L'operaio Gerolamo - The Workman Jerome

S’alza il sole sui monti E sono ancora a casa Cala il sole sull’acqua E mi trovo nella polvere della strada S’alza il sole sui monti E adesso sono a Torino Cala il sole sull’acqua E mi trovo solo come un cane in angolo Dentro una mescita di vino S’alza il sole sui monti E sono arrivato in Germania Cala il sole sull’acqua E sono in una baracca disteso al buio Con un vecchio maglione addosso E una lampada che non funziona S’alza il sole sui monti E mi trovo a Nanterre, periferia di Parigi Cala il sole sull’acqua E sono con gli altri compagni A vegliare un povero italiano, il mio amico Luigi S’alza il sole sui monti E sono arrivato a Milano Città dell’abbondanza e dei miracoli e della Madonna Cala il sole sui monti E non ho nemmeno la forza di guardarmi la mano S’alza il sole sui monti E mi trovo qui, braccato nella campagna Cala il sole nell’acqua e se qualche santo m’aiuta Mi trovo alla fine in una grotta buttato S’alza il sole sui monti E sono ferito a morte, ferito al petto e condannato Povero operaio, povero pastore, povero contadino S’alza il sole sui monti E sono morto e sotterrato S’alza il sole sui monti E un altro al posto mio è già arrivato L'operaio Gerolamo © 1971 Lucio Dalla, Roberto Roversi "L'operaio Gerolamo" recounts the hard life of an itinerant worker who must travel far and wide to find temporary work, all unfolding while "the sun rises on the mountains."

The sun rises on the mountains and I’m still at home. The sun goes down over the water and I find myself in the dust of the street. The sun rises on the mountains and now I’m in Turin. The sun goes down over the water and I find myself just like a dog on the corner inside a wine canteen. The sun rises on the mountains and I’ve arrived in Germany. The sun goes down over the water and I’m in a shack stretched out in darkness with an old sweater on and a lamp that doesn’t work. The sun rises on the mountains and I find myself in Nanterre, outskirts of Paris. The sun goes down over the water and I’m with other companions to watch over a poor Italian, my friend Luigi. The sun rises on the mountains and I’ve arrived in Milan, city of abundance and of miracles and of the Madonna. The sun goes down over the water and I don’t even have the strength to look at my hand. The sun rises on the mountains and I find myself here, cornered in the field. The sun goes down over the water and if some saints help me, I find myself in the end thrown into a cave. The sun rises on the mountains and I’m mortally wounded, wounded in the chest and condemned. Poor workman, poor shepherd, poor peasant. The sun rises on the mountains and I’m dead and underground. The sun rises on the mountains and another one in my stead has already arrived. 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.