Italian Songwriters: Francesco De Gregori

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Alice

Alice

Alice guarda i gatti e i gatti guardano nel sole
mentre il mondo sta girando senza fretta.
Irene al quarto piano è lì tranquilla
che si guarda nello specchio e accende un'altra sigaretta.
E Lilì Marlène
bella più che mai
sorride e non ti dice la sua età
ma tutto questo Alice non lo sa.

Alice looks at the cats and the cats look in the sun (1)
while the world is turning around slowly.
Irene on the fourth floor is quiet there
she looks herself in the mirror and she lights another cigarette.
And Lili Marlène (2)
more beautiful than ever
smiles and do not tell her age
but Alice does know nothing of all these things

Ma io non ci sto più
gridò lo sposo e poi
tutti pensarono dietro ai cappelli
lo sposo è impazzito oppure ha bevuto
ma la sposa aspetta un figlio e lui lo sa
non è così che se ne andrà.

But the groom shouted: No! I'm not there
under their hats all thought: (3)
the groom has gone mad, or he is drank
but the bride is expecting a baby, and he knows
that it's not the way the baby will disappear

Alice guarda i gatti e i gatti muoiono nel sole
mentre il sole poco a poco si avvicina.
E Cesare perduto nella pioggia sta aspettando da sei ore il suo amore ballerina.
E rimane lì a bagnarsi ancora un po'
e il tram di mezzanotte se ne va
ma tutto questo Alice non lo sa.

Alice looks at the cats and cats die in the sun
as the sun gradually comes nearer .
And Cesare, lost in the rain, is waiting from six
hours his love ballerina (4)
He remains there, to get wet a little more,
and the midnight tram starts
but Alice does know nothing of all these things

Ma io non ci sto più
e i pazzi siete voi
tutti pensarono dietro ai cappelli
lo sposo è impazzito oppure ha bevuto
ma la sposa aspetta un figlio e lui lo sa
non è così che se ne andrà.

No, I'm not there, and you are the mad ones
under their hats all thought:
the groom has gone mad or he is drank
but the bride is expecting a baby, and he knows
that it's not the way the baby will disappear

Alice guarda i gatti e i gatti girano nel sole
mentre il sole fa l'amore con la luna.
E il mendicante arabo ha qualcosa nel cappello
ma è convinto che sia un portafortuna.
Non ti chiede mai
pane o carità
e un posto per dormire non ce l'ha
ma tutto questo Alice non lo sa.

Alice looks at the cats and the cats are going around in the sun
as the sun makes love with the moon (5)
And the Arab beggar has something in the hat
but he is convinced that it is a lucky charm .
He do not ask ever to you
bread or charity
and he did not have a place to sleep
but Alice does know nothing of all these things

Ma io non ci sto più
gridò lo sposo e poi
tutti pensarono dietro ai cappelli
lo sposo è impazzito oppure ha bevuto
ma la sposa aspetta un figlio e lui lo sa
non è così che se ne andrà.

But the groom shouted: No! I'm not there
under their hats all thought:
the groom has gone mad or he is drank
but the bride is expecting a baby, and he knows
that it's not the way he will disappear

   

On YouTube (Recommended Video)

 

Studio version (1971)

Live version (1988)

 

Notes

   
 

Alice could be a dreaming young girl as in the book of Lewis Carrol, or a character in this short story, built up with four successive impressions. Maybe she is in love with the reluctant groom, but he is going to marry Irene, that is the bride in the following scene, but she is waiting a baby from him, perhaps he didn't agree, but she has hidden him to be pregnant to force him to the wedding, but he is in love with the sophisticated mature lady, Lili Marlene, probably now between the invites in the wedding, and Alice feels now so distant from the world around, she watches distantly those unlucky and unhappy people like the ill beggar or the desperate lover, feeling unable to know where the life is going. Or, if you prefer, each other interpretation that these images can suggest to the listener.

(1)

An image taken directly from the city where Francesco De Gregori lives and in which we can image this short story happens: Rome. In each courtyard of the city centre there is a group of cats, usually feeded by someone in the palace, and, as all the cats, they rest in the sun if it's cold, or they go around, and they born, live and die in the courtyard. And Alice from the windows of her house often spent time watching the cats.

(3)

A clear reference to the famous German actress and singer.

(2)

The hats worn by the ladies in the formal wedding ceremony.

(3)

A clear reference to the Italian novelist Cesare Pavese, who actually was involved in such a situation when he was in love, an unlucky love, with an actress and dancer, in the 40s. He was then already famous but with a difficult relation with women. He committed suicide in 1950. Very famous and appreciated for his original novels between young people in Italy in the 60s and 70s, typically for the high school students, this reference was clear to the listener of this song when the radio started to broadcast it.

(4)

The short moment in the evening or during the sunrise when bothe the sun and the moon are in the sky.

 

 

© Music-Graffiti May 2015

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