Learn Italian in Song: 7000 Caffé

 

written, recorded and copyrighted by Alex Britti Alex Britti - '3' (Sanremo 2003) - 7000 Caffé

Here’s another great by Alex Britti – go out and buy his music! Sadly, his own brilliantly original music video has been removed from YouTube, but here’s a version with another fave of mine, Neri Per Caso.

7000 caffé, 7000 coffees
li ho gia’ presi percha’© I’ve already drunk them because
sono stanco di stare al volante I’m tired of being at the wheel
e vorrei arrivare entro sera da te And I would like to arrive [at your home] by this evening
che aspetti me nel castello lassu’¹ Who are waiting for me in the castle up there
con la treccia gia’ sciolta With your braid already undone
affacciata al balcone vestita di blu Looking out from the balcony, dressed in blue
7000 caffé 7000 coffees
é l’effetto che ho is the effect I have
quando arrivo al portone When I arrive at the entry
e ti vedo gridare con gli occhi il mio nome percio’ And I see you call out my name with your eyes [therefore]*
vieni verso di me e io pazzo di te You come towards me, and me crazy for you,
in un attimo ci diamo il bacio piu’dolce, piu’dolce che c’é in a moment we give each other the sweetest, the sweetest kiss there is
Ritornello: Chorus:
Ho bisogno di te perche sei bella e poi I need you because you’re beautiful, and then
Ho bisogno di te come l’acqua il caffé I need you like [water needs coffee / coffee needs water]**
come un mondo che gira e che, amore, se non vuoi, Like a world that turns and that, love, if you don’t want
non finira’ mai Will never end.
Ad esempio lo sai l’altra sera ero a casa For example, you know, the other evening I was at home
cercavo da bere ma il frigo era vuoto I was looking [for something] to drink but the fridge was empty
perché non ho fatto la spesa Because I didn’t do the [grocery] shopping
tu non ci crederai – indovina che c’é You won’t believe it – guess what?
ho trovato una tazza con l’ultimo dei 7000 caffé I found a cup with the last of the 7000 coffees
Ora sto qui da solo e non dormo e non volo Now I’m here alone and I don’t sleep and I don’t fly
mentre tu sei lontana While you’re far away
ripenso a una scena di te senza velo I think again of a scene of you “without veils” [nude]
non so bene cos’é, forse i troppi caffé I don’t know what it is, maybe too many coffees
ma stanotte non riesco a dormire But tonight I can’t sleep
e l’amore lo faccio da me. And I’ll make love by myself.
* This word doesn’t seem to fit here – I suspect he just threw it in to fit the rhyme.** The meaning here is (probably deliberately) ambiguous.
if you find this useful and want more, let me know!

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