Saturday, November 17, 2007
Azzurro and Volare Win Popularity Poll
This week in La Repubblica, an article featured the results of a recent survey rating the most popular Italian song recording in other countries. In the number one spot is "Azzurro," performed (1969) by Adriano Celentano. The song squeaked in less than one percent above the second place Volare performed by Domenico Modugno (1958).
The survey is one in a series of monthly polls conducted online by the Società Dante Alighieri, an organization that presents and promotes the Italian culture and language throughout the world.
About the singer
Though almost 70 now, Celentano, who is also an actor and film producer, is still hugely popular in Italy. He still performs and sometimes hosts his own television show. His performances and songs often reflect the political discontent and progressive attitudes that characterized the '60s, the time in which Celentano's success was already well established.
In 2006, in one of his television shows, Celentano drew the ire of former Italian prime minister Berlusconi by critically highlighting the government's polices toward the Italian press.
Celentano performing on Rai Uno in 2006
About the song
Azzurro (blue) is so wellknown and so often sung by various performers in Italy that finding Italians of any age who wouldn't know most of the lyrics by heart might be difficult. The song was written by pop lyricist Vigevano Vito Pallavicini with his music partner Paolo Conte.
Evidence of the song's entrenchment in the popular Italian culture is this video of Italy's 2004 world cup soccer team performing the song (Italy's world cup team is also known as azzurri, for it's blue uniforms). In this country where soccer is undeniably king, probably no greater tribute than this video, featuring some of Italy's current soccer royalty, could be given to anyone or anything.
Team Italy (2004) singing Azzurro
Azzurro (Lyrics in Italian and in English)
written by Vigevano Vito Pallavicini
Cerco l'estate tutto l'anno
e all'improvviso eccola qua.
Lei è partita per le spiagge
e sono solo quassù in città,
sento fischiare sopra i tetti
un aeroplano che se ne va.
Azzurro,
il pomeriggio è troppo azzurro
e lungo per me.
Mi accorgo
di non avere più risorse,
senza di te,
e allora
io quasi quasi prendo il treno
e vengo, vengo da te,
ma il treno dei desideri
nei miei pensieri all'incontrario va.
Sembra quand'ero all'oratorio,
con tanto sole, tanti anni fa.
Quelle domeniche da solo
in un cortile, a passeggiar...
ora mi annoio più di allora,
neanche un prete per chiacchierar...
Azzurro,
il pomeriggio è troppo azzurro
e lungo per me.
Mi accorgo
di non avere più risorse,
senza di te,
e allora
io quasi quasi prendo il treno
e vengo, vengo da te,
ma il treno dei desideri
nei miei pensieri all'incontrario va.
Cerco un pò d'Africa in giardino,
tra l'oleandro e il baobab,
come facevo da bambino,
ma qui c'è gente, non si può più,
stanno innaffiando le tue rose,
non c'è il leone, chissà dov'è...
Azzurro,
il pomeriggio è troppo azzurro
e lungo per me.
Mi accorgo
di non avere più risorse,
senza di te,
e allora
io quasi quasi prendo il treno
e vengo, vengo da te,
ma il treno dei desideri
nei miei pensieri all'incontrario va.
I wait for summer all year long
and then suddenly here it is.
She left for the beach
and I am alone up here in the city,
above the roofs I hear the whistling sound
of an airplane passing by.
Blue,
the afternoon is too blue
and long for me.
I am aware
of no longer having resources
without you,
and so
I almost, almost take the train
and come, come for you,
but the train of the desires
in my thoughts is going backwards.
It seems like when I was in the parish playground
under a bright sun, many years ago.
Those Sundays, lonely
in a courtyard, taking a walk...
now I am more bored than then,
not even a priest to chat with...
Blue,
the afternoon is too blue
and long for me.
I am aware
of no longer having resources
without you,
and so
I almost, almost take the train
and come, come for you,
but the train of the desires
in my thoughts is going backwards.
I'm in a search for a little of Africa in the garden,
among the oleander and the baobab,
as I did when I was a child,
but there are people here now, it's no longer possible,
they are watering your roses,
the lion isn't here, who knows where it is...
Blue,
the afternoon is too blue
and long for me.
I am aware
of no longer having resources
without you,
and so
I almost, almost take the train
and come, come for you,
but the train of the desires
in my thoughts is going backwards.
by Rebecca Helm-Ropelato
Copyright © Rebecca Helm-Ropelato