di sole / Lei, bianca di sale”) into recitative exchanges depicting the victim’s romance, funeral, and social context. The second suite traces the father’s awakening and acts of defiance, culminating in vengeance and a symbolic discovery: a spring of water at the burial site. Through this closing image, the story binds personal tragedy to systemic injustice.

Prima Parte

A1. “Largo iniziale – Molto largo – Avanti” [Initial Largo – Very Slow – Forward] (12:34) — introduces the acoustic theme and opening narration; transitions into communal depictions and village dynamics
A2. “Avanti tutto – Brutto momento – Plim plim” [Full Ahead – Bad Moment – Plim Plim] (8:18) — dramatizes the feuding families and violence; includes alternating voice parts and rhythmic cadences
A3. “Plim plim al parossismo – Delicato andante” [Plim Plim to Paroxysm – Delicate Andante] (9:38) — follows the funeral and develops a recurring love motif between the boy and his lover
A4. “Rumori – Fine incombente” [Noises – Impending End] (1:00) — bridges the first and second suites with ambient sound cues and unresolved phrases

Seconda Parte

B1. “Fine lontana – Allegro per niente” [Distant End – Not at All Cheerful] (4:16) — reintroduces the love theme with tragic overtones
B2. “Tanto va la gatta al lardo – Su e giù” [The Cat Goes to the Lard – Up and Down] (15:44) — introduces the father’s narration; recounts the threats, retaliation, and motive behind the murder
B3. “Larghissimo – Dentro tutto” [Very Broad – Everything Inside] (8:00) — culminates in the father’s realization and climactic act of revenge
B4. “Alba di note – Rimbalzello triste” [Dawn of Notes – Sad Bounce] (1:55) — the friend narrates the aftermath and funeral imagery
B5. “Rimbalzello compiacente – Ossessivo ma non troppo – Fine” [Content Bounce – Obsessive but Not Too Much – End] (5:00) — reprises the opening lament, resolves the narrative with a poetic image of water rising from the grave

Recording took place at Studi Play-Co in Milan with I Giganti credited as producers. Vince Tempera handled arrangements and conducted the session ensemble. Guest contributions by Ares Tavolazzi (bass), Marcello Dellacasa (guitar), and other unnamed session players augment key dramatic passages.

Original LP issued as Ri-Fi RFL ST 14080. The cover was designed by Gianni Sassi with a conceptual layout evocative of his later Cramps work. Early pressings included a fold-out poster with visual motifs tied to the opera’s storyline. The word mafia never appears on the record, but its absence deepens the album’s subversive poeticism.

Terra in bocca shows a collapsed figure, face unseen, with his arm extended and a daisy between lifeless fingers. The back cover extends the scene with the same figure seen from above, surrounded by credits and a tracklist printed in script. Vintage sepia photos appear on the inner-gates in ornate oval frames.

The album was banned from Italian radio on release, curtailing promotion. It remained out of circulation until 1989, when Vinyl Magic issued a CD sourced from a less-orchestrated demo version (VM CD 013, 44:11 runtime). A second CD followed in 1993 (46:44), sourced from original masters. Both omit the fold-out poster. Akarma later reissued the album on vinyl, restoring the original artwork and adding a post-album single as a bonus track.

Terra in bocca is widely recognized as one of the earliest full-length Italian rock concept albums. Its integration of narrative structure, multiple vocal perspectives, and thematic unity prefigured subsequent Italian progressive rock milestones.

Discography: