Ovidi Montllor (Alcoy, 1942-Barcelona, 1995), born in Alcoy, Valencia (Cast. Valencia; Cat. València) was one of the more vehement between the songwriters on stage. With a powerful and melodious voice, he sang intelligents and imaginative words by his own or by great Catalan poets. His way of singing, very influenced by Jacques Brel, was very dramatic, not in vain, he also was an actor: La verdad sobre el caso Savolta (The truth about the Savolta affair), La fuga de Segovia (Segovia’s runaway) or Amanece que no es poco (*It dawns, that’s not a little a thing*) among others. Ovidi sings in Catalan in the dialect of Valencia.
This song, "Perquè vull!" (Because I want!), from his LP Un entre tants (1972) (One among so many), is a funny song that tells about a day in which everything happens because he wants it so.
Perquè vull!
Plovia aquell dia. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes que plogués!
Sortia ella de casa. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes que sortís!
Tenia jo un paraigua. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes de tenir!
Vaig dir-li de tapar-la. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes d’ajudar!
Va dir-me: "Encantada". Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes d’encantar!
Va arrapar-se a mi. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes d’estimar!
Vam viure un món preciós. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ja ganes de viure’l!
Després vàrem parlar. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes de parlar!
Vam volar pel món. Perquè vull!
Perquè tinc ganes de volar!
Vam volar pel món nou. Perquè vull!
Perquè no m’agrada aquest!
I el vam veure millor. Perquè vull!
Perquè sé que és millor!
Vam menjar el més bo. Perquè vull!
Perquè sé que es pot menjar!
Vam viure amb gent preciosa. Perquè vull!
Perquè estic tip de la contrària!
Tot era meravella. Perquè vull!
Perquè estic fart de fàstics!
Tot era de tothom. Perquè vull!
Perquè tot és de tots!
I acabe la cançó. Perquè vull!
Tot comença en un mateix!
Because I want
That day was raining. Because I want!/ Because I want it to rains!// She was getting out home. Because I want!/ Because I want her would get out!// I was having an umbrella. Because I want!/ Because I feel like having!// I told her about to wrap her up. Because I want!/ Because I feel like helping!// She said to me: "Charmed!". Because I want!/ Because I feel like charming!// She snuggled up to me! Because I want!/ Because I feel like loving.// We saw a beautiful world. Because I want!/ Because I already feel like seeing it.// Later, we talked. Because I want!/ Because I feel like talking.// We flew around the whole world. Because I want!/ Because I feel like flying!// We flew around the new world. Because I want!/ Because I don’t like this one.// And we saw it better. Because I want!/ Because I know it’s better!// We ate the best. Because I want!/ Because I know it can be ate!// We lived with precious people. Because I want!/ Because I am tired of the contrary people!// Everything was wonderfull. Because I want!/ Because I’m tired of disgusts!// Everything was of everybody. Because I want!/ Because all is for everybody!// And I get finish the song. Because I want!/ All starts again!
Ovidi Montllor
for read it in Spanish, click here
La Nova Cançó Catalana (New
Catalan Song) was a very important songwriter movement that pretended,
making of Catalan their expression way, preserve and vindicate the
language of Catalonia. Teresa Rebull, a Civil War exhiled, was the forerunner, but singer Raimon was the real beginner. The movement, principally, had two differents tendences: Els Setze Jutges (Sixteen Judges), inspired by French songwriters, and El Grup de Folk
(Folk Group), North-American folk-singers inspiration. Jutges were more
worried about Catalan poetry and refused to use Catalonia’s folklore
due to the populist use that the dictatorship was making with every
Spanish folklore; but Grup de Folk like to combine old Catalans songs
with North-American folk-songs. But in the beginnings of 70s, both were
disolved, but the movement stood. New Catalan Song was imitated by
others regional songwriters movement, borning in this way the New Songs
from Basque Country, Castilia, Galicia, Andalucia… Some of the names
of this movements are songwriters as Raimon,
Lluís Llach, María del Mar Bonet, Pau Riba, Marina Rossell, Joan Manuel
Serrat, Albert Batiste, Pi de la Serra, Ovidi Montllor; folk-groups as Al Tall and UC; folk-rock groups as Falsterbo 3 and Esquirols; and progresive and psychedelic rock bands as Companya Elèctrica Dharma or Maquina!… among others.
Ovidi’s site:
La Zamarra de Gustavo 