A friend told me that she learned Italian via song lyrics. My Italian husband, as a teenager, wanted to learn English so he could understand the lyrics to Jesus Christ Superstar. So, to aid in your Italian studies, I present side-by-side translations of some popular (with me, at least) Italian songs.
See my Amazon Italian music store if you’d like to honor these artists by buying their music.
These translation do not attempt to be elegant – they are intentionally very literal, to help you learn, and therefore do not do full justice to the linguistic beauties of the songs in the original.
Index of Songs (Now Incomplete)
You can also browse the tag.
Aggiungi un Posto a Tavola – An Italian Musical – full list of translated songs from the show on this page
7000 Caffé
A Casa d’Irene
Acqua Azzurra, Acqua Chiara
Amo Tutte le Signore
Anche Per Te
Anna
Azzurro
Balla Linda
Cent’Anni di Meno
Centro di Gravita’ Permanente
Certi Momenti
Chitarra, Suona Piu’ Piano
Com’é Profondo il Mare
Come Mai
Con il Nastro Rosa
Dieci Ragazze per Me
Domani 21/04/09
Donne
Due su Due
E la Barca Torno’ Sola
E Penso a Te
Emozioni
Eri Piccola Cosi‘
First Me, Second Me
Fossi Figo
Gianna
Gli Ostacoli del Cuore
Guarda Come Dondolo
I Bambini Fanno Ooh
I Giardini di Marzo
I Watussi
Il Ballo del Mattone
Il Campo Delle Lucciole
Il Mio Canto Libero
Il Pescatore
Il Ragazzo della via Gluck
Il Solito Sesso
Io Con La Ragazza Mia, Tu Con La Ragazza Tua
La Pulce d’Acqua
L’Emozione non ha Voce
L’Italiano
L’Ultimo Bacio
La Canzone del Sole
La Casetta in Canada
La Coppia Piu’ Bella del Mondo
La Terra dei Cachi
La Vasca
Largo al Factotum della Citta‘
Le Ragazze
Libera Nos Domine
Lui
Mi Piaci
Parco Sempione
Parole Parole
Pensieri e Parole
Peperone
Questo Piccolo Grande Amore
Sandokan
Sentimento, Pentimento
Sono Una Donna, Non Sono Una Santa
Sparring Partner
Stessa Spiaggia, Stesso Mare
Tanti Auguri
Ti Voglio Bene
Tintarella di Luna
Tu Come Stai
Tu Vuo’ Fa’ L’Americano
Tuo Bacio é Come Un Rock
Uguale a Lei
Una Donna per Amico
Una Su Un Milione
USA for Italy
Via Con Me
Voglio Volere
Volare
Hi! Really enjoyed your site… Reason I found it was that I have been looking for the lyrics to the Italian song, “Un uomo tra la folla” (“A Man in the Crowd” is how I’ve seen it translated)… It was on a Placido Domingo crossover album back in the 80s, and it was also a hit for the pop singer Tony Renis… Have you by chance heard this song, or do you know of any websites that have lyrics to a lot of Italian pop songs? Many thanks, Richard in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. — kokopelli2002@hotmail.com
HELLO .. This is a really great site. Thanks for sharing – I learned so many interesting things. I liked the lyrics translations in particular because for me one of the funnest ways to learn a new language is from music.
Any other song tranlations that you could send me would be greatly apreciated. And if you happen to know the song “Ti Voglio Bene” by Tiziano Ferro, that would be really awesome because I’m not completely sure of a few parts. But if not, no worries. I like alll italian music really !!!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH 🙂
P.S. A list of some of your favorite italian songs would be really great too !
Hey again. I just wanted to let you know that i actually found the english translation to that song by Tiziano Ferro TODAY ( so don’t worry about it.) thanks 🙂
Ciao! Thank for the translation of the lyrics, especially ¨Azzurro¨, I love this song! That would be great if you added some more, for example, lyrics of Toto Cutugno, Al Bano and Romina or so. Grazie!
Elise, where did you find that translation of ti voglio bene? Have been looking for one for ages!
It looks as if she did, would be great if she could share a link!
I’m still trying to find “Un uomo tra la folla” for Richard – no luck at all so far.
great site, enjoyed it very much.
would like to find the english words to o sole mio if you have it.
grazie
Hi! I really enjoyed and am enjoying your translation of NPC! I am studying italian through Songs and TV shows. NPC and Giorgia are my favorite singers in Italy.
I finally know the meaning of the lyrics of “Sentiment Pentiment” and surprised because I heard Italy is very religious and traditional (of course not everyone) and in their religion, sex is not be discussed so often.
Well, good to know there are liberals always.
Keep doing translation I appriciate your work so much!
And if you like Giorgia’s song, please put her song into your future translation list!
Grazie mille!
I love Italian music, in particular, older popular songs and folk music. It is so hard to find. Please, add more if you can. Thankyou.
I love this website. Please do send more translations. I agree, it is a wonderful way to learn a language. I enjoy Giorgia and Tiziano Ferro too!
Hey, everybody – I’m not ignoring you! Would the person who sent me Paolo Conte lyrics send me those (or at least the titles) again? I lost them in a Windows crash.
Just a quick note to tell you I appreciate your efforts at translating the songs…Keep up the good work! Mi piace la musica italiana, Eros/Zuccero/Nek, ecc, ma non e’ facile per trovarne le traducioni englese…….La ringrazio ancora!
By the by, I’m in Nevada, USA and I found your site via a ‘post’ in a Yahoo language grp..Just thought you’d enjoy knowing that your an Internet ‘Star’
Good God, Deidre…you’ve outdone yourself, both with the offering and the selections!
Thoughts of Al Bano and my time in Italy and my hope to return forever soon…
…you are my hero!!!
Joe…
This may someday overtake the Italian slang section as the most popular on my site! I hope the original artists don’t mind, and will take my posts as a compliment and, indeed, an introduction of their work to markets that otherwise may not know them.
To encourage that, I’ve added an Amazon store on https://www.beginningwithi.com/italy/living/lyrics.html with a full selection of music from all the artists mentioned so far, and for most of them there are also Amazon links directly on the pages, and iTunes links where available. So, if you like the music, please honor the artists by buying it.
I also hope RAI doesn’t go after YouTube to take down the videos… They’re a wonderful slice of Italian pop culture history.
I think there is a mistake in “I bambini fanno oh”, you translated “evviva i pazzi che hanno capito cos’è l’amore” with “Hurray for the crazies who haven’t understood what love is”.
Now the italian or the english one have a problem… and checking here: http://www.piuchepuoi.it/canzoni/i_bambini_fanno_ooh_povia.php i think that is the english one that have a negation that should not be there.
You’re right – I don’t know why I saw a “non” in that line in Italian.
For the time being, the pages ARE a list of my favorite songs. Although, to response to requests listed here, I will eventually have to expand my repertoire!
Hi! Great site to learn Italian in the form of songs.Would be even better if you’d provide sites containing more songs for practicing italian language.
Thank you.
Abul
Queste canzoni lo aiutano ed amo le canzoni come,i bambini fanno”Oh”,gianna,una su un milione,la vasca,ballo del mattone e molto altre canzoni io possono ascoltare e capire tutto la musica italiana ed io di amore di i sperano che mettiate molte altre canzoni sul vostro luogo.I am an english speaker that is learning italian I really love your site a lot per favore put more songs on your web site tanto grazie.
A presto
arrivaderci signora
Dear Deirdre!
This is more smile-inducing synchronicity than I can stand . . . ! JUST yesterday, I was feeling estranged from the pleasures I’d taken in being part of your mailing list (from whence I’d fallen last summer some time), and Google for you again — I’m the mother of a Woodstock student (she graduates in June, incredibly) who sent you some mash notes last year? and we spend a few months every few years in Florence? A fan of yours, at any rate.
And then, as it happens, I’ve finally got a CD player for my car and have been thrilling myself with some long-neglected disks I can now take along with me to work, about a half hour ride. Today, my choice was Alex Britti — a huge favorite in our household, although we’d stopped with “3” — and as I cruised to his fast takes, it occurred to me that I should try to make some good translations of the lyrics, learn them properly in Italian, and be in slang/hipster heaven when we return to Italy next spring. …
So guess what next: Came home; Google Britti/lyrics/translations . . . and found links to your Beginning with I site again . . . and now I am ever further in your debt. Must go back to copying some more out for tomorrow’s ride. Thanks again. Best, Alice
Burst into tears reading the Linda Pastan poem, by the way.
RE: Tanti Auguri, that was good for a morning chuckle – less the song than your coment. I never for one moment thought that Italians were sexually conservative, not that I have any firsthand knowledge. I enjoy your translations – keep ’em coming!
Thank you so much!
I was looking for the English translation of Azzurro, and got to find your site – great!
Maybe you may one day post the English version of Sparring Partner by Paolo Conte?
It is the wedding song of my son and I would like to know what it is all about.
Kindly let me know.
Thanks again – Uri
Looking for a site that will translate the song:
Ostacoli del cuore by Elisa & Ligabue Don’t know if the names of the artists are complete.
The song is sung On Youtube.com in one of it’s videos, if anyone can catch all the lyrics that way.
Thanks for your help
Hello. Very interesting website. Keep up the outstanding work and thank you.
Thank you!
Oddio, ma è un’idea GENIALE! A parte che adoro Elio, così non si impara solo l’italiano, ma anche l’inglese (fosse la volta buona)!
Sei troppo avanti 😀
Sometimes you shock me (in a good way) with your choice of songs and singers!
There is a little problem with the note at the end of the song… you wrote “capelli” with two ‘p’.
Ciao!
Hi !
I am Rudolf from germany, I found your site while searching for the meaning of “tintarella di luna”. My english is not the best one, but I understand your translation without any problem.
What a funny idea, *tanned by moon* …
There is a another famous italian artist, Toto Cotugno, do you know his songs?
e.g. “Serenata” or “Insieme 1992” or “L’ italiano”
Add the translations to your website and I will tell god about you in my evening prayer 😉
Anyway thanx for your great work !
All the best.
Rudolf
May I suggest Lucio Dalla’s “Com’è Profondo il Mare” for the next translation?
I recently listened to this song on the radio and it had me wonder at the lyrics (which I didn’t remember), for their originality, humour and… depth 🙂
Dalla is for sure one of the most important artists in the last 40 years of Italian pop history, so he definitely has to be represented in your site’s collection!
And, many thanks for your site – it makes for a great read for those of us italians who are curious about what an american (though as naturalized as she can be) can think of us.
Grazie e ciao
I found your site when I was looking for the lyrics to “come mai”. I love the site and would love it even more if the lyrics for “l’emozione non ha voce” by adriano celentano were there! thanks.
Thank you so much for doing this, it’s really useful 😀
I’m 16 and I’ve been studying Italian for a couple of months and this really helps, I was wondering if you could translate L’ultimo Bacio (Carmen Consoli) or Uguale a Lei (Laura Pausini, it’s a remake of “She†by Elvis Costello) I understand most of this songs and I love them but I’m not sure if I’ve translated everything correctly.
Anyway thank you for taking the time to translate songs, I hope you can understand everything I’m writing, my English is not very good (Spanish is my mother language).
Muchas Gracias 🙂
About “Gianna” by Rino Gaetano, i agree with yout husband interpretation, and the main reason for it is this “Gianna difendeva il suo salario, dall’inflazione” ([she] defended her salary from inflation), so she was doing something to gain money, the songs speaks about Gianna doing sex…nothing more to say 😉
Ciao!
About “Amo tutte le Signore” the word you missed and supposed was something for “ballrooms” is “balere”, plural form of “balera” and yes, it means ballroom, one in which you dance liscio/mazurca/polka and maybe even some not too complicated tango 🙂
Ciao!
Great website. I enjoy italian music very much and it was great to find your website. I would love to find a translation for “Pero mi vuole bene” by quartetto cetra. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Truly a labor of love…thank you. What about more ordinary song lyrics such as:
Al di la
Mala Femmena
Oh, Marie
Non dimenticar
Innamorato
Does anyone know where I can find the lyrics to these?
“This piece of rude irony by Elio e le Storie Tese (Elio and the Tense Stories) is a good example of the use of the conditional tense in Italian”
I’d like to point out that this song makes heavy use of subjunctive(true also conditional is in there, but that’s not the particular thing about it for Italian employs conditional only where English uses it too)
It’s the subjunctive tense(fossi) which is heavily used in Italian and which is not in English even if is true that in if-clause both Italian and English use it at the same way:
If I were(subjunctive) […] I would(conditional) […]
Se(if) fossi(I were –> subjunctive) figo(cool) sarei(I would be –>conditional)
Great i used it as a teaching tool !
The lyrics are awesome! I listen to the songs almost every day, and now after a month, I’m starting to understand without having to even look at the lyrics. If you would please put new songs on, I’m going to Italy with my high school soon and would LOVE to be able to sing the songs that I may here on Deejay or MTV.
Thanks!
Thank You so much………I was after this song for a long long time, and since im not an Italian i couldnt understand the lyrics. This site is just awesome……Keep it up……
Cheers,
Alex
La musica e cosi tanto divertimento!
Grazie, grazie… Antony
I have truly enjoyed your site! Thanks for taking the time for us Italian-Americans so we don’t loose the language even after we have lost our Italian loved ones! Keep up the good work!
Sincere thanks! – Yvonne
THANK YOU! I am trying to learn Italian by learning songs in Italian. What a rich find your site is. Wish I’d found it sooner. Much appreciated.
ciao e grazie,
I love the songs and lyrics (most of them) thank you. However, a number have lost their live connections to Utube and other places. Fix???
grazie, Antony
HI!I’m italian and i like Articolo 31…they’re not the guys in the video…if you want to see them go on youtube and search ” j ax due su due “…it’s the first video…and if you search “articolo 31” you find a lotof their video…
CIAO!
Hello. Im mexican and im looking too some DVD of Aggiungi un Posto a Tavola, right now in Mexico city are playing that musical and I have the CD in spanish, (here we know that piece as EL DILUVIO QUE VIENE) Please let me know if you can find the dvd, as you said it’s a great show and well deserves to be better known… and if you need a copy of my cd just tell me, I can send it to you.
Excelente. Me ha gustado mucho.
Ciao! Bel sito complimenti! Mi piacerebbe la traduzione di questa bellissima canzone di Lucio Battisti “Con il nastro rosa” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzK11pGShnY
Love the site! Great translations….
Hello! I just wanted to say that I find your site interesting and useful. I am an Italian instructor and I like to use songs sometimes in my classes that go along with grammar points that I am teaching. Keep the songs coming! The students really like listening to music and it is a fun way to change up the classes. Thanks!
Can anyone tell me the english translation (roulghly) of
“Se ci separò, se ci allontanò
L’ala del destino
Non ne ho colpa, no, e mi sentiro sempre a te vicino”. It would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
re: La Terra dei Cachi
I agree that there is probably no specific play on words, but I think more than caca there are mixed in some references to the phrases testa di ca**o (written with a Z) (plural ca**i, meaning “prickhead”) or the other common phrase ca**i tuoi (roughly “your business”, as fatti ca**i tuoi “mind your own f***ing business” or in sono ca**i tuoi, roughly “tough shit [for you]”). It might also refer to the use of ca**o in substitution of of the weaker scemo, “fool” or “idiot” or something more like “a complete bumblef**k” maybe, meaning “what a stupid person”.
Just my impressions as I remember them when the catchy little ditty came out at San Remo.
Good point, Jacques. For anyone who wants to learn more about the uses of the “C” word, go to https://www.beginningwithi.com/italy/lang/itslangc.html
Just wanted to say thanks so much for making these song translations available (they’re a great supplement to textbooks in terms of learning Italian) and for all the effort you put into this site in general. I’m very much enjoying reading it – grazie mille!
I never noticed how sad “Peperone” lyrics are if you read and not listen them 🙂 Once You listen to them being sung it’s really another things (and your “silly song” comment got some sense).
Som just a suggestion… watch the video and got in the mood of the song before reading them.
Dear Deirdré Straughan,
I have written a young adult Historical Novel with a little mystery about an Italian girl and her grandfather going to America through Ellis Island in 1902. I found your site through google when I was searching for Italian Idioms that I thought Italians might have used in 1902. I love the songs and each page I have gone to on your site, gives me another interesting viewpoint about Italy. I live in Pineville, NC…USA.
great site…only wish u had che fiero costume on here… 🙁 im trying to learn this piece an the translation in the book is a bit rubbish. if u happen to hav a good translation that would be really greatly appreciated. 🙂
For the reasons why a Carabinere could not freely marry: look here… briefly marriage is distracting and even in the rare case a Carabiniere will marry the spouse should bring some money (as his wage is just enough for him) and beside that a commanding officer should approve his choice (bot the idea of marrying AND the woman he choose) these rule are no more valid (since the end of WW2) but there are still some rules about the minimum age, the minimum years of service done and the ratio between the married and not married Carabinieri.
Ciao!
Great site. Enjoyed it a lot. I am a student of Italian from Israel. I sent address to all my class mates. You are great. We can learn a lot and enjoy.
Thanks’
Ruty
Thanks again to everybody for your kind comments. For those who have requested specific songs, I will get to them eventually…
Thanks-this was what I want, I have just ended my “workinglife” and have just started learning Italien, what I not had time to do before. I am also member in a choir and like to sing so…Was a trip i Sorrento in Easter this year and traied to speak Italien for first time- now I can also do it in a funny way. A good thing from you to me. Ti voglio bene.
Everybody: I am trying to catch up on all the requests. This is a good time for song translations because, by the end of very busy days working and travelling, I don’t have enough brain cells left to write original articles. So, if you’ve requested a specific song, I hope to get to it soon. And thanks to the person who recently sent me their own translation; it’s in my mailbox, haven’t climbed back up to it yet!
Translation of:
“Se ci separò, se ci allontanò
L’ala del destino
Non ne ho colpa, no, e mi sentiro sempre a te vicinoâ€
“If the wing of destiny separated us, sent us far away [from each other]
It’s not my fault, no, and I feel I’m always near you.”
Deirdre:
Tu sei bella,inteligente,etc,etc.There are many things i’ll like to tell you.I always wanted to learn italian,it’s so close to the spanish language. And you’re helping me (us) to make it true.Don’t stop.
auguri(!Que Dios te bendiga!)
Hi Deirdre,
Glad to hear you’re settling in (only to have to fly across the country for a convention, but that’s fun, right?) I have a lyrics request for your copious spare time 😉
1. Ligabue – Il Campo Delle Lucciole
2. Ligabue – Voglio Volere
I’ve already looked up the lyrics and get the gist of each song, but would love to have an accurate translation to get the subtleties.
Thanks and regards,
Sue
Hi, Deirdre, found your site yesterday while looking for “Guarda come dondolo.” Placed it in my faves immediately. Thanks ever so much for all you do. Difficult to believe still that I actually watched Modugno performing ‘Volare.’ I myself have been in love with the Italian language since the mid-Twentieth Century. 🙂
Answer and you might get the full story. In any case, if I might, the songs I would like to see added (with those marvelous b/w videos) would be such as Carosone’s ‘Tu vuo fa’ l’americano,’ Casetta in Canada,’ ‘Reginella Campagnola,’ ‘Butta la chiave.’
And give me time and I’ll come up with many more.
Again many, many thanks for your efforts on behalf of Italian. I too know what it’s like to love a country (and its language) beside one’s birth one.
Gratefully,
Jorge Velazco
You saw Modugno? Wow! Yes, I do want to hear more about why you’re in love with Italian, and will chase up those songs when I have time – it sounds as if I’d have fun with them.
Hi,
in “Parco sempione” (Elio e le storie tese), the word “VIBRO” refers to his mobile phone, which he sets to vibrate rather than ring so he can enjoy his peace and quite. Hope this helps! 🙂
I am from Puerto Rico and Spanish is my language. I’m learning Italian by myself. While I was looking for the Italian lyrics to Chitarra sono piu piano, to no avail, but I found your site and I am very happy because I’ve learned a lot of italian words and phrases thanks to you.
Look who in “Fossi Figo” video Gianni Morandi appear because he also sing in the song.
Complimenti per il sito e chi lo gestisce, e scusate per il pessimo inglese!
Ciao!
a proposito….
FORZA NAPOLI!! 😀
enjoy your site
Deirdre,
Thank you so much for the translation of Il Campo Delle Lucciole! Love it!
I am the Nevada gal that wrote you about the songs I loved as a child in the 60’s…..thanks for Putting Lui and Peperone on your list! They are fun songs! Keep it up, you are loved for sure!
grazie per tutti le canzone… In questo canto ci sono alcune parole mancante… Aiutimi?
Azzurro,il pomeriggio è troppo azzurro
e lungo per me.
Mi accorgo
di non avere più risorse,
(missing something here)
e allora
o quasi quasi prendo il treno
e vengo, vengo da te,
ma il treno dei desideri
nei miei pensieri all’incontrario va.
aloha there!!!i love the ida of yours to do that!so many great italian 60’s songs a re around!im in love with the peperone song from vianello!!if you could organise the sext in catefories and not only alphabetically i twould be awesome!im goin to learn italian next year defintely,i want to sing italian when im walking!keep going and grazia
I enjoyed the video of the songs from Agguingi un posto a tavola.Do you knw where I can get the entire video…in Italian ? Thanks Tom DiLallo
There have been several editions released on VHS and DVD, most recently a couple of months ago, an early production was part of a set of Italian musicals sold with one of the newspapers. I’ve sometimes seen them pop up on eBay.
Thank you, I learn something today
Thank you
Ricardo
I just found your site and greatly appreciate the songs and lyrics. They are older songs and I was wondering whether you do modern ones as well. I’m searching for Andrea Boccelli’s version of Quando M’innamoro in Italian. The one I found begins “cuando” so I know its wrong. Could you please help?
Many thanks. Rozany
This is great! I am an Italian teacher and I plan on using songs in my teaching. I’m starting off next year w/ “I Bambini Fanno Oh” maybe. Mille grazi!!! Keep them coming!
Thanks for posting “Certain moments”.
I plan on going through all the songs before long.
Certain Moments is particularly appropriate at the moment while the pope is visiting Australia.
The italian songs and translations were very good listening,and reading.
Grazie Tanti,bob
Alex Britti is here: http://www.garagetv.com/video-gallery/popmuziek/Alex_Britti___Io_Con_La_Ragazza_Mia_Tu_Con_La_Ragazza_Tua_.aspx
How can you have translated italian songs and got to “Questo piccolo grande amore” only now ? I’m obviously joking!
Why don’t you translate something by Gaber ?
Leaving aside my love for his songs some really say something about italian life and society.
Ciao!
do you know this songe ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Xaajc_Pg0
massimo ranieri … o surdato ‘nnamurato
Molto bene !!!!!!!Grazi Mille amico.
Molto Grazi !!!! la prima volta ascolto & comprendo una canzone italian.
Today I have asked myself: “Why haven’t you found the correct Italian text of the “Watusi” on the net yet?” and now I am charmed by your presentation of the song. Thanks a lot!
Christo Dimitrov, 59.
Collector of modern postcards in color.
P.O.Box 824, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria.
How funny that you have “La Vasca” in there. I spent some time in Italy in 2000 when this was on the radio all the time. And since I was just beginning to learn Italian this song was perfect to practice my translating skills. I still play this (and other ‘pop’ songs of the year like “io sono Francesco”) when I’m feeling nostalgic…
Ciao!
Hello.
I am a Japanese woman and I got to this cite to know the meaning of “I wish you well”. The song I learned in this cite is “I love you/I wish you well”.
I tried to hard to know the meaning, but I still can not know.
Does “I wish you well” mean “I love you”, or “Good bye”?
In what occasion, do US people use “I wish you well”? To express kind feeling or farewll?
I am sorry that I am asking about not Italian, but only English. I am learning English here in Japan, and if you could help me, I would be so glad.
Thank you.
Please let me add to previous my comment.
How is “I wish you well” from “I hope you are well”
Thank you.
great idea… complementi!
I love your site.
Do you know this beautiful song by Nico Fidenco:
“A Casa di Irene” ??
Is it possible for you to translate it?
Do you know of the site (Internet Radio) Italian Graffiati (broadcast out of Montreal, CA)??
It is really neat.
Alex N.
How about an English to Italian translation of Sospetto (Suspicion) by Terry Stafford? Let me know when it’s done, thanks!
Thank You, been looking for this song for ever, love it
Hi I found your project absolutely fantastic. I saw the translation of “tu vuò fà l’americà ” and I can help you out correcting some little mistakes ( the translation was really good though !) I enjoy translate songs from Italian to English so if you want some help you have my email!
Azzu
Ciao.
I was looking for translations of Celentano songs and found this site…really great…grazie mille… i thought that it would be really good to have Italian translations of BEATLES songs perhaps even a cover band singing them in Italian / French. Since we all know the song in English…it would help foreigners to learn a third / forth language easily.
There probably are some Italian translations of Beatles songs, definitely some of other English-language pop songs (one example I’m familiar with is “California Dreamin'”). But that wouldn’t help much with learning because it’s almost impossible for a singable lyric, with correct meter and rhyme, to be a totally accurate translation, so many liberties are taken in translating songs. My translations of Italian songs into English make no attempt to follow the meter or rhyme scheme – you now know what the song is about, but you couldn’t sing it that way.
Hi! I want to add a bit of a translation (the only missing phrase, actually) to the song “Parco Sempione”!
Anca si go vutant’ann = Even though i’m 80 years old
(I’m from Milano!)
looking for the words to giovanna e angiolino, sung by roby santini its a little nauty. can be seen on you tube
Great Site=D
Just one thing^^ In the Azzurro Lyics there’s a bit missing.
After “risorse” there’s a .. “senza di te” or something like that before “e allora”^^
Hi!
I love the song “Come stai” from Zero Assoluto.
Please translate more of their songs!!! For instance “Mezz’ora” or “40 Metri Quedri”
Thank you!
Please can you upload the lyrics from the Battisti song…Mi Ritorni Menti..Keep up the great work.
thanks! i went to amazon and ordered Italian Hits: La Piu Bella Musica. i have wasted so much time in trying to take italian classes only to be frustrated into leaving by repeated ” the eraser is on the desk” and endless verb conjugations. your site supplies what i need to learn. i have 2 italian grandchildren so would like some young songs, if you can
I’m here again routing foe something by Gaber, and this time i even have a title for you: “La risposta al Ragazzo della via Gluck”… yes, it is what the title says as between Celentano and Gaber there was a sometimes friendly, sometimes not rivalry.
Ciao!
In la “terra dei cachi” you translated this “una lacrima sul visto” like that, but even if it is a pun on the “Una lacrima sul viso” by Bobby Solo here we have visto, not viso, and visto is permit to enter a state, visa if i’m not wrong (being ironic on italy immigration issues).
Ciao
This is a very useful website. If I could only make one suggestion: For Adriano Celentano’s song “l’emozione non ha voce”, in two stanza’s you write the word “compagna” and you translate it as the word “countryside”. However, you are inadvertedly translating the word “campangna” to mean “countryside”. The word instead should be translated to mean “friend”.
Deirdre thanks again for your good work.Today I’m asking you for a big favor, now I need to know if you’re aware of any website in Italy where i could find lyrics of songs by Gigliola Cinquetti(do you know her?) I have many of her hits and I need to understand them, and I think that only you could help me.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Ricardo
Hi man!!!
great stuff….i’ve been for ‘questo piccolo grande amore”for a long long time n thnx 2 u i got it!!i just want to point out dat derz 2 mistake s i fink if u could correct dat….it’s “di essere NUDI instead of soli” and “più ansiose di cose proibite” instead of “le scarpe bagnate”….
Thnx again n this site rocks:))
LOVE your site, and I found great entertainment there! I’m looking for the Italian (and English translation) lyrics for my grandmother’s favorite song… “Per un Bacio d’Amore”. The English version that’s about has nothing at all to do with the Italian words, which I can barely make out. I only know the first line, which grandma would sing at the top of her lungs, when I was a child. “Per un bacio d’amore, o bella bruna!”
I found this entertaining, since I started to study Italian to understand the lyrics in Zucchero Forniciari’s music. It is a rather wonderful way to learn a language. So much more natural than the way I learned Spanish: conjugations and verb drills, vocabulary, etc.
Thanks for the translations.
I would like to get the English translation for the song Giovanna e Angiolino.
Thanks,
Neil
i came from the north end of boston . at the time in the 50s and 60s it was all italian. our parents were yold by the schools not to speak italian in the house. now i am trying to learn at 58 it ain’t easy. i have a cd called mob hits 1 most of the songs are half and half english and italian. if you could do some or a few translations . i would very greatfull. thank you in advavce dominic a federico revere mass.
If you can give me titles and perhaps YouTube references, I’ll see what I can do.
Fan of Giuseppe Castiglia. “Una notte al telephono” & “Catania”.
Hello, I am trying to learn Italian but I’m starting with children’s songs, hoping thay is easier. Do you have/ know where I can get the Italian and English words for a CD “Sveglia” (Azzurra Music)? I have only found the words for the first song, La Sveglia Birichina.
Thank you,
Bronwyn
Does anyone have. TheEnglish translation of the song Nilla PiZzi sang. the song is “Papaveri e Papere.”?
thank you, i really am learning italian. had the idea i could by song & found you., thank u so much.
Non ha tradotto ” Si può dare di più” con Morandi/Ruggeri/Tozzi ? Questa canzone è molto difficile per me. Io sono uno svedese ma io parlo englese.
Ciao Kjell
Please translate this Italian song to spanish or english
Malamore
Dì che mi amerai di colpo o corruzione
Soffiando il cuore infiammandomi il polmone
Un segno sulla coscia la tua bocca migliore
E il cuore che divori come un pugno di more
Dì che bene mi amerai di malamore
Sì di malamore
Dì che mi amerai di febbre o consunzione
Prendi alla fronte il cervello fra il pallone
Un bacio nella gola la tua bocca migliore
E l’asma che mi cola come piombo sul cuore
Dì che bene mi amerai di malamore
Dì che bene mi amerai di malamore
Sì di malamore
Dì che mi amerai da pazzi o confusione
Stordendo il nervo il pensiero va in canzone
Un ago nella pelle il tuo corpo migliore
E il fiore che si secca nell’occhiello del cuore
Dì che segno mi amerai di malamore
Dì che segno mi amerai di malamore
Sì di malamore