È lì

Interrompiamo la trasmissione per comunicare Che in questa notte di serenità Di pace e d'amore È stato rinvenuto il cadavere di un uomo morto La cosa è di una eccezionalità insolita È veramente eccezionale perché erano vent'anni Che in questo nostro bel mondo, nostro Non moriva un uomo e non veniva trovato... Le nostre squadre televisive si sono recate sul posto In una località del Piemonte a piede del monte E hanno intervistato il contadino, il pastore, l'operaio, il... Insomma, quell'altro uomo che ha trovato il cadavere Ci scusiamo in precedenza l'emotività Il fatto eccezionale ha sconvolto tutte le signore Comunque, il nostro inviato Al quale va il nostro ringraziamento per aver sospeso La festa, il Natale, la famiglia E ancora con la torta in mano recatosi là Ha intervistato questo uomo Era coperto di rami, coperto di sassi, era coperto di terra Era coperto di rami, coperto di sassi, era coperto di terra Era coperto di sassi, coperto di rami, coperto di terra Era coperto di rami, coperto di sassi... Gli occhi! Gli occhi, gli occhi... No, non ho visto gli occhi Eran coperti coi rami, erano neri di terra, erano verdi di boschi... I capelli! I capelli... No, non ho visto i capelli Rossi di sangue i capelli, di polvere e fango i capelli Penne strappate di uccelli... La bocca, la bocca No, non ho visto la bocca... Era riempita di terra Era coperta di rami, di sassi con il labbro spaccato No, la sua bocca taceva... La mano, la mano... Sì, la sua mano viveva Era coperta di rami e di sassi, era coperta di terra Ma la sua mano splendeva Bruciava sì, la sua mano cantava La mano stringeva un calcio infangato Di un fucile di guerra È lì © 1971 Lucio Dalla, Roberto Roversi "È lì" is a strange song, depicting news coverage of the discovery of a cadaver in a small town accustomed to serenity and peace. Dalla has definitely achieved his goal of distancing himself from the mainstream pop ditties he once hoped would help his career break out.

We interrupt this transmission to announce that in this night of serenity, of peace and of love, the cadaver of a dead man was found. The thing is unusually unique, it is truly exceptional, because there were twenty years where, in this beautiful world of ours, of ours, a man didn’t die and there wasn’t found . . . Our TV crews went to the place, in a locality of Piedmont at the foot of the mountains, and they interviewed the peasant, the shepherd, the worker, the . . . In short, that other man who found the cadaver. We apologize in advance for the emotionality, the exceptional fact shook all the gentlemen. Anyway, our envoy, to whom go our thanks for having suspended the celebration, Christmas, the family, and still with the cake in hand he interviewed this man. It was covered with branches, covered with stones, it was covered with earth. It was covered with branches, covered with stones, it was covered with earth. It was covered with branches, covered with stones, it was covered with earth. It was covered with branches, covered with stones . . . the eyes, the eyes, the eyes . . . No, I didn’t see the eyes, they were covered with branches, they were black of the earth, they were green of the woods . . . The hair! The hair . . . No, I didn’t see the hair, red with blood the hair, of dust and mud the hair, feathers plucked from birds . . . The mouth, the mouth. No I didn’t see the mouth . . . It was filled with earth, it was covered with branches, with stones, with the lip split. No, its mouth was silent . . . The hand, the hand . . . Yes, its hand lived, it was covered with branches and with stones it was covered with earth, but its hand glowed, it burned, yes, its hand sang. The hand gripped the muddy butt of a rifle of war. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser Il giorno aveva cinque teste was Dalla's fourth album and the first of a trio of albums in partnership with the poet Roberto Roversi. Before this album, Dalla's main partners as lyricists were Sergio Bardotti, Gianfranco Baldazzi, and Paola Pallottino. But Dalla was tired of writing songs he considered little more than simple ditties (his first love was jazz), and he wanted to develop a new approach with weightier lyrics. The new collaboration with Roversi allowed Dalla to explore new realms of composition, freer and more experimental. While sales were low, the album was well-received by critics and fellow musicians, and helped put Dalla on the map as an important emerging artist. The fruitful relationship with Roversi ended after their third album, over lyrics that the label wanted to tone down; Dalla was amenable, but Roversi was outraged and the album was released using a pseudonym for the poet.