Dalla, who died at the age of 68, was buried in his home town of Bologna on Sunday.
His companion gave an emotional address to the 50,000 who gathered to watch the event, which was carried live on TV.
Commentators have said that Mr Dalla's reserve about his sexuality reveals Italy's levels of discrimination.
"Lucio Dalla's death is marked at the cathedral. But Lucio Dalla was a man who, being gay, never said it out [loud]," said widely respected journalist Lucia Annunziata.
She said Dalla's case was an example of how much homophobia existed in Italy. » | Monday, March 05, 2012
