Mogol, Giulio Rapetti’s 85 years always straddling the notes

Giulio Rapetti for 85 years, Mogol for 62 years and ‘officially’ only for 15: today the lyricist par excellence – but he does not like this definition, preferring the more correct one of author – celebrates his birthday, being born in Milan on August 17 from 1936, in some way a son of art since his father Mariano Rapetti was the music director of the Ricordi record company and in turn a lyricist under the pseudonym of Calibi. The stage name Mogol, with which he is universally recognized by the general public, in Italy and in the world, was randomly assigned to him in 1959 by Siae – of which he will become president in 2018 – among a hundred names invented and proposed by him. A pseudonym that then in 2016 by decree of the Ministry of the Interior will become an integral part of his name and surname. The first song was for Mina in 1960, the first success already the following year with the song ‘Beyond’ brought to triumph at the Sanremo Festival by the duo Luciano Tajoli-Betty Curtis. Victory repeated in 1964 with Bobby Solo and his ‘A tear on the face’. The following year marks a milestone for the history of Italian music: Mogol meets Battisti and from their artistic and personal partnership – also sealed by a historic ride from Milan to Rome – authentic masterpieces are born, eternal songs still remembered and sung by all today. generations: from ‘Thoughts and Words’ to ‘An adventure’, from ‘My free song’ to ‘Emotions’, from ‘A woman as a friend’ to ‘Yes to travel’ and ‘Still you’. The break in the professional relationship between Giulio and Lucio determines the end of a long season. Mogol continues in his chain of great successes by writing songs for artists such as Riccardo Cocciante, Zucchero, Adriano Celentano, Mango, Gigi D’Alessio, Eros Ramazzotti and starting a fruitful collaboration with Gianni Bella. But not only music played in the artistic life of Mogol, founder of the National Singers together with Gianni Morandi and Claudio Baglioni, president of Siae and creator of Cet, the European Center of Toscolano, in Umbria: a non-profit school for authors, musicians and singers. (by Enzo Bonaiuto)