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Deve esserci un accordo Se ci sta a cuore la salvezza del paese Salviamo ‘sto paese? Eh? C’è bisogno di un’intesa Vogliamo tutti insieme Metterci a pensare seriamente alla ripresa? Eh? Economica? Sì? Bisogna lavorare sul concreto Bisogna rimboccarsi le maniche per incrementare la produzione, e assicurare uno stabile benessere sociale a tutti coloro ai quali... Noi per il momento abbiamo chiesto sacrifici Vogliamo uscire a testa alta dalla crisi? Eh? Salviamo ‘sto paese? Sì? Eliminiamo il disfattismo Con della gente che in questa confusione Sappia mettere un po’ d’ordine, eh? Pubblico, sì? Bisogna che lo Stato sia più forte Organizzando anche un corpo adeguato E se necessario addestrato Non come proposta di violenza Ma per quel nobile realismo La cui area si è allargata Non puoi negare a certe zone di sinistra, eh? La buona volontà, siii? In questo clima di distensione Possiamo finalmente accordare la fiducia A tutte le forze, eh? Democratiche, sì? Bisogna far proposte in positivo senza calcare la mano sulle possibili carenze. Lasciamo perdere il pessimismo, l’insofferenza generale dei giovani, i posti di lavoro, l’instabilità, gente che non ne può più, la rabbia, la droga, l’incazzatura, lo spappolamento, il bisogno di sovvertire, il rifiuto, la disperazione! Cerchiamo di essere realisti! Non lasciamoci trarre in inganno, ehm... dalla realtà! L'Italia Depressa ma bella d’aspetto È un bel paesotto che tenta di essere tutto Con dentro tanti modelli Che mischia confonde e concilia Riesce a non essere niente L’Italia Negli anni sessanta fioriva La gente rideva e comprava la macchina nuova Ma proprio in questi momenti si insinua uno strano rifiuto E si contesta lo Stato L’Italia bisogna ridare all’Italia La folle allegria del benessere sano di ieri Senza disordini né guerriglieri Salviamo ‘sto paese Salviamo ‘sto paese Per essere felici e spensierati come nel sessa... Come nel sessa... come nel sessa... come nel sessa... Come nel sessantadue! © 1978 - Giorgio Gaber (music, lyrics) and Sandro Luporini (lyrics) |
There must be an agreement if we hold dear the salvation of the country. Shall we save this country? Eh? There’s a need for an understanding. Do we want everyone together to set ourselves to think seriously about the recovery? Eh? Economic? Yes? It’s necessary to work on the concrete, it’s necessary to roll up our sleeves, to increase the production and ensure a stable social well-being for all those to whom . . . We for the moment have asked for sacrifices, do we want to exit the crisis with heads held high? Eh? Shall we save this country? Yes? Shall we eliminate the defeatism with some people who in this confusion know how to set things somewhat in order, eh? Public, yes? It’s necessary that the State be stronger, organizing even an adequate body and if necessary trained, not like a proposal of violence but for that noble realism whose area is enlarged. You can’t disallow certain zones of the left, eh? Good will, yes? In this climate of de-escalation, we can finally have trust in all the forces, eh? Democratic, yes? It’s necessary to make propositions for the better without overdoing it on the possible shortcomings. Let go of pessimism, the general impatience of the youth, the places of work, the instability, people who can’t do more, the anger, the drugs, being pissed off, the pulping the need to overthrow, the garbage, the desperation! Let’s try to be realists! Don’t allow ourselves to be misled, ehm . . . by reality! Italy, depressed but beautiful in aspect, is a fine little place that tries to be everything, with inside so many models that mix, confound, and reconcile, it manages to not be anything. Italy in the Sixties flourished. People laughed and bought new cars, but even in these moments a strange refusal insinuates itself and the State is disputed. Italy needs to give back to Italy the crazy happiness of the healthy well-being of yesterday, without unrest and guerillas. Let’s save this country, let’s save this country, to be happy and carefree like in nineteen sixt . . . like in nineteen sixt . . . like in nineteen sixt . . . like in nineteen sixt . . . like in 1962! English translation © 2024 Dennis Criteser Polli d'allevamento (Farmed chickens) is a live double album that collects the songs and monologues of Gaber's 1978-1979 theater season. After a decade where youth culture was marked by a sense of need for changes in society, Gaber and Luporini are now disappointed in the youth, whose talk about struggling against the system is a fake battle and just an attitude, where they feel the need to isolate themselves from a society in freefall. Gaber's reception in the theaters was often marked by insults and coin-tossing. He decided to step down from the stage at the end of this tour and didn't return with another show for two years. |
I began exploring Italian popular songs as part of learning Italian. Here are my translations for some of my favorite "canzoni" by Italian singers, songwriters, and bands whose work I admire. It's a work in progress that can serve as a curated introduction to Italian popular music, with an emphasis on the 1950s through the 1990s. If you speak Italian, send me a message if you see lyrics I've misunderstood.

