Song: Acqua & Sale (Lyrics, Translation, Meaning)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WgCtuxGgEo
Salt and Water, a 1998 Italian pop song performed by Adriano Celentano and Mina.
Semplici e un po' banali,
Simple and a bit banal
io direi, quasi prevedibili e sempre uguali
I would say, almost predictable and always the same
sono fatti tutti così: gli uomini e l'amore
men and love are made like this
come vedi, tanti aggettivi
as you see, many adjectives
che si incollano su noi;
that stick to us
dai, ché non siamo poi cattivi.
c'mon, we're not so bad.
Tu non sei niente male,
You're not bad
parli bene e mi sorprendi quando tiri forte
you talk well and you surprise me when you pull hard
la tua moto dal motore che sento truccato,
your motorcycle with the engine I hear rigged
e va bene, guida tu, ché sei brava più di me
it's all right, you drive, because you're better than me
ed attendo che sia amore.
and I'm waiting for it to be love
Ma io sono con te ogni giorno
But I'm with you every day
perché di te ho bisogno;
because I need you
non voglio di più.
I don't want anything more.
Acqua e sale
Water and salt
mi fai bere,
you make me drink
con un colpo mi trattieni il bicchiere,
with a shot you hold my glasss
mi fai male,
you hurt me
puoi godere, se mi vedi in un angolo ore ed ore -
you can enjoy if you see me in a corner hours and hours
ore piene
full hours
come un lago
like a lake
che se piove un po' di meno, è uno stagno;
that if it rains less, it's a pond
vorrei dire:
I wish I could say
"Non conviene,
It's not worth it
sono io a pagare amore e tutte le pene"
I'm the one to pay for love and all its suffering
Vedi, divertirsi fa bene;
You see, having fun is good
sento che mi rido dentro e questo non mi conviene
I feel I'm laughing inside and this doesn't suit me
c'è qualcosa che non va, ma non so dirti cosa
there's something off, but I can't tell what it is
è la tua moto che sta giù
is it your motorcycle that's down
che vorrei guidare io
which I'd like to drive
o meglio averti qui vicino a me?
or better have you here beside me?
SONG MEANING
In this song we witness the alternation of the thoughts of a woman and a man on their mutual relationship. Their relationship seems to be rather stormy however, the two cannot separate. The "she" of the song has indeed a bad opinion about men ("simple and a little banal / I would say almost predictable and always the same / all men and love are made like this"). The disillusionment with the nature of men is a theme that often recurs in Mina's songs. Men, for their part, are aware of being labeled in various ways ("as you see so many adjectives / that stick to us / we are not so bad"), and it is the voice of Mina which tells us so, as if wanting to mimic them.
Then comes Celentano's turn who, aloud, reflects on the charm she exerts on him ("you're not bad") because she knows how to distinguish herself from other women by speaking well, intelligently, without clichés, and for the resourcefulness she shows in trying to go beyond her own limits and, sometimes, trying to look better than how she is.
The metaphor of pulling the bike from the rigged engine is in fact a way of describing this dynamic: pulling a bike involves pushing the engine to its maximum potential, which, if enhanced, can perform at its best; but this also means that a particular noise will be emitted and therefore, the trick will be implicitly revealed. Similarly, he notices her attempts to get his attention, but he doesn't mind. That's why he grants her «it's okay, you drive/ you are better than me» while, on the inside, he hopes that she will fall in love with him («and I expect it to be love»). The fact that she is driving, especially considering it's a motorcycle therefore a symbol of strength and dominance, puts him in a condition of inferiority and emotional insecurity.
She, following the trail of her previous reflections, as if wanting to respond to her man's hopes, realizes that she cannot do without him despite all his faults ("but I am with you every day / because I need you").The two voices meet in the chorus, in which they resent the other for forcing them to drink water and salt - thus despite the love, they put each other in distressing situations of emotional instability. It seems that both (depending on the speaker) enjoy hurting the other person, although then, they metaphorically hold the glass with a blow just when the other is about to drink too many sips of the disgusting drink - in short, it is a continuous push and pull of suffering and comfort.
The relationship tendency to lead to emotional stress is supported by the lines "you hurt me, you can enjoy / if you see me in a corner hours and hours". These hours are "hours as full as a lake / that if it rains a little less it's a pond", a metaphor indicating that even if the continuous teasing diminished, this would not be enough to make the situation more serene, because the "lake" would remain a "pond" - that is to say, it would only slightly decrease its volume (or, in the case of relationship stress, its intensity) but would not dry up. In short, in the end, it's always one of the two to pay all the penalties, thinking that they are the only one to suffer.
The last verse, sung by him, could be interpreted with the two having perhaps embarked on a purely physical relationship ("see, having fun is good"), and although he doesn't mind ("I feel that I laugh inside and this does not it suit me »), it sometimes makes him uncomfortable, rather desiring something more serious (« there is something wrong but I can't tell you what »). But since she is the one to lead the relationship, he has little room for decision ("is it your bike that is down / I would like to drive") and he can only hope to approach her at a more emotional level (" or better to have you near me »).
Source: www.unamusicapuodire.it/significato-canzone-acqua-e-sale-m…/