Giancarlo Bigazzi

Giancarlo Bigazzi (5 September 1940 – 19 January 2012) was an Italian music producer and composer. He was a former member of comedy music group Squallor.

Life and career

Born in Florence, he was one of the best known Italian songwriters and lyricists of the 1970s and 1980s. He wrote some of the most successful Italian pop records, many of which became international hits, such as “Gloria”, “Self Control”, “No Me Ames”, “Tu”, “Take the Heat off Me”, and “Ti amo”. He was also a film score composer; among his soundtracks are ‘’Forever Mary’’, ‘’Boys on the Outside’’ and the Academy Award-winning ‘’Mediterraneo’’.

He began his career at a very young age, writing major hits for Riccardo Del Turco (“Luglio”), Caterina Caselli (“Il carnevale”), Mario Tessuto (“Lisa dagli occhi blu”), and Renato dei Profeti (“Lady Barbara”).

Throughout the 1970s, Bigazzi established himself as a prolific lyricist and composer, often collaborating with Totò Savio on songs for Massimo Ranieri (“Vent’anni”, “Erba di casa mia”), and with Gianni and Antonio Bella on hits for Marcella Bella (“Montagne verdi”, “Io domani”, “Nessuno mai”, “Un sorriso e poi perdonami”) and Gianni Bella (“Non si può morire dentro”, “No”, “Più ci penso”, “Questo amore non si tocca”). He also worked with Claudio Cavallaro on tracks for I Camaleonti (“Eternità”, “Come sei bella”, “Oggi il cielo è rosa”) and Gigliola Cinquetti.

Between 1970 and 1971, he produced the band I Califfi, co-writing songs such as “Acqua e sapone” and “Lola bella mia” with Franco Boldrini.

In 1971, Bigazzi co-founded the satirical music group Squallor with Daniele Pace, Totò Savio, Alfredo Cerruti and Elio Gariboldi. Initially conceived as a parody, the group achieved remarkable popularity, releasing albums for over two decades. Bigazzi contributed lyrics, music, and occasionally performed in their songs and films (’’Arrapaho’’, ‘’Uccelli d’Italia’’).