Monday, June 23, 2008

Fabrizio de Andrè


Upon my return from Genova, I decided that I want to tell the story of my favourite Italian artist an singer - Fabrizio de Andrè( 1940-1999). Born in Genova but famous everywhere in Italy in my opinion he is a musician and a poet of enormous magnitude. His music ranges from medieval melodies, typical canzoni Italiane, jazz and ethno music. I more than passionately recommend his albums: Non al denaro, non all'amore né al cielo (Neither to gold, nor to love, nor to heaven), Volume 3 , and the compilation discs In direzione ostinata e contraria (volume 1 and 2).

He has a deep, low, mannish voice with a certain sort of sadness and no sign of fake or exaggerated emotions. But equal to his music are his powerful lyrics that talk about humanity, paradoxes and spirituality. Honestly, it's worth learning Italian just to be able to understand de Andrè.

Here is a song that I truly love Via del Campo and the translation in English below


GIRLS IN THE NARROW LANE (Via del Campo)

There's a girl in the narrow lane,
Her eyes, so big and green as leaves,
All the night long stands on the threshold,
Always off'ring you the same rose.

There's a beauty in the narrow lane,
Her lips, so pale as pale's a dewdrop,
Her eyes, so grey as grey's the pavement,.
Out of her steps, there come out flowers.

There's a whore in the narrow lane,
Her eyes, so big and green as leaves,
If you want her love, then you only
Have to gently take her by the hand.

You think you are going far away
She looks at you with a bright smile,
You won't believe that paradise
Is just upstairs at the first floor.

A fool goes to the narrow lane
To tell her, o, please, marry me!
To watch her going up the stairs
Till the balcony door is closed.

Laugh and love if love it does answer,
Cry aloud if it does not hear you,
Nothing grows out of precious diamonds,
Out of dung, the flowers do grow,

Nothing grows out of precious diamonds,
Out of dung, the flowers do grow.

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