Back to Brit - Francesco ARPINO - Cover

New album of unreleased songs by Francesco Arpino

BACK TO BRIT

Released on December 12, 2025

Four years after his previous record work, singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Francesco Arpino is back with “Back to Brit,” his new album of unreleased songs on the Esordisco label.

Back to Brit - Francesco ARPINO - Cover

IL NUOVO ALBUM DI INEDITI DI

FRANCESCO ARPINO

Released on December 12, 2025

Four years after his previous record work, singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Francesco Arpino is back with “Back to Brit,” his new album of unreleased songsfor the Esordisco label.

The New Album

For the first time entirely sung in English, Back to Brit is a musical and personal journey, made up of ten tracks with international sounds, ranging between friendship, love and memory, and telling with disarming sincerity the artist’s experience.
In recent years Arpino has collaborated with numerous Italian and international artists, signed soundtracks for movies and commercials, and put his signature as a producer on important projects on the music scene. This new work stems from an intense creative and affective activity, developed over time together with Phil Spalding, a great friend and fellow musician, who passed away recently.
With him Francesco wrote, played and produced most of the album, in which names such as Phil Palmer and Sean Ono Lennon also participated, with whom he composed the song “Day After Day.” Some tracks, moreover, are the result of shared sessions with McFly.

FRANCESCO ARPINO BIO

Francesco Arpino is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, Producer and soundtrack composer.
He was born in Rome but trained in Genoa. His love for Anglo-Saxon music led him to London where he moved in 1998. Working alongside artists of international caliber, he learns and lays the foundations of his future music.
Back in Rome, he forms OffSide (of which he is the frontman and composer of all the songs), with which he participates in the 2002 Sanremo Festival with the song “Quando una ragazza c’è.”
After the experience with Offside Arpino founds a new group the B-nice, which debuts in 2005 with the song “Panic” (produced by Bruno Tibaldi).
After the parenthesis with the B-nice, Francesco Arpino focuses mainly on the activity of arranger, studio producer and composer. To be mentioned in this period some important collaborations and among them those with the well-known authors Antonello De Sanctis, and Stefano Cenci and the one with Sean Lennon, with whom he writes some songs together.
In 2011 he won the Nastro d’Argento as co-arranger with the song “Amami di più” included in the Avati brothers’ film “Se sei così ti dico si” with Emilio Solfrizzi and Belen Rodriguez.
In the same year he artistically produced and arranged Alessandro Haber’s album “Haber bacia tutti.”
This is an opportunity to collaborate in his studio with prestigious artists such as Danilo Rea, Phil Palmer, Giusy Ferreri, Giuliano Sangiorgi, Peppe Servillo, Enzo Gragnaniello, and Fausto Mesolella.
In 2012 he began a lasting collaboration as producer and songwriter with Phil Spalding (bassist for E. John, R. Williams, M. Oldfield, The Who).
In 2014 he launched and produced actress and singer Diana Del Bufalo.
In 2015 he is the author, arranger and producer of the theme song of the TV program “Colorado” on Italia Uno.
In 2017 he co-wrote with Vincenzo Incenzo all the unreleased music for the first musical dedicated to Lady Diana Spencer played by actress Serena Autieri.
In 2018 – 2019 he is producer and arranger of “The complete Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas songbook.” The unreleased Jeff Buckley songs are sung by The Niro and played, by American guitarist and Jeff’s co-author, Gary Lucas. The album, recorded entirely in Rome in his studio, is released in October 2019 by the label Esordisco. Released in May 2020 is his first new single Songs for Aliens, title track of the new album released in November 2021 with the collaboration of Chris Thomas (The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Elton John). Nine tracks including Day after day, written with Sean Ono Lennon, played by leading international musicians such as Phil Spalding and Phil Palmer. Mastering was done at Abbey Road studios in London.
In 2021 he composed and produced together with Andrea Pisani the theme song for the television program OnlyFun aired on Nine and worked on the soundtrack for the film “Greta e le favole vere” produced by Ferrero and starring Raoul Bova and Sabrina Impacciatore.
In 2023, he produced and wrote Pupo’s new single “Center of the World” and “Get Back” Bobby Solo’s new record, an album of Beatles covers sung by Bobby produced by Francesco and rearranged in a new different and original way.
In 2024 he produced Antonio Grifoni, wrote and produced the soundtrack for the film “Maestro the color soccer of Maestrelli” presented at the Rome Film Festival.
He writes and produces Diana Del Bufalo’s new album “Multiple Personalities” released in September 2025.
He is currently working with Alessandro Haber on a new album and on the soundtrack of Elio Germano’s new film “Ritorno al tratturo.”

BACK TO BRIT

In questo album mi sento come Marty McFly a bordo della DeLorean, racconta Arpino. Dentro queste canzoni c’è tutta la mia vita e la mia essenza, un vero viaggio nel tempo in cui ho ritrovato molte persone e ne ho perse altre, come mio padre e amici cari come Phil Spalding e Pierre Ruiz. Le mie canzoni nascono quasi sempre in inglese: racconto l’amore, le fragilità, la lotta con l’accettazione del passato, le consapevolezze, le ansie e le gioie di un vissuto che sarebbe troppo lungo da descrivere. Mi sento fortunato ed emozionato, perché finalmente queste mie creature non sono più solo mie, ma anche vostre.”

Il suono dell’album è fortemente influenzato dalla tradizione brit, con una particolare cura per gli arrangiamenti di chitarra – Rickenbacker e Gibson in primis – e l’utilizzo costante di cori con la tecnica dei cluster, molto cara agli anni ‘50 e ‘60.

Il disco è anche un omaggio al legame profondo con Phil Spalding:

Con Phil si era creata un’amicizia unica: bastava uno sguardo per capirci – racconta Arpino. È venuto in Italia da me più di 90 volte in pochi anni. La mattina gli preparavo 4 caffè uno dopo l’altro e scherzavamo su tutto. Adorava le ragazze italiane e rideva ogni volta che vedeva file chilometriche di macchine posteggiate in seconda fila. Un vero rock and roll man!

Con Back to Brit, Francesco Arpino firma il suo ritorno discografico con un album intimo e potente, che mescola nostalgia e freschezza, ricordi e nuove visioni, tenendo vivo lo spirito del rock britannico e la forza della connessione umana.

Listen to

Crediti

  • Francesco Arpino: Voice, guitars, piano, drums, keyboards and programming (all but 9)
  • Phil Spalding: Bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
  • Phil Palmer: acoustic electric guitars (8,10)
  • Francesco Musacco: pianos and strings (9,10)
  • Walter Sacripanti: drums (9)
  • Executive producers: Paola Cimino and Francesco Arpino
  • Press Office: Chiara Giorgi Cell. 3473351416 – E-Mail: chiagiorgi@gmail.com
  • Mastering: Giovanni Versari
  • Back and front cover photo: Elisabetta Lazzè

Produced and arranged by Francesco Arpino and Phil Spalding except Tracks 2,4,8,10 produced by Francesco Arpino. Mixes: Steve Forward (5,6,7,9) Ben Andrewes (1,2,4 8) and Francesco Lo Cascio (3,10)

Lyrics

(F.Arpino, P.Spalding)

“All I’ve ever wanted from you is a kiss to give me back my life.”

This song is an ode to those people who come into your life and save it sometimes even without knowing it… Little curiosity, in this piece there are as many as 90 backing tracks made by Phil and me.

I see your face
And I want your love
I want your love I know my place
And it’s not enough
It’s not enough

I’d change my life for you
But could you see
Could you see?
You ring all the bells in me
But you can’t you hear
And they’re oh so near

All I’ve ever wanted from you
was the kiss of life
All I’ve ever wanted from you
was the kiss of life

I see your eyes
Across a crowded room
Across a crowded room

They hypnotize me
Clear pools of blue
Clear pools of blue

All I’ve ever wanted from you
was the kiss of life
All I’ve ever wanted from you
was the kiss of life

(F.Arpino, McFly)

That damnable, irresistible smile that bewitches and enchants, but is sometimes only a facade so much so that the spell vanishes and is unmasked…

Feel my soul
Wrong lane
She’s a spark in the rain
Never means what she says
Wants the fire, then she’s changing
Deep eyes of a gambler

I can’t wait on and on
If you wanna stay
Running fast, fade away
See the sky but fears the danger
You make me feel like a stranger

Wants to be true
freedom’s all she’s holding to
I feel her close
Then she hides
See her ghost…

Mona Lisa smile
Mona Lisa smile
I don’t wanna chase the shadows
Dancing in the fog

Mona Lisa smile
Mona Lisa smile
Say you want the silence alone
But scream when you’re re alone
And my Stendhal syndrome
Is already gone.

You can hide
In your frame
Trough your eyes
Play your game
All the charm in a smile
You could be my Houston
Not a problem to focus on

Now I see you
With a brush what’s fake comes true
Feel your storm, feel your sky
See you cry…

Mona Lisa smile
Mona Lisa smile
I don’t wanna chase the shadows
Dancing in the fog

Mona Lisa smile
Mona Lisa smile
Say you want the silence alone
But scream when you’re re alone
And my Stendhal syndrome
Is already gone.

(F.Arpino, P.Spalding)

The first piece I wrote with Phil Spalding. Born on a hot summer afternoon from a play on words that resonated in the head then in the room, a real metropolitan mantra.

Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town

Is your mama gonna let you come out to play?
Going riding in my new machine today …
Good boy choose me … Bad boy use me …
You better watch out cos I ain’t ever gonna change.

Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town

Come-a-come-a-come out to play …
Got my new machine and I’m here to stay.

Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town

I don’t wanna spend my life in chains
I hear you baby when you call my name
Let’s get together … and go insane!!!

Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town

I ain’t gonna spend my life in chains
Crash and burn cos I’m addicted to your pain …
I’m good boy … you gotta choose me
I’m bad boy … you gotta use me
I’m a good boy … you amuse me
I’m a bad boy … you’re gonna lose me

Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town
Get Around town

(F.Arpino, McFly)

Like a phoenix we will rise from this swan song… The swan song is a song for those who have courage to believe and never give up on a story that seems to end but in the end somehow always gets saved.

Maybe we should talk about the way you look at me
Or better if I walk by and let it be

We could sit and wonder what this story was about
Maybe naked we can figure it out

Here we come again
Dancing in the rain
Like phoenix we will rise
From this swan song

Here we go again
Another flight before the fall
I know you are the place
where I belong
To rewrite
This swan song

When we walk away
Pretend to say… ‘goodbye’
I tell myself I’m strong,
yet you prove me wrong

I’ve always being fighting just to hold my ground,
You did the same
And we don’t back down
All ‘s gone like tears under the rain

Here we come again
Loving through the pain
Like phoenix we will rise
From this swan song

Here we fly again
Another calm before the storm
I know it’s worth the fight
Before the gong
We’ll rewrite
This swan song.

(F.Arpino, P.Spalding)

Very 90’s sounds in this up tempo written again with Phil Spalding in a few minutes…telling that often you don’t have to ask too many questions or have all the answers.

I know we’re used to chasing dreams
I’d rather check on out today
It may be real or so it seems
I think I’ve come too far to play

I can hear you talking on your sleep
Never knew your feelings ran so deep
Soon I’ll get to love you
Soon I’ll get to love you

I don’t know why, got the world on my shoulders
I don’t know why, and it hurts
I don’t know why, think I’ll wait till I’m older
Then I’ll get to love you

One day I told you I would be there
When I was lost enough to find
The love I thought I couldn’t see there
The love I thought I’d left behind

Can you hear me talking in my sleep
Now you know my feelings run so deep
I know I’ll get to love you
Soon I’ll get to love you

I don’t know why, got the world on my shoulders
I don’t know why, and it hurts
I don’t know why, think I’ll wait till I’m older
Then I’ll get to love you

I know I’ll get to love you
One day I’ll get to love you …

I don’t know why, got the world on my shoulders
I don’t know why, and it hurts
I don’t know why, think I’ll wait till I’m older
I don’t know why it hurts …

I don’t know why, think I’ll wait till I’m older
Then I’ll get to love you …

(F.Arpino, P.Spalding)

When it comes it never warns you it makes you move and you often don’t notice until you fall into it–like a shower of love.

Somebody knows just how you feel
under the skin we’re all sane
when I am hurting love’s so real
an all equalizing pain
faraway i hear you cry
I’m here waiting for you
i must move before i die
so much more i can do

Your heart in me is still beating
your blood in me is still flowing
you come to me and tell me that it’s raining love
your life in me is still living
your love in me is still giving
you come to me and tell me that it’s raining love
tell me that it’s raining love

I open my eyes but i can’t see
what is in my hands
they say love is blind so let me be
god will show me when he can
he can make one promise now
the grass over there’s no greener
what i have is here and how
it’s the best we’ll ever see

Your heart in me is still beating
your blood in me is still flowing
you come to me and tell me that it’s raining love
your life in me is still living
your love in me is still giving
you come to me and tell me that it’s raining love
tell me that it’s raining love

(F.Arpino, P.Spalding)

Here we are dealing with a long-distance love where you would like to be Superman to fly to her and stay there all night and say, “I will be with you.”

I’m a millions miles away
but I see you where you lay
as we share our dreams together
it doesn’t matter where i am
I’ll always be your superman
flying to you in all weathers

Tonight I’ll be with you
if you want me to
tonight I’ll be with you
if you want me
want me too
if you want me
want me too

I imagine things you wear
dreams so vivid i can’t bear
to be away from you much longer
we talk dirty on the phone
oh… how i hate to be alone
absence always make the heart go stronger

Tonight I’ll be with you
if you want me to
tonight I’ll be with you
if you want me
want me too
if you want me
want me too

Tonight I’ll be with you
tonight I’ll be with you

(F.Arpino, McFly)

The first meeting, he is entranced by her hazel eyes, sparkling like a sip of Coke.

Cupid was drunk and started shooting arrows blind
I was wounded right in the chest
But I didn’t mind
…Your old loves
Made you cry and tried to pull you down
You didn’t let no one
to steal your crown

The first time I saw you I whispered “…wow!”
You responded raising your eyebrow
I thought from the moment we handshake
What a magical mistake

I don’t wanna give you troubles
I don’t wanna be like those guys
I’m thirsty of your sparkling coca cola eyes
No matter what’s now or never
It took me just a while
I’m already lost in your smile

The horoscope said “Bring it on!
just take it easy, bad things are gone,
Venus and Mars are aligned
but I didn’t mind
…Your halo
Makes you shine,
you hide the emotions deep inside
Over the fence of your heart
so sweet and wild

Did I see you in a movie or in my dreams
In fancy clothes or simply
with blue jeans
To make bad decisions I’m black belt
When I saw you my heart melt

I don’t wanna heart your feelings
I do wanna give you no lies
I’m thirsty of your sparkling coca cola eyes
No matter what’s now or never
It’s gonna be just fine
If I got your lips next to mine

(F.Arpino, P.Spalding)

One of the rockiest pieces on the record.
I had written the music long before, but Phil with the lyrics and rock production was able to put that extra edge on it.

When you’re with your lover, deep under the covers,
Going for the real deal …
Anyway you wanna, you get to climb upon her,
And show her how you really feel …
First thing in the morning, she grabs you without warning,
And tells you that she loves you …
And tells you that she loves you …
You feel the god inside you …

You gotta let it out…
Listen to the sound now,
Heavy on the ground now,
Really gettin’ down now,
Really gettin’ down now…
Listen to the sound now…

See the moon is rising, something here inside me,
Is cooking like a war zone,
Blood is so hot, feels like i have got,
Libido like a whore’s own …
Lonely Sunday morning, as the day is dawning,
I need you with me right now …
I need you with me right now …
I’m giving up the fight now …

I gotta let it out…
Listen to the sound now,
Heavy on the ground now,
Really gettin’ down now,
Really gettin’ down now…
Listen to the sound now…

(F.Arpino, S.Ono Lennon, B. Bartell)

It is the most nostalgic and profound song on this record. When you can’t forget a story and you find yourself in a deserted garden.
Born and co-written with Sean Ono Lennon and Bill Bartell.

Day after day, seems so long
Since I held you close at night,
in my arms…
You slipped away and were gone
I never thought I’d be so alone,
lost as I am…

Gray, passing wave, here it comes
The sleep I’ve always dreamed of….
Where I can be with you
You in a veil that was thrown
To shade the light of your eyes,
…shining at me

As I try, I’m gonna find you again, And hope our love would flower…in
the darkness
I’ll hold onto the pain, even in vain
Like waiting for a rain…in a desert
garden…

Day after Day on every word
Listening for sounds of true love,
so unheard
Heart on the mend, in the end
Beating out my fantasies
When I had faith

As I try, I’m gonna find you again,
And hope our love would flower…in
the darkness
I’ll hold on to the pain, even in vain
Like waiting for a rain…in a desert
garden…

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