Diaframma – Siberia


Diaframma

Diaframma is an Italian band, one of the dark wave, gothic Italian acts to come out of Florence during the early 80s along with Litfiba. Founded in 1979 and leaded by the author-guitarist-turned singer Federico Fiumani, Diaframma originated from the meeting of punk, new wave and rock.

Siberia has a quite simple structure and meaning. It’s a really effective depiction of a dark and cold landscape, that halfway through the song turns to hope and desire, the will to find “the fire alive under the snow”.

“Siberia”

Il ghiaccio si confonde
con il cielo, con gli occhi
e quando il buio si avvicina
vorrei rapire il freddo
in un giorno di sole
che potrebbe tornare in un attimo solo.

Forse stanotte,
se avro’ attraversato
la strada che non posso vedere
poi in un momento
copriro’ le distanze
per raggiungere il fuoco
vivo sotto la neve.

I nostri occhi impauriti
nelle stanze gelate,
al chiarore del petrolio bruciato
e oltre il muro il silenzio,
oltre il muro solo ghiaccio e silenzio.

Aspettero’ questa notte pensandoti,
nascondendo nella neve il respiro,
poi in un momento diverso dagli altri
io copriro’ il peso di queste distanze…
di queste distanze… di queste distanze…
Di queste distanze…

“Siberia”

The ice blends
with the sky, with the eyes.
And when the dark comes close
i’d like to kidnap the cold
in a sunny day
that could come back in a single instant.

Maybe tonight,
if i’ll have crossed
the road that i can’t see
then in a moment
i’ll cover the distances
to reach the fire
alive under the snow.

Our eyes afraid
in freezed rooms,
by the glow of burnt petrol.
And beyond the wall silence,
Beyond the wall only ice and silence.

I’ll wait for this night thinking about you,
hiding the breathe in the snow,
then in a moment different from others
i’ll cover the weight of these distances…
Of these distances… Of these distances…
Of these distances…

 

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.

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

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.