To Fly
The original, as sung by Domenico Modugno fifty years ago at the Eurovision song contest. The Dean Martin version is far from a literal translation. I have trouble hearing this song without picturing Ricardo Montalbano singing about a car with “rrrrrich Corrrinthian leather.” | |||
| Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più: | I think a dream like this can never return again: | ||
| mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu, | I painted my hands and face blue | ||
| poi d’improvviso venivo dal vento rapito | Then suddenly I was swept away by the wind | ||
| e incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito… | and I began to fly in the infinite sky… | ||
| Volare… oh, oh!… | To fly… | ||
| cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh! | to sing… | ||
| nel blu, dipinto di blu, | In the blue, painted blue, | ||
| felice di stare lassù. | happy to stay up here. | ||
| E volavo volavo felice più in alto del sole ed ancora più su, | And I flew, I flew, happy, higher than the sun and higher still, | ||
| mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiù, | while the world slowly disappeared far away down there, | ||
| una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me… | a swee music played only for me | ||
| Volare… oh, oh!… | To fly… | ||
| … | … | ||
| Ma tutti sogni nell’alba svaniscon perché, | But all dreams vanish in the dawn because | ||
| quando tramonta, la luna li porta con sé, | when it sets, the moon takes them away with it | ||
| Ma io continuo a sognare negli occhi tuoi belli, | But I keep dreaming in your beautiful eyes | ||
| che sono blu come un cielo trapunto di stelle. | which are blue as a sky studded with stars | ||
| Volare… oh, oh!… | To fly… | ||
| cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh! | to sing… | ||
| nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu, | In the blue of your blue eyes | ||
| felice di stare quaggiù. | Happy to stay down here. | ||
| E continuo a volare felice più in alto del sole ed ancora più su, | And I continue to fly happily, higher than the sun and higher still, | ||
| mentre il mondo pian piano scompare negli occhi tuoi blu, | While the world slowly disappears into your blue eyes | ||
| la tua voce è una musica dolce che suona per me… | Your voice is a sweet music that plays for me… | ||
| Volare… oh, oh!… | To fly… | ||
| cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh! | to sing… | ||
| nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu, | In the blue of your blue eyes, | ||
| felice di stare quaggiù. | happy to stay down here | ||
| con te! | with you! |
There seemed to be a few songs translated from Italian to english around this time.
It’s now or never & You don’t have to say you love me come to mind, I think there were 1 or 2 more.
Laura Brannigan’s Gloria is another one I can think of.
Grazie per la tradutione.
bravissimi
Thank you for this. Great idea and will be very helpful!
What a wonderful site! I taught myself Italian from a Greek teach-yourself book in order to understand the songs of the 60s! and they are a very effective tool for writing grammar into long-term memory forever.
Very much appreciated. Do you have translations of Jerry Vale and Josh Groban songs? These songs have motivated to take class on Italian Language.