Vinicio Capossela

Vinicio Capossela (born 14 December 1965) is an Italian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist.

Capossela is renowned for the highly original and poetic lyrics of his songs. Many of them draw from traditions of Italian folk music, especially those of his parents' native Irpinia, part of the Campania province.

Some of his songs — especially in the album Marinai, profeti e balene ("Sailors, Prophets and Whales") — are inspired by themes and legends from around the world (Canzone a manovella, Medusa cha cha cha) and from world literature, such as Homer (Calypso, La lancia del pelide), Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Santissima dei naufragati), Joseph Conrad (Lord Jim), Herman Melville (Billy Budd, La Bianchezza della Balena), John Fante (Accolita dei rancorosi), Oscar Wilde (Con una rosa), Alfred Jarry (Decervellamento) and Geoffrey Chaucer (Corvo torvo). His musical style has been compared to that of Tom Waits.

He also published translations of original songs by other authors, including Bob Dylan (La nave sta arrivando), Vladimir Vysotsky (Il pugile sentimentale) and Markos Vamvakaris (Contratto per Karelias).