Canzone triste - Sad Song

Erano sposi. Lei s'alzava all'alba prendeva il tram, correva al suo lavoro. Lui faceva il turno che finisce all'alba entrava in letto e lei n'era già fuori. Soltanto un bacio in fretta posso darti bere un caffè tenendoti per mano. Il tuo cappotto è umido di nebbia. Il nostro letto serba il tuo tepor. Dopo il lavoro lei faceva spesa - buio era già - le scale risaliva. Lui era in cucina con la stufa accesa, fanno da cena e poi già lui partiva. Soltanto un bacio in fretta posso darti bere un caffè tenendoti per mano. Il tuo cappotto è umido di nebbia. Il nostro letto serba il tuo tepor. Mattina e sera i tram degli operai portano gente dagli sguardi tetri; di fissar la nebbia non si stancan mai cercando invano il sol, fuori dai vetri. Soltanto un bacio in fretta posso darti bere un caffè tenendoti per mano. Il tuo cappotto è umido di nebbia. Il nostro letto serba il tuo tepor. Canzone triste © 1958 Sergio Liberovici, Italo Calvino In "Canzone triste," Italo Calvino gives us a picture of life in the Italian economic boom, where the demands of making a living in the industrial North resulted in so many dislocations, here a married couple who can barely see each other due to their conflicting work schedules. The song appeared on the first Cantacronache EP in 1958, and was recut by Margot as a single, released in 1962 on a different label.

They were spouses. She got up at dawn, took the tram, she ran to her job. He did his shift that ends at dawn, he got into bed and she was already out. Just a hurried kiss can I give you, drinking a coffee, holding your hand. Your coat is damp with fog. Our bed holds in your warmth. After work she did some shopping – it was already dark – back up the stairs she went. He was in the kitchen with the oven on, they had dinner and then he had to depart already. Just a hurried kiss can I give you, drinking a coffee, holding your hand. Your coat is damp with fog. Our bed holds in your warmth. Morning and night, the trams of the workers carry people of gloomy gazes; they never tire of staring at the fog, searching in vain for the sun, outside the windowpanes. Just a hurried kiss can I give you, drinking a coffee, holding your hand. Your coat is damp with fog. Our bed holds in your warmth. English translation © 2021 Dennis Criteser "Cantacronache sperimentale" was the first 4-song Cantacronache EP released on the Italia Canta label in 1958. All the songs were sung by Franca di Rienzo, who went on to a singing career in France, and the music was written by Sergio Liberovici using lyrics written by others.