Category Archives: Italian songs

Learn Italian in Song: Fossi Figo

January 30, 2010 Deirdre Straughan 6 Comments

If I Were Hot

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, as well as covering some common Italian slang, and some use of English words in everyday Italian.The video features Gianni Morandi, for no apparent reason (except friendship with the band, I suppose). The subtitles are slogan-like statements about shampoo, beauty treatments, and the importance of diet and exercise in maintaining one’s looks. The final line is “It’s beautiful to be beautiful.”

The video is filmed, I think, in Milan’s Chinatown, except for the last scenes (jogging) in the Galleria and the Piazza del Duomo.

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Italian songs

Learn Italian in Song: Largo al Factotum della Citta’

January 30, 2010 Deirdre Straughan Leave a comment

Largo al factotum della citta’	Make Way for the Factotum of the City
(excerpted and translated by D’)	[factotum = do-everything]
Largo al factotum della citta’, largo!	Make way for the factotum of the city, make way!
Presto a bottega, che l’alba e’ gia’, presto.	Hurry to the shop, it’s already dawn, hurry.
Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere, che bel piacere per un barbiere di qualita’!	Ah, what a life, what a pleasure for a barber of quality.
Ah, bravo Figaro, fortunatissimo per verita’!	Ah, clever Figaro — very fortunate, in truth.
Pronto a far tutto la notte il giorno sempre d’intorno in giro sta.	Ready to do everything, night and day, always on the run.
Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere, vita piu’ nobile, no, non si da’…	What a feast for a barber! A more noble life couldn’t be found.
Tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono…	Everyone asks me, everyone wants me…
Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, Figaro…	Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, Figaro…
Ahime’! che furia! Ahime’! Che folla!	Ah, no, what a rush, what a crowd!
Uno alla volta per carita’, per carita’, per carita’.	One at a time, for pity’s sake.
Figaro. Son qua. Ehi, Figaro. Son qua.	“Figaro.” “I’m here.” “Hey, Figaro.” “I’m here.”
Figaro qua, Figaro la’, Figaro su, Figaro giu’…	Figaro here, Figaro there, Figaro up, Figaro down…
Pronto prontissimo son come il fulmine,	Ready and waiting, fast as lightning,
sono il factotum della citta’.	I’m the factotum of the city.

Italian songs

Learn Italian in Song: Emozioni

January 29, 2010 Deirdre Straughan 1 Comment

Emotions Another classic by Lucio Battisti.
Seguir con gli occhi un airone sopra il fiume e poi		To follow with your eyes a heron above the river and then
ritrovarsi a volare		find yourself flying
e sdraiarsi felice sopra l’erba ad ascoltare		and to stretch out happy on the grass to listen
un sottile dispiacere		a subtle displeasure
E di notte passare con lo sguardo la collina per scoprire		And at night to run your eyes over the hill to discover
dove il sole va a dormire		where the sun goes to sleep
Domandarsi perche’ quando cade la tristezza		Ask yourself why when sadness falls
in fondo al cuore		into the bottom of the heart
come la neve non fa rumore		like snow, it makes no sound.
e guidare come un pazzo a fari spenti nella notte		And to drive like a maniac with the headlights off at night
per vedere		to see
se poi e’ tanto difficile morire		if it’s really so difficult to die
E stringere le mani per fermare		And to squeeze the hands to stop
qualcosa che		something that
e’ dentro me		is inside me
ma nella mente tua non c’e’		but in your mind doesn’t exist
Capire tu non puoi		You can’t understand
tu chiamale se vuoi		Call them, if you wish,
emozioni…		emotions…
Uscir dalla brughiera di mattina		To come out from the morning mist
dove non si vede ad un passo		where you can’t see a step in front of you
per ritrovar se stesso		To find oneself again
Parlar del piu’ e del meno con un pescatore		To talk of more and less with a fisherman
per ore ed ore		for hours and hours
per non sentir che dentro qualcosa muore		[in order] to not feel inside something dying
E ricoprir di terra una piantina verde		To cover with earth a little green plant
sperando possa		hoping that it can
nascere un giorno una rosa rossa		one day be born as a red rose
E prendere a pugni un uomo solo		To punch a man just
perche’ e’ stato un po’ scortese		because he’s been a bit rude
sapendo che quel che brucia non son le offese		knowing that that which burns is not the insults
e chiudere gli occhi per fermare		and to close eyes to stop
qualcosa che		something that
e’ dentro me		is inside of me
ma nella mente tua non c’e’		but in your mind doesn’t exist
Capire tu non puoi		You can’t understand
tu chiamale se vuoi		Call them, if you wish,
emozioni…		emotions…

Italian culture, Italian language, Italian songs

Learn Italian in Song: L’Emozione non ha Voce

January 28, 2010 Deirdre Straughan 1 Comment

Emotion has No Voice Adriano Celentano. The video above comes from Rockpolitik, a variety show hosted by Celentano in 2006.
Io non so parlar d’amore l’emozione non ha voce E mi manca un po il respiro se ci sei c’e troppa luce La mia anima si spande come musica d’estate poi la voglia sai mi prende e mi accende con i baci tuoi Io con te saro sincero restero quel che sono disonesto mai lo giuro ma se tradisci non perdono Ti saro per sempre amico pur geloso come sai io lo so mi contraddico ma preziosa sei tu per me Tra le mie braccia dormirai serena..mente ed e importante questo sai per sentirci pienamente noi Un’altra vita mi darai che io non conosco la mia compagna tu sarai fino a quando so che lo vorrai Due caratteri diversi prendon fuoco facilmente ma divisi siamo persi ci sentiamo quasi niente Siamo due legati dentro da un amore che ci da la profonda convinzione che nessuno ci dividera Tra le mie braccia dormirai serena mente ed e importante questo sai per sentirci pienamente noi Un’altra vita mi darai che io non conosco la mia compagna tu sarai fino a quando lo vorrai poi vivremo come sai solo di sincerita di amore e di fiducia poi sara quel che sara		I don’t know how to speak of love Emotion has no voice And I’m a bit short of breath If you’re here there’s too much light. My soul expands like music in summer then desire takes me you know and lights me up with your kisses. I’ll be honest with you I’ll remain what I am dishonest but I swear if you betray me I won’t forgive I’ll always be your friend though jealous as you know I know that I contradict myself But you are precious to me. You’ll sleep in my arms Serenely and this is important you know for us to feel completely us. You’ll give me another life that I don’t know you’ll be my companion As long as I know that you want it. Two different characters who catch fire easily but divided we are lost We feel we are almost nothing We are two united inside by a love which gives us the profound conviction that no one will divide us. You’ll sleep in my arms Serenely and this is important you know for us to feel completely us. You’ll give me another life that I don’t know you’ll be my companion As long as I know that you want it. Then we’ll live as you know only by honesty by love and by trust then it will be what it will be.

Italian culture, Italian language, Italian songs

Learn Italian in Song: E la Barca Torno’ Sola

January 27, 2010 Deirdre Straughan Leave a comment

And the Ship Returned Alone

Renato Carosone (1960)

Erano tre fratelli pescatori,con una mamma bianca,

con una barca nera
e con tre cuori ancora da creatura…

Il mare urlava cupo quella sera

e il legno della incognita straniera

cercava aiuto in tutto quell’orrore.

“Chi rischierÃ la vita per salvare

la bionda forestiera, chi sarÃ ?”

Ritornello:

Mare!

Mare crudele!

Come puoi cantare

nelli notti scure

quando piange il cuore?

Mare,

se di un amore

soffocasti in gola

l’ultima speranza,

l’ultima parola…

Coro:

Mare crudele!

…e la barca tornÃ² sola!…

Della leggenda dei tre pescatori,

resta una mamma bianca

ed una barca nera

che in fondo al molo a tutti fa paura!

Le vele si raccontano fra loro

che una sirena dai capelli d’oro

serba il segreto dei tre pescatori…

Ma quel segreto chi potrÃ svelare

se l’onda indifferente viene e va!…

They were three brothers, fishermen,with a white mother,

with a black boat

and three hearts still young…

The sea cried darkly that evening

and the ship of that unknown stranger

sought help in all that horror.

“Who will risk his life to save

the blonde stranger, who will it be?”

Refrain:

Sea!

Cruel sea!

How can you sing

in the dark nights

when the heart weeps?

Sea,

if you suffocated in the throat

the last hope of a love,

the last word…

Chorus:

Cruel sea!

…and the ship returned alone!…

From the legend of the three fishermen

remains a white mother

and a black boat

which frightens everybody at the end of the pier!

The sailing ships tell each other the tale

that a mermaid with golden hair

holds the secret of the three fishermen…

But who can reveal that secret

if the indifferent waves come and go!

Countries Beginning with I

Category Archives: Italian songs

Learn Italian in Song: Fossi Figo

If I Were Hot

Learn Italian in Song: Largo al Factotum della Citta’

Largo al factotum della citta’

Make Way for the Factotum of the City

Learn Italian in Song: Emozioni

Emotions

Learn Italian in Song: L’Emozione non ha Voce

Emotion has No Voice

Learn Italian in Song: E la Barca Torno’ Sola

And the Ship Returned Alone

Deirdré Straughan on Italy, India, the Internet, the world, and now Australia

If I Were Hot

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Largo al factotum della citta’

Make Way for the Factotum of the City

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Emotions

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Emotion has No Voice

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And the Ship Returned Alone

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Deirdré Straughan on Italy, India, the Internet, the world, and now Australia