From: sc4n+@andrew.cmu.edu (Saverio Cittadini)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.italian
Subject: Fwd: Caruso (BY LUCIO DALLA)
Date: 17 Nov 92 05:41:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.gf2F_kW00WB9N=W1Nq
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA


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Subject: Caruso (BY LUCIO DALLA)
To: SC4N@ANDREW.CMU.EDU
X-Original-To:  ME

I know... I know everyone was waiting for ME to do this ! So here I am...
The song "Caruso", written by Lucio Dalla, is dedicated to the great
neapolitan tenor Enrico Caruso. In the song Dalla imagines the old tenor
who feels his death close, and look back at his life. A few words of the
song are in Neapolitan (which always makes a weird effect on me, since Dalla
cannot pronounce Neapolitan correctly...).
Note: the text I report is that of the live version of the song in the LP
"DallAmeriCaruso". Moreover, I tried to make a compromise between literal
translation and explaining the meaning; suggestions for improvement are
welcome.

---------------------------------------

        CARUSO (by Lucio Dalla)

Qui dove il mare luccica, e tira forte il vento
su una vecchia terrazza davanti al golfo di Surriento
un uomo abbraccia una ragazza, dopo che aveva pianto
poi si schiarisce la voce, e ricomincia il canto

Te voglio bene assaje, ma tanto tanto bene sai
e` una catena ormai, che scioglie il sangue dint' 'e 'vvene sai

Vide le luci in mezzo al mare, penso` alle notti la` in America
ma erano solo le lampare nella bianca scia di un'elica
senti` il dolore nella musica, si alzo` dal pianoforte
ma quando vide la luna uscire da una nuvola gli sembro` piu` dolce anche la
 morte
guardo` negli occhi la ragazza, quegli occhi verdi come il mare
poi all'improvviso usci` una lacrima, e lui credette di affogare

Te voglio bene assaje...

Potenza della lirica, dove ogni dramma e` un falso
che con un po' di trucco e con la mimica puoi diventare un altro
ma due occhi che ti guardano cosi` vicini e veri
ti fan scordare le parole, confondono i pensieri
cosi` diventa tutto piccolo, anche le notti la` in America
ti volti e vedi la tua vita come la  scia di un'elica
ma si`, e` la vita che finisce, ma lui non ci penso` poi tanto
anzi si sentiva gia` felice, e ricomincio` il suo canto

Te voglio bene assaje...

-----------------------------------

        Translation

Here, where the sea sparkles, and the wind blows strongly
on an old terrace in front of the gulf of Sorrento
a man hugs a girl, after having cried
then he clears his throat, and starts singing again

I love you so much, really really much, see
it's a chain now, blood is dissolving in my veins, see

He saw the lights in the middle of see, and thought of those American nights
but they were just fishing lights in the white wake of a screw propeller
he felt sorrow in the music, got up from the piano
but when he saw the moon coming out from behind a cloud, even death seemed
 sweeter to him
he looked into the girl's eyes, they were green like the sea
then suddenly a tear came out, and he felt as he was drowning

I love you so much...

It's the power of opera, where every drama is a fake
that with a bit of make-up and with mimicry you may become another person
but two eyes looking at you, so close and real
make you forget the words, confuse your thoughts
so everything becomes small, even those American nights
you turn back and see your life like the wake of a screw propeller
yes, it's an ending life, but he didn't think that much about it
on the contrary, he was already feeling happy, and started his singing again

I love you so much...

------------------------------------

         Bye
            Saverio

e-mail: CITTADINI@SIVAX.CINECA.IT
"Spero che quest'anno andassi meglio di come andaro l'anno scorso"
 (Andrea De Gortes detto "Aceto")
Newsgroups: soc.culture.italian