L'ANFITEATRO E LA BAMBINA IMPERTINENTE

Now that my blood is infected         
nobody will want to lick my wounds anymore   
and I have found all the gold in the world   
in my pockets, isn’t that great           
I even got through winter                          
and I prayed long and hard               
I even got through winter                           
and I sang.......                                             

Now that I feel really, really cold                
I can count on the warm embrace of two blankets      
and I have found all the emptiness in the world     
in a compassionate caress                   
I even got through winter                   
and I prayed long and hard                 
I even got through winter                   
and I sang for a long time…               

(A) and I’m not tired at all                  
and I’m not tired at all                  
and I’m not tired at all                  
and I’m not tired at all                  

Now that I’m in this hell hole       
angels, friends and brothers have taken flight         
and I have found all the emptiness in the world       
in your pockets, in your remorse          
I even got through winter                             
and I prayed long and hard                          
I even got through winter                             
and I sang for a long time…                        

(A)(x2)……… 

now that I’ve lost everything

Narcissist, butter me up with words 
That melt under the hot breath of passion 
Narcissist, transparency and mystery 
Cover me with oil, almonds and vanity 
Shape me… 
Tell  me the stories you like to invent 
Frighten me 
Tell me about new exciting victories 
Win me over, invent me, give me a new identity 
Stun me, leave me defenceless and then strike
Embrace me and intoxicate me with irony and sensuality
Narcissist, butter me up with words 
That hide the proverbial selfishness of your intentions
Narcissist, what a sublime façade
Shower me with elegant lavish attentions  
Inspire me 
Tell  me the stories you like to invent 
Frighten me 
Tell me about new exciting victories 
Win me over, invent me, give me a new identity 
Stun me, leave me defenceless and then strike
Embrace me and intoxicate me with irony and sensuality
Embrace me and intoxicate me with irony and sensuality
Win me over 
Win me over 
Win me over 

Fortunately I still have the common sense            
to question myself                         
I’d gladly do without your handbooks              
on self-esteem                                           

Fortunately the agonizing procession of flowers from you
ended several days ago 
I’m still throwing up our last romantic
meal together...    
sad, bored and dried out      
I would be your tainted Venus 
sad, bored and dried out 
I would be no use as prey    

(A) you’ll see you’ll see in the end                      
you’ll get a sordid thank you, you will              
the appropriate smile just right for the occasion, you’ll see… 

Fortunately I always make the mistake
of not taking myself too seriously    
and I can gladly do without                        
your practical sex and success … 
sad, bored and dried out                   
I would be your  tainted Venus 
sad, bored and dried out                   
I would be your  tainted Venus
I would be no use as prey… 

(A)(x2)………

I can still smell your fuming words           
your words on me                                   
that’s the only thing                                     
you left me....                                             

sad, bored and dried out I would be
your tainted Venus  (x5)                                   

Maybe I won’t be able to give you the best       
many times you found my efforts useless      
Maybe I won’t be able to give you the best       
many times you found my gestures ridiculous    

(A) as if having given up on myself                   
weren’t enough                       
as if all the power of my love
weren’t enough....                          

(B) and all I did was feel like a misfit
so I changed everything about me         
because I wasn’t enough                           
and I have only just realized that you were ......frightened                            

maybe I won’t be able to give you the best            
but I added things up and discovered that I don’t have more to give          

(A)……… 

and all I did was feel like a misfit        
and I changed everything about me        
because I wasn’t enough                           
and I have only just realized     

(B)………

Fiery caresses                                
That enviable savoir-faire              
Oh so sweet, intense and brutal !    
 
What noble poetry                         
in your bank account                     
Oh father, lover, master !              
 
In sickness and in health               
Till death us do part                       
 
Dizzy passion                                           
Oh my insatiable beast                             
In your warm and welcoming harem        
 
In sickness and in health               
Till death us do part                       
 
Make me your geisha                            
Make me your humble servant   (x 2)   
 
Make me your geisha                            
 
Your geisha (x 4)                                 

You look for shelter and brotherly love 
You hold your arms out towards the mirror  
you stumble and with a stern look on your face     
you mumble a sad Modugno song       
about violins played by the wind       
the last kiss my sweet child                
burns on your face like drops of lemon juice  
the courageous bravery  of a ferocious farewell   
but those are tears and it’s raining
and it’s raining  
it’s raining … 
Magical quiet, veiled indulgence
After a  relentless storm
You catch your breath and with intense ardour
Celebrate a meek, unusual awakening 
A thousand violins played by the wind
The last embrace my beloved child 
In the tenuous memory of a silver rainfall 
A remorseless sense of no return 
In those violins played by the wind 
The last kiss my sweet child 
burns on your face like drops of lemon juice  
the courageous bravery of a ferocious farewell   
but those are tears and it’s raining
and it’s raining  
and it’s raining
it’s raining … 

I’m looking at a photo of my mother
She was happy she must have been about three  
She was clutching  a doll close to her chest         
A most coveted gift.
It was her birthday party
In faded black and white .
 
I look at my mother in those days and I see 
The same smile on her face as mine.
And to think of all the times I felt she was distant 
And to think of all the times… 
I would have liked to talk to her about me at least ask her to explain 
Those long hostile moments of silence and indifference 
Invariably    
I would appear inflexible, beyond reach and proud
Deeply resolute fearing foolish rivalry  
 
I’m looking at a photo of my mother
She was happy she must have been about twenty 
Hair tied up in a silk scarf 
A vacant look upon her face.
A clear view of a radiant Catania 
In the sixties 
I scrutinize her closely and thoroughly and  find
The same look on her face as mine.
 
And to think of all the times I felt she was distant 
And to think of all the times… 
I would have liked to talk to her about me at least ask her to explain 
Those long hostile moments of silence and arbitrary indolence 
Invariably    
I would appear inflexible, beyond reach and proud
Deeply resolute fearing an innate rivalry. 
 
I would have liked to talk to her about me at least ask her to explain... 
I would have liked to talk to her about me at least ask her to explain...

You know full well that a drop in the sky is a deluge 
so small is the world that observes us    
You know full well that I’m not asking for much now    
so clear is the sea that listens to us and sends us to sleep        

(A) I’d like to try                               
I’d like to offer you my hands          
I’d like to try                                     
I’d like to protect this moment          
(B) and I think I feel confused and happy   
and I think I feel confused and happy         
and I think I feel...                                       

Ah…  ah…  ah… ah…

You know full well that I’m trembling and it’s not cold      
and I’m a victim of this immense joy         
you know full well that nothing can affect us now      
so fragile is the world that awaits us, that scares us         

(A)……… 

I’d like to try again                                   
I’d like to protect this moment                 

(B)………

confused and happy                                  
confused and happy                                  
confused and happy                                  

you know full well that a drop in the sky is a deluge       
so small is the world that observes us           

On the verge of glory that does not exist 
Disenchanted, powerless  for having
Lost sight of 
Lost sight of 
yourself
 
Hanging on to the cries of a crowd that does not exist 
Bitter, disoriented for having
Lost sight of 
Lost sight of 
Yourself 
 
You’re living in a state of precarious equilibrium 
 
Lying in the shade 
Of a life that does not exist 
Feeling torment and regret 
For having 
Lost sight of
Lost sight of
Yourself 
 
You’re living in a state of precarious equilibrium 
 
On the verge of glory that does not exist 
Demotivated, dissatisfied  for having
Lost sight of 
Lost sight of 
yourself

I eveileb ni em, I eveileb ni em          
ni ym evol                                           
I eveileb ni em, I eveileb ni em          
ni ym evol                                           
rof tra, rof tra                                       
ew eid

You are not obliged to understand me 
I almost don’t feel the need to insist 
you offered me a love made of plastic 
but did you ever ask yourself if deceiving me was the honest thing to do

Remember you’re the one that’s not there when I cry
You’re the one that doesn’t  know when my birthday is
When I’m floundering in the dark 

But how can I give my heart and soul and be able to believe 
that everything is more or less easy when it’s impossible 
I wanted to be stronger than all your uncertainties 
but I can’t make do 
with a love made of plastic if that’s all you can give me
You are the fire that’s difficult to light 
There’s no excuse but yet you know how to confuse me  

Remember you’re the one that’s not there when I cry
You’re the one that doesn’t know when my birthday is 
When I’m floundering in the dark 
But how can I give my heart and soul and be able to believe 
that everything is more or less easy when it’s impossible 
I wanted to be stronger than all your uncertainties 
but I can’t make do 
with a love made of plastic if that’s all you can give me

I wanted to be stronger than all your uncertainties 
but I can’t make do 
with a love made of plastic if that’s all you can give me

but I can’t make do 
with a love made of plastic if that’s all you can give me 

I confess I did it on purpose 
I intended to hurt you           
I may seem somewhat stupid to you     
Certainly immature                               
For all the times I instinctively felt the need to hold you      
For all the times I seriously felt              
I could erase you from my mind           
Erase you from my mind                    
Erase you                                        
Based on no logic whatsoever         
 
I admit I felt secure                         
In my papier-maché  shell               
I acted so that                                   
I would not appear incoherent      
For all those times when I tried not to indulge you     
For all those times when I seriously believed       
I could erase you from my mind       
Erase you from my mind                   
Erase you                                           
Based on no logic whatsoever             
No logic whatsoever

Amado mio, love me forever 
and let forever begin tonight 
when we're together, amado mio 
I don't care whether it's from the right 
Many times I've whispered 

Amado mio 
it was just a phrase 
that I heard in plays 
I was acting a part 
But now when I whisper 

Amado mio 
can't you tell I care 
by the feeling there 
for it comes from my heart

I watched her hands insolently teasing an artificial rose    
And the way she concealed her embarrassment               
was so sweet                                                         
as she talked about her misfortunes       
smiling ironically  and keeping her eyes lowered          
 
I watched her hands folding and unfolding     
Between the embroidery of the tablecloth               
I could hardly stop myself from                         
Grabbing hold of them, attacking her pain       
 
The taste of a frugal meal mixed with the odour of incense  
Memories dulled by time                                   
Although she was no different from  many, many other people             
She was special.....special                                
 
I watched her hands elegantly           
emphasizing  her opinions                 
with unexpected resemblance      
symbiotic intuition friendly zeal             
 
The taste of a frugal meal mixed with the odour of incense    
Memories faded by time                       
Although she was no different from many, many other people     
She was special.......special                      
 
I let myself be seduced by her obsessions             
I let myself be seduced by her obsessions             
I let myself be seduced by her obsessions             

I met her a number of times when she was rather drunk 
They called her the Countess of Misery               
Because of her arid disposition                              
She was desperately lonely                        
On the threshold of sixty                                  
Sadly wrapped in garish ostrich feathers and vulgar-looking metal jewellery  
Written on the wall of her house  
 
Countess of Misery                 
Sooner or later life             
Pays off its debt                                  
Countess of Misery                
Sooner or later life takes you by surprise 
 
In her eyes lay the constant fear of the passing of time       
And she would have given anything to have the elixir              
Of long life              
She was desperately lonely       
On the threshold of sixty              
Sweetly engrossed in glorious memories steeped in powder, blusher and ‘rien ne va plus’       
Countess of Misery                 
Sooner or later life             
Pays off its debt                                  
Countess of Misery                
Sooner or later life takes you by surprise 
 
Without asking permission
Without prior warning   
Countess of Misery                       
Her mind in hibernation since the age of twenty   
Victim of the century’s deceptive     
Pursuit of the icons of beauty  
And cosmetic surgery      
 
Countess of Misery          
The mind doesn’t change  
Countess of Misery          
The mind doesn’t change  
Countess of Misery          
The mind doesn’t change  
Countess of Misery          
The mind doesn’t change