Simone Cristicchi - Ti regalerò una rosa
I fell in love with this song. It's quite new (he sang it for the first time three days ago at the Festival of Sanremo, our most important musical event), and it's too beautiful for me not to dedicate a post to it.
It's about a man, Antonio, who's lived all his life closed in an asylum. I'm not sure either it's a real story or just a fictional one, anyway that's not the point. The point is that I think this is one of the best Italian song texts ever.
I translated it with my little, little, little language skills, so I'm quite sure I destroyed the poetry of this song (just to say one thing, the verses don't rhyme anymore), but I really wanted to share this with you, my dear f-list.
For the Italians: ignore my translation and go straight to the original text or nothing will save me from a ton of rotten tomatoes.
And just to save my stupid ass, take note that I don't own anything, that my translation is not meant to be for any profit purpose, and that every credit must go to Simone Cristicchi, the author of the song.
Simone Cristicchi and Sergio Cammariere performing "Ti regalerò una rosa" (www.youtube.com)
The original text (www.cristicchiblog.net)
I'll give you a rose
I'll give you a rose
A red rose to paint everything
A rose to comfort every tear of yours
And a rose to be able to love you
I'll give you a rose
A white rose as if you were my bride
A white rose which help you to forget
Every little pain
My name is Antonio and I'm insane
I was born in 1954 and I've lived here since when I was a child
I thought I talked with the Devil
So they closed me for 40 years in an asylum
I'm writing you this letter because I can't speak
Forgive my first-grade writing
And I'm amazed if I still feel anything
But it's my hand's fault, it doesn't stop trembling
I'm like a piano with a broken key
The dissonant chord of a band of drunken guys
And day and night are similar
In the little light which pierces through the dim glasses
I still pee myself because I'm scared
For the sane society we've always been garbage
Smell of urine and sawdust
This is mental illness and there's no cure
I'll give you a rose
A red rose to paint everything
A rose to comfort every tear of yours
And a rose to be able to love you
I'll give you a rose
A white rose as if you were my bride
A white rose which help you to forget
Every little pain
The insane are question marks without a phrase
Thousands of spaceships that don't come back to the base
They're puppets hanging under the sun to dry
The insane are apostles of a God who doesn't want them
I make my snow with polystyrene
My pathology is that I remained alone
Now take a telescope... measure the distances
And look between me and you... who's more dangerous?
Inside the tents we secretely loved each other
Cutting out a space only for us
I remember the few instants when we felt alive
Not as like the files ordered in the archive
Among my memories you'll be the last one that'll fade away
You were like an angel tied upon a radiator
Despite everything I still wait for you
And if I close my eyes I feel your hand caressing me
I'll give you a rose
A red rose to paint everything
A rose to comfort every tear of yours
And a rose to be able to love you
I'll give you a rose
A white rose as if you were my bride
A white rose which help you to forget
Every little pain
My name is Antonio and I'm on the roof
Dear Margherita, I've been waiting for you for twenty years
We are the insane when nobody understands us
When even your best friend betrays you
I'm leaving you this letter, now I have to go
Forgive my first-grade writing
And you're amazed I still feel anything?
Be amazed again because Antonio can fly
Simone, I'll cross my finger for you to win the Festival. Good luck.
EDIT (4th March 2007, 1.39 am)
He won.
It's about a man, Antonio, who's lived all his life closed in an asylum. I'm not sure either it's a real story or just a fictional one, anyway that's not the point. The point is that I think this is one of the best Italian song texts ever.
I translated it with my little, little, little language skills, so I'm quite sure I destroyed the poetry of this song (just to say one thing, the verses don't rhyme anymore), but I really wanted to share this with you, my dear f-list.
For the Italians: ignore my translation and go straight to the original text or nothing will save me from a ton of rotten tomatoes.
And just to save my stupid ass, take note that I don't own anything, that my translation is not meant to be for any profit purpose, and that every credit must go to Simone Cristicchi, the author of the song.
Simone Cristicchi and Sergio Cammariere performing "Ti regalerò una rosa" (www.youtube.com)
The original text (www.cristicchiblog.net)
I'll give you a rose
I'll give you a rose
A red rose to paint everything
A rose to comfort every tear of yours
And a rose to be able to love you
I'll give you a rose
A white rose as if you were my bride
A white rose which help you to forget
Every little pain
My name is Antonio and I'm insane
I was born in 1954 and I've lived here since when I was a child
I thought I talked with the Devil
So they closed me for 40 years in an asylum
I'm writing you this letter because I can't speak
Forgive my first-grade writing
And I'm amazed if I still feel anything
But it's my hand's fault, it doesn't stop trembling
I'm like a piano with a broken key
The dissonant chord of a band of drunken guys
And day and night are similar
In the little light which pierces through the dim glasses
I still pee myself because I'm scared
For the sane society we've always been garbage
Smell of urine and sawdust
This is mental illness and there's no cure
I'll give you a rose
A red rose to paint everything
A rose to comfort every tear of yours
And a rose to be able to love you
I'll give you a rose
A white rose as if you were my bride
A white rose which help you to forget
Every little pain
The insane are question marks without a phrase
Thousands of spaceships that don't come back to the base
They're puppets hanging under the sun to dry
The insane are apostles of a God who doesn't want them
I make my snow with polystyrene
My pathology is that I remained alone
Now take a telescope... measure the distances
And look between me and you... who's more dangerous?
Inside the tents we secretely loved each other
Cutting out a space only for us
I remember the few instants when we felt alive
Not as like the files ordered in the archive
Among my memories you'll be the last one that'll fade away
You were like an angel tied upon a radiator
Despite everything I still wait for you
And if I close my eyes I feel your hand caressing me
I'll give you a rose
A red rose to paint everything
A rose to comfort every tear of yours
And a rose to be able to love you
I'll give you a rose
A white rose as if you were my bride
A white rose which help you to forget
Every little pain
My name is Antonio and I'm on the roof
Dear Margherita, I've been waiting for you for twenty years
We are the insane when nobody understands us
When even your best friend betrays you
I'm leaving you this letter, now I have to go
Forgive my first-grade writing
And you're amazed I still feel anything?
Be amazed again because Antonio can fly
Simone, I'll cross my finger for you to win the Festival. Good luck.
EDIT (4th March 2007, 1.39 am)
He won.