Wow. It's amazing how one can listen to a song, not finding it special or fantastic at all, and they suddenly it all fits together. I've known Laura Pausini's "Dove L'Aria È Polvere" for almost a year now, but not before today have I found out what it is actually about. There is a small notice at the bottom of the lyrics in the CD-booklet, saying that it was inspired by Ali Ismail Abbas' fight for life, see
Ali Abbas. I did... And then I translated the song, which is a sort of protest against the Iraqi War. Must be one of her most political - and poetic songs to date.
Dove L’Aria È Polvere
Cronaca del giorno in cui
L’aquila volo’
Su confini dove l’aria è polvere
Storia di un bambino che
Quell’aquila incontro’
E tese le sue braccia
A chi le braccia gli rubò
Ed un soldato racconto’
Di come il cielo si oscuro’
E in terra pianse lacrime
Urlando ruggine
Ma che cos’è che la libertà?
E che significato ha?
Non si può credere a una bandiera se
E’ il sangue a vincere, a vincere
L’aquila non dorme mai
Sacrifica i suoi eroi
Mette in mostra le sue stelle e i suoi trofei
Il bambino è orfano di casa e di poesia
Per l’indifferenzia che
Le guerra ha dentro sé
Ed un soldato racconto’
Di come il tempo si fermò
La terra pianse lacrime
D’aceto e grandine
Ma che cos’è la verità
E che significato ha?
Non si può credere a una bandiera se
E’ il sangue a vincere
Ma che cos’è la libertà?
E che significato ha
E’ il sole che non sorge mai
E’ il buio addosso a noi
Ed un soldato racconto’
Di come il cielo oscurò
Di come a vincere c’è una bandiera che
Ha il sangue dentro sé
Dentro sé… dimmi che cos’è la libertà… cos’è?
Where the Air is Dust
Report of the day when
The Eagle flew
Over borders where the air is dust
Story of a child who
The Eagle found
Who stretched out its arms
To the arms that stole them
And a soldier told
Of how the sky darkened
And on earth tears were cried
Crying out the pain
Does this mean freedom?
Does this mean it has come?
The Eagle never sleeps
It sacrifices its heroes
It gives out its stars and its trophies
The child is orphaned of home and of joy
For the indifference that
The war was within him
And a soldier told
Of how time stood still
The earth cried tears
Of vinegar and hail
But this means truth
Does this mean it has come?
It cannot believe its flag
Must spill blood to win
Does this mean freedom?
It means that it has come
The sun will never rise again
Find a way through this darkness
And a soldier told
Of how the sky darkened
Of how a victory is a flag which
Has the blood within it
Within it… tell me, does this mean freedom… does it?
I apologise to all the Italian speakers (Clappi :P) for all the mistakes and inaccuracies. Even with three different online translators (where one translates a version of the song translated into Brazilian Portuguese), there are words and expressions that make no sense whatsoever. Tralala...