Prendeva il treno - He Took the Train

S'ênn conosciuti a la catena di montaggio: Lei, tutta bianca, che spiccava in quel candor Gigi Lamera, ed abitava dietro Baggio Era il suo nome; ma non era un tipo snob! "Scusi, signore: per andare alla toeletta?" "Scusi, signora, ma rispondere non so." "Lei, al lavoro come viene?" "In bicicletta..." "Ma non è fine! La credevo un gran signore..." Prendeva il treno per non essere da meno; Prendeva il treno per sembrare un gran signor! E la rivide, sempre in sede di montaggio Lei tutta bianca, con un fresco cappellin "Gigi Lamera, si ricorda? Vivo a Baggio..." "Si, vagamente.. Lei è ciclista o giù di lì" "Macché ciclista! Prendo il treno dietro a Baggio!" - ed ostentava un cravatta dell'Upìm- "Voglia gradire questi fiori come omaggio..." "Che fiori sono?!?" "Signorina, i hoo fà mi!" Prendeva il treno per non essere da meno; Ma già deluso da quel grande, assurdo amor! L'han licenziato, in un bel giorno a fine maggio Che l'han trovato a tagliar fiori int'i lamée; Adesso è ottobre, fa già freddo, ma il coraggio Di dirlo in casa, col perchè, lü ghe l'ha no! E tun-tun-tun che l'vol savé (.............) "Gigi, l'è tardi!..." così come ogni mattina Lesto si avvia, con la giacchetta sotto il braccio Male annodata la cravatta dell'Upim... E prende il treno per non essere da meno E piange e ride per quel grande, assurdo amor! E prende il treno per non essere da meno E piange e ride per quel grande, assurdo amor! Prendeva il treno © 1964 Enzo Jannacci

They met on the assembly line: she, all in white, who stood out in that whiteness; Gigi Lamera, and he lived behind Baggio. It was his name; but he wasn’t a snobbish type! “Excuse me, sir: to get to the powder room?” “Excuse me, ma'am, but I don’t know how to respond.” “How do you come to work?” “By bicycle . . .” “But that’s not fine! I believed you to be a great man . . .” He took the train so as not to be thought less off; he took the train to seem like a great man! And he sees her again, always during assembly, she all in white, with a fresh hat. “Gigi Lamera, do you recall? I live in Baggio . . .” “Yes, vaguely . . . you're the cyclist or something like that.” “But what cyclist! I take the train back to Baggio!” – and he flaunted a tie from Upim – “Would you like these flowers as a gift . . .” “What flowers are they?!?” “Ma'am, I cut them!" He took the train so as not to be thought less of; but already disappointed by that great, absurd love! They fired him, one fine day at the end of May, ‘cause they found him cutting flowers inside the ; now it’s October, it’s already cold, but the courage to say it at home, with the reason, he doesn't have it! And “Gigi, it’s late! . . .” just like every morning. Quickly he sets out, with the jacket under his arm, poorly knotted the tie from Upim . . . And he takes the train so as not to be thought less of and he cries and laughs for that grand, absurd love! And he takes the train so as not to be thought less of and he cries and laughs for that grand, absurd love! English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser La milano di Enzo Jannacci was released in 1964. Most of the songs are in the local dialect of Milan. Jannacci studied music at the Milan Conservatory, and he subsequently fell in love with jazz, and played piano with Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, and Chet Baker. He also was part of the early rock 'n' roll scene in Italy, playing in Adriano Celentano's Rock Boys in 1957 and then forming his own duo with Giorgio Gaber in 1959, I Due Corsari. He really found his artistic voice when he started performing at the famed Derby Club in Milan in 1963, collaborating with others (like Dario Fo) in a very vibrant and diverse creative scene. This first album, reflecting cabaret and French chanson influences, is a real gem and was followed by a couple dozen more over the subsequent decades.