Italian language

Learn Italian in Song: Il Pescatore

February 13, 2010

by Pierangelo Bertoli The song requires one or more male voices and a female voice. I can’t find any video of Bertoli, the singer-songwriter. This video features i Nomadi singing with Giulia (winner of an American Idol-style TV contest a few years ago), and was evidently done by a fan of Giulia. The original vocals [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Parole Parole

February 12, 2010

A Mina classic. You’ve probably heard it, though possibly in another language. Parlato = spoken, canto = sung. Usually it’s he who speaks and she who sings, but there’s a parody version in which Mina and Celentano switch roles. Parlato: Cara, cosa mi succede stasera, ti guardo ed è come la prima volta. Darling, what’s [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Peperone

February 11, 2010

[Big] Pepper One of many cute, silly songs written and recorded by Edoardo Vianello in the 1960s – and the first few chords of this one are suspiciously reminiscent of "These Boots are Made for Walkin’". Vianello is still very much around, now he’s on TV.     ritornello:   refrain:   Da quando tu [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Parco Sempione

February 11, 2010

Sempione Park Another piece of dark humor from Elio e le Storie Tese, which also follows in the eco-aware tradition of Il Ragazzo della via Gluck – and, like that song, is inspired by Milan, environmentally one of the worst places to live in Italy.   Parco Sempione, verde e marrone dentro la mia città. [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Gli Ostacoli del Cuore

February 10, 2010

The Obstacles of the Heart Elisa featuring Ligabue C’è un principio di magia Fra gli ostacoli del cuore Che si attacca volentieri Fra una sera che non muore E una notte da scartare Come un pacco di natale C’è un principio d’ironia Nel tenere coccolati I pensieri più segreti E trovarli già svelati E a [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Libera Nos Domine

February 8, 2010

    by Francesco Guccini, album Amerigo (1978) There’s no video for this song, but, sadly, it’s as apposite today as it was nearly 30 years ago…     Libera Nos Domine       Da morte nera e secca, da morte innaturale,   From death black and dry, from death unnatural   da morte [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Mi Piaci

February 8, 2010

  Another Alex Britti instant classic, with a funny video. Note that in Italian "to like" is a reflexive verb: mi piaci translates literally as "you please me."   Mi Piaci   I Like You       Cosa vorresti per regalo   What would you like for a gift da trovare sotto il letto [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Lui

February 6, 2010

Him Rita Pavone A reader pointed me to some Italian pop songs that she fell in love with during childhood visits to Italy. This is one of them. Io non lo scorderò mai I will never forget him io ho bisogno di lui I need him lui mi è rimasto nel cuore He has remained [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: L’Italiano

February 6, 2010

The Italian Toto Cotugno Being in an ironic frame of mind, I could see this as the antithesis (dating back to 1983) ofLa Terra dei Cachi…     Buongiorno Italia, gli spaghetti al dentee un partigiano come presidente con l’autoradio sempre nella mano destra, un canarino sopra la finestra buongiorno italia con i tuoi artisti, [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Le Ragazze

February 5, 2010

The Girls Neri per Caso Le ragazze si lanciano ad occhi chiusi nelle avventure qualche volta confondono la bugia e la verita’ seguono l’istinto e l’istinto le aiutera’ sono treni in corsa che nessuno fermera’ le ragazze decidono il destino dei loro amori i ragazzi s’illudono ma non contano un gran che… quando ti sorridono [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: La Vasca

February 4, 2010

by Alex Britti This was a big hit in 2001, about the time I was getting ready to quit my job with Roxio. I liked it a lot (I can certainly empathize with wanting to stay in the bathtub all day!), played it loud while working in my home office, and particularly enjoyed one line [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Io Con La Ragazza Mia, Tu Con La Ragazza Tua

February 3, 2010

Alex Britti This was a big summer hit a few years ago. As I’ve come to expect of Britti, the video is ironic and funny – and has a happier ending than the song! Thanks to Old Jacques for finding the video. Appuntamento a mezzogiorno in piazza La macchina l’ho controllata già Quest’anno sarà proprio [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Guarda Come Dondolo

February 2, 2010

Look How I Swing Another evergeen hit from the early 60′s for Edoardo Vianello. Hasn’t got much in the way of lyrics and the video is lame (he’s dancing and we can’t see his feet!), but it’s catchy.     Guarda come dondolo,   Look how I swing   guarda come dondolo con il twist, [...]

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Learn Italian in Signs: E’ Stato Bello

February 1, 2010

March, 2008 ^ This restaurant in Lecco was named Malpensata: “badly thought of” or “badly thought out.” Apparently either or both was the case – it’s for sale. ^ “BHW mortage, the German mortgage that protects your house. BHW: The German bank specialized in home mortgages at fixed interest rates.” Pastore tedesco = German shepherd [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: I Giardini di Marzo

February 1, 2010

The Gardens of March music and lyrics by Lucio Battisti Il carretto passava e quell’uomo gridava ” gelati “ The cart passed and that man shouted “ice creams” al ventuno del mese i nostri soldi erano già finiti By the 21st of the month our money was already finished io pensavo a mia madre e [...]

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Learn Italian in Signs: Horses and Dogs

January 31, 2010

^ Milan billboard advertising a van: “Milanese Proverb. The master commands, the horse [he] trots.” ^ This sign on a train has been altered from “service rooms” to “torture rooms”. ^ I don’t remember where I took this picture, but it says “Dogs have the right to make dirty [poop], masters have the duty to [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Gianna

January 31, 2010

Gianna by Rino Gaetano This song is difficult to translate because it’s essentially nonsense (or is it?). But it’s a fun, bouncy tune that I can’t resist. (It sounds a lot better in the recording than in the above concert version.) Gianna Gianna Gianna sosteneva, tesi e illusioni Gianna Gianna Gianna supported theses and illusions [...]

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Learn Italian in Signs

January 30, 2010

Piazza Gambara, Milano Vorrei svegliarti ogni mattina con un bacio – “I’d like to wake you every morning with a kiss.” This sign mysteriously appeared on a bus stop in Lecco. I haven’t seen any others like it, and have no idea who’s responsible, whether it’s one it a series…? It says: “When you take [...]

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Learn Italian in Song: Fossi Figo

January 30, 2010

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 [...]

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Everyday Italian: Signs of the Times

January 29, 2010

^ Occasione means “For sale, great deal!” (And no wonder…) ^ June 14, 2006 – This new shop in Lecco is “opening soon” (prossima = soon or next, apertura = opening [noun]). But maybe it’ll close soon after? ^ English education in Italy clearly never includes proper use of the apostrophe (a common mistake among [...]

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