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Franco Battiato – L’animale


Franco Battiato

A legendary songwriter and musician, Franco Battiato went through experimental and pop music, reaching even classical and opera. Nicknamed Maestro (“Master”), as Wiki says he “is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer, filmmaker and, under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani, also a painter. Battiato’s songs contain esoteric, philosophical and religious themes.”

L’animale talks about a recurring topic in Battiato discography, the struggle to be free from passions and desires. In the end there is no clear outcome, the “animal inside” doesn’t allow him to live a serene life, but that’s passion, the reason why he wants her..

“L’animale”

Vivere non è difficile potendo poi rinascere
cambierei molte cose un po’ di leggerezza e di stupidità.
Fingere tu riesci a fingere quando ti trovi accanto a me
mi dai sempre ragione e avrei voglia di dirti
ch’ è meglio se sto solo…

Ma l’ animale che mi porto dentro
non mi fa vivere felice mai
si prende tutto anche il caffè
mi rende schiavo delle mie passioni
e non si arrende mai e non sa attendere
è l’ animale che mi porto dentro vuole te.

Dentro me segni di fuoco, è l’acqua che li spegne
se vuoi farli bruciare tu lasciali nell’ aria
oppure sulla terra.

Ma l’ animale che mi porto dentro
non mi fa vivere felice mai
si prende tutto anche il caffè
mi rende schiavo delle mie passioni
e non si arrende mai e non sa attendere
è l’ animale che mi porto dentro vuole te…

“The animal”

To live isn’t difficult, being able to rebirth
i’d change a lot of things, a bit of levity and foolishness
Pretend, you are able to pretend when you are next to me
You always agree with me and i’d like to tell you
that’s better if i stay on my own…

But the animal i carry inside me
never lets me live happily
he takes everything, even the coffee
makes me slave of my passions
and never gives up and isn’t able to wait
It’s the animal i carry inside and it wants you.

Inside me signs of fire, it’s water that extinguish them
if you want to let them burn, leave them in the air
or on the ground.

But the animal i carry inside me
never lets me live happily
he takes everything, even the coffee
makes me slave of my passions
and never gives up and isn’t able to wait
It’s the animal i carry inside and it wants you.

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Enrico Ruggeri – Polvere


Enrico Ruggeri

Enrico Ruggeri is a popular name of italian music, after a start as punk rocker in the late ’70s, his albums of the ’80s are considered among the best of the italian new wave (close to dark bands like The Cure), together with those of Diaframma, Garbo and Faust’o. In the following years he kept changing style, going more and more towards a classic songwriter approach.

Polvere gives title to an album of 1983 and talks about Ruggeri’s father and his mental disease, describing the old parents house as set of confused thoughts and memories.

“Polvere”

Piano americano e sfioro il tavolo con una mano
Pomeriggio strano e un desiderio che è fuggito lontano

Polvere, gran confusione, un grigio salone
in quale direzione io caccerò la polvere dai miei pensieri
E quanti misteri coi pochi poteri
che la mia condizione mi da

Aria un po’ viziata
quella finestra andrebbe spalancata
Tela rovinata
e la cornice tutta consumata

Polvere troppi ricordi è meglio esser sordi
e forse è già tardi per togliere la polvere
dagli ingranaggi dai volti dei saggi
coi pochi vantaggi che la mia condizione mi dà

Non mi cercare che non mi riconoscerai
Non mi cercare che non mi riconoscerai
Non mi cercare che non mi riconoscerai

“Dust”

Medium close shot [literally: american plane, talking about photo/video] and i brush up the table with an hand
Strange afternoon and a desire that flew far away

Dust, great confusion, a grey hall
in which direction will i kick the dust from my thoughts?
And how many mysteries with the few powers
that my condition gives me

Air a bit stale
that window should be opened wide
Ruined canvas
and the frame all worn out

Dust, too many memories, it’s better to be deaf
and maybe it’s already late to remove the dust
from cogs, from faces of wise men
with the few advantages that my condition gives me

Don’t look for me as you won’t recognize me
Don’t look for me as you won’t recognize me
Don’t look for me as you won’t recognize me

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David Bowie – Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola


David Bowie

No need to introduce him. 😉

I’d like to start posting some italian language songs not sung by italian. Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola is the special italian version of Space Oddity. Published in 1970, its lyrics were written  by one of the most famous italian song authors, Mogol (who wrote most of the hits by Lucio Battisti in the ’60s and ’70s), and have nothing in common with the original english ones. Quite uncommon nowadays (with the exception of the french market due to laws that restrict the number of non-french language songs transmitted), at the time it wasn’t strange to translate songs and record them in other languages. This way many famous hits were born, like My Way (originally french) or the italian L’appuntamento (originally brazilian).

“Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola”

La mia mente ha preso il volo
Un pensiero, uno solo
Io cammino mentre dorme la citta’

I suoi occhi nella notte
Fanali bianchi nella notte
Una voce che mi parla chi sara’?

Dimmi ragazzo solo dove vai,
Perche’ tanto dolore?
Hai perduto senza dubbio un grande amore
Ma di amori e’ tutta piena la citta’,

No ragazza sola, no no no
Stavolta sei in errore
Non ho perso solamente un grande amore
Ieri sera ho perso tutto con lei.

Con lei
I colori della vita
Dei cieli blu
Una come lei non la trovero’ mai piu’

Ora ragazzo solo dove andrai
La notte e’ un grande mare
Se ti serve la mia mano per nuotare
Grazie ma stasera io vorrei morire
Perche’ sai negli occhi miei
C’e’ un angelo, un angelo
Che ormai non vola piu’ che ormai non vola piu’
Che ormai non vola piu’

C’e’ lei
I colori della vita
Dei cieli blu
Una come lei non la trovero’ mai piu’

“Lonely boy, lonely girl”

My mind just took off
One thought only one
I walk while the city sleeps

Her eyes in the night
White lanterns in the night
A voice that talks to me who will it be?

Tell me lonely boy where are you going to,
Why so much pain?
You lost without doubt a great love
But the city is full of loves

No lonely girl no no no
This time you are mistaken
I haven’t just lost a great love
Last night I lost everything with her.

With her
The colors of life
Of the blue skies
One like her I’ll never find again.

Now lonely boy where will you go?
The night is a big sea
If you need my hand to swim
Thank you but tonight I would like to die
Because you know in my eyes
There is an angel an angel
That now does not fly anymore that now does not
fly anymore
That now does not fly anymore

There is her
The colors of life
Of the blue skies
One like her I’ll never find again.

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Franco Battiato – La cura

Franco Battiato

A legendary songwriter and musician, Franco Battiato went through experimental and pop music, reaching even classical and opera. Nicknamed Maestro (“Master”), as Wiki says he “is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer, filmmaker and, under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani, also a painter. Battiato’s songs contain esoteric, philosophical and religious themes.”

La cura is widely considered one of the best italian songs of all time, mainly thanks to the lyrics written by Battiato together with philosopher and long time friend Manlio Sgalambro. It sounds like an intense song of love and dedication, but the author (due to his deep interest in spirituality, meditation and sufism) also hints at a spirit-to-human dimension as key element.

“La cura”

Ti proteggerò dalle paure delle ipocondrie,
Dai turbamenti che da oggi incontrerai per la tua via
Dalle ingiustizie e dagli inganni del tuo tempo,
Dai fallimenti che per tua natura normalmente attirerai
Ti solleverò dai dolori e dai tuoi sbalzi d’umore,
Dalle ossessioni delle tue manie
Supererò le correnti gravitazionali,
Lo spazio e la luce
Per non farti invecchiare
E guarirai da tutte le malattie,
Perché sei un essere speciale,
ed io, avrò cura di te.

Vagavo per I campi del Tennessee
(come vi ero arrivato, chissà)
Non hai fiori bianchi per me?
Più veloci di aquile I miei sogni
Attraversano il mare

Ti porterò soprattutto il silenzio e la pazienza
Percorreremo assieme le vie che portano all’essenza
I profumi d’amore inebrieranno I nostri corpi,
La bonaccia d’agosto non calmerí I nostri sensi
Tesserò I tuoi capelli come trame di un canto
Conosco le leggi del mondo, e te ne farò dono
Supererò le correnti gravitazionali,
Lo spazio e la luce per non farti invecchiare
TI salverò da ogni malinconia,
Perché sei un essere speciale
ed io avrò cura di te.
Io sì, che avrò cura di te.

“Care” 

I’ll protect you from fears of hypochondries
from turmoils that from today you’ll encounter on your way.
From injustices and deceptions of your time,
from failures that due to your nature you’ll normally attract.
I’ll lift you from pains and from your mood swings,
from obsessions of your manias.
I’ll overcome gravitational currents,
space and light
to make you not age.
And you’ll be healed from every illness,
because you’re a special being
and i’ll take care of you.

I was wandering through fields of Tennessee
(how i reached them, who knows).
Don’t you have white flowers for me?
Faster than eagles, my dreams
cross the sea.

I’ll bring you mostly silence and patience.
We’ll tread together the paths that lead to essence.
The love scents will elate our bodies,
the august flat calm won’t calm our senses.
I’ll weave your hair like plots of a chant.
I know the laws of the world and i’ll gift you those.
I’ll overcome gravitational currents,
space and light to make you not age.
I’ll save you from every melancholy,
because you’re a special being
and i’ll take care of you.
Yes, i will take care of you.

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883 – Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno

883

Named after an Harley Davidson motorcycle model, 883 was a duo from my hometown, made by Max Pezzali and Mauro Repetto. Actually none of the two guys really play instruments, they were only writing and (as a somewhat unintended outcome) Pezzali was singing. Their debut album was a huge hit, but treated by critics as simple pop music. Some years later their songs were (at least partially deservedly) considered as great songwriters works, for lyrics that were accurately depicting reality in italian small towns in the ’90s. Nothing to do, not many opportunities but just hopes, mainly fueled by contemporary american culture (comics, motorbikes, pop songs, top models). Lines like “we talked a lot, many years ago / about how paranoic is this city / about its people and their manias / two discos and hundred and six pharmacies” in Con un deca perfectly describe a place i know very well.

Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno was the 1992 breakthrough first song by 883 and gives title to the same album. Focused on the famous comics character, as the authors were both addicted to comics.

“Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno”

Solita notte da lupi nel Bronx
Nel locale stan suonando un blues degli Stones
Loschi individui al bancone del bar
Pieni di whisky e margaritas

Tutto ad un tratto la porta fa slam
Il guercio entra di corsa con una novità
Dritta sicura: si mormora che i cannoni hanno fatto bang!

Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, chi sia stato non si sa
Forse quelli della mala, forse la pubblicità
Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, non si sa neanche perché
Avrà fatto qualche sgarro a qualche industria di caffè

Alla centrale della polizia
Il commissario dice: ‘Che volete che sia’
Quel che è successo non ci fermerà, il crimine non vincerà
Ma nelle strade c’è panico ormai
Nessuno esce di casa, nessuno vuole guai
Ed agli appelli alla calma in TV adesso chi ci crede più

Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, chi sia stato non si sa
Forse quelli della mala, forse la pubblicità
Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno, non si sa neanche perché
Avrà fatto qualche sgarro a qualche industria di caffè

Giù nelle strade si vedono gangs di ragionieri in doppiopetto pieni di stress
Se non ti vendo mi venderai tu, per cento lire o poco più
e-e-e Le facce di Vogue sono miti per noi, attori troppo belli sono gli unici eroi
Invece lui, sì lui era una star, ma tanto non ritornerà

“They killed Spiderman” 

Usual wolves night in the Bronx,
in the bar they are playing a [Rolling] Stones blues.
Shady guys at the bar counter,
filled of whiskey and margaritas.

Then abruptly the door slams
The squinter comes in running with news.
Trustable tip: cannons made a bang!

They killed Spiderman, who did it no one knows,
maybe mob guys or someone who works in advertising.
They killed Spiderman, no one even knows why,
he must have upset a coffee industry.

At the police central station
the captain says: “it’s doesn’t matter so much”.
What happened won’t stop us, crime won’t win.
But in the streets it’s panic by now,
no one goes out, no one wants troubles
and no one believes pleas for calm on tv anymore.

They killed Spiderman, who did it no one knows,
maybe mob guys or someone who works in advertising.
They killed Spiderman, no one even knows why,
he must have messed up with a coffee industry.

Down in the streets you can see gangs of accountants in blazers [double breasted], totally stressed.
If i don’t sell you, you’ll sell me, for one hundred liras or little more.
Faces on Vogue are myths for us,
too handsome actors are the only heroes,
while he, yes he was a star, but anyway he won’t come back.

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Pupo – Gelato al cioccolato

Pupo

Enzo Ghinazzi, called “little baby” (Pupo) because of his height, was a quite famous pop singer of the ’70s-’80s, still having a huge success in Russia and eastern Europe nowadays, but also turned tv showman.

Gelato al cioccolato is a famous hit of the ’80s (actually published in the album with same name in 1979), probably even well known in some countries around the world. Written by Cristiano Malgioglio about a (male) lover, it’s a very playful song in the spirit of those years.

“Gelato al cioccolato”

Ma dove vuoi andare, ti amo!
Ti annoi, va bene, balliamo
sei bella, ti lasci guardare
con te non c’è niente da fare.

Nascosta dai lunghi capelli
tu balli, ma i gesti son quelli
bambina, ti voglio, ti sento
ti muovi, mi sfuggi, mi arrendo.

Gelato al cioccolato dolce e un po’ salato
tu, gelato al cioccolato
un bacio al cioccolato io te l’ho rubato
tu, gelato al cioccolato.

Rimani così che dolce sei tu non chiedo di più.
Profumo di fiori di tiglio
fa caldo, ma qui si sta meglio
la sabbia è più bianca stasera
ma dimmi che sei proprio vera!

Gelato al cioccolato dolce e un po’ salato
tu, gelato al cioccolato
un bacio al cioccolato io te l’ho rubato
tu, gelato al cioccolato
gelato al cioccolato, sono innamorato
di un gelato al cioccolato
gelato al cioccolato dolce e un po’ salato
tu, gelato al cioccolato.

“Chocolate ice cream” 

Where do you want to go, i love you!
You are bored, ok, let’s dance.
You’re beautiful, you let me stare at you,
with you there is nothing to do.
Hidden by the long hair
you dance, but the gestures are those.
Baby i want you, i feel you.
You move, you dodge, i surrender.
Chocolate ice cream, sweet and a bit salty,
you, chocolate ice cream.
A chocolate kiss i stole from you,
you, chocolate ice cream.

Stay like this, how sweet you are, i don’t ask for more.
Scent of basswood flowers.
It’s hot, but here one feels better.
Sand is whiter tonight,
but tell me you are real!

Chocolate ice cream, sweet and a bit salty
You, chocolate ice cream.
A chocolate kiss i stole from you,
you, chocolate ice cream.
Chocolate ice cream, sweet and a bit salty,
you, chocolate ice cream.
Chocolate ice cream, sweet and a bit salty,
you, chocolate ice cream.