Heavily influenced by his idol, Elvis Presley, and the 1950s rock revolution, he is also known as the most famous dancer of the Hula hoop fad. For the last 40 years he has retained his popularity in Italy, selling millions of records and appearing in numerous TV shows and movies (including a short appearance in Fellini's La Dolce Vita, before becoming a famous artist). In the latter respect, he has also been a creator of a comic genre, with his characteristic walking and his facial expressions. For the most part, his films were commercially successful, in fact in the 1970s and part of the 1980s, he was the king of the Italian box office in low budget movies. As an actor, critics point to Serafino (1968), directed by Pietro Germi, as his best effort.
As a director he frequently casts Ornella Muti, Eleonora Giorgi and his wife Claudia Mori. His best movie like director is "Yuppi Du", winner of The Golden Palm at Cannes Festival. He and Claudia are the parents of Rosita, Rosalinda and Vincent Celentano, the latter most notable to worldwide audiences for playing the Satan character in Mel Gibson`s The Passion of the Christ. He also works often as a host for several Italian television shows.
His 1968 song "Azzurro" has regained popularity in 2006, due to it being the anthem of the Italian national football team (the Azzurri) who won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The artist Vincent Fiorello has also created a remix of the song.
His last concert-event in 2012, after 18 years without live performances, was transmitted on Canale 5, with over 9 million viewers both evenings.
Giarrettiera rossa
Adriano Celentano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
questa è la donna del west.
Zappa la terra ha i calli nelle mani
spara il fucile contro gli indiani.
Ma di sera...
Sulla gamba bianca c'è una calza nera
sulla calza nera giarrettiera rossa
è una donna vera mentre donna
Ma quando fa giorno a casa ritorna
fa il pane nel forno munge vacche
ma di sera...
Sulla gamba bianca c'è una calza nera
sulla calza nera giarrettiera rossa
è una donna vera mentre donna
è la star del saloon bar.
Tribù di Pellirossa si scontrano con i Cowboy
e giarrettiera rossa, che combina mille guai.
Nè Toro Seduto, nè Nuvola Nera non hanno più sonno
perchè sanno che di sera..
Sulla gamba bianca c'è una calza nera
sulla calza nera giarrettiera rossa
è una donna vera mentre donna
è la star del saloon bar.
Tribù di Pellirossa si scontrano con i Cowboy
e giarrettiera rossa, che combina mille guai.
Ne Toro Seduto, nè Nuvola Nera non hanno più sonno
perchè sanno che di sera..
Sulla gamba bianca c'è una calza nera
sulla calza nera giarrettiera rossa
è una donna vera mentre donna
è la star del saloon bar.
Calza nera giarrettiera rossa
sei la star del saloon bar
Calza nera giarrettiera rossa
sei la star del saloon bar.
The lyrics to Adriano Celentano's song "Giarrettiera rossa" paint the picture of a strong, independent woman who is both a hardworking rancher and the star of the local saloon bar. The first verse describes her as a "beautiful young saloon bar type" who works the land, has calloused hands, and shoots her rifle at Indians. But in the evenings, she puts on a black stocking adorned with a red garter on her white leg, transforming into a woman who commands attention and admiration as the saloon's leading lady.
The second verse portrays her as a woman of many talents who, when she returns home, bakes bread and milks cows, but still puts on her trademark stocking and becomes the star of the saloon at night. The chorus repeats the line "sulla gamba bianca c'è una calza nera, sulla calza nera giarrettiera rossa," highlighting the importance of this garment and its symbolic value to this powerful woman.
The last two verses describe a conflict between the Native American tribes and the cowboys, with the singer at the center of it all. The lyrics suggest that even the great chiefs like Toro Seduto and Nuvola Nera are kept up at night by the allure of the woman in the red garter.
Overall, the song seems to celebrate the strength and independence of this woman, who can work the land and hold her own in a man's world, while also enjoying the attention and admiration that comes from being the star of the saloon.
Line by Line Meaning
Giovane bella tipo saloon bar
A young and beautiful woman like the ones found in saloon bars.
questa è la donna del west.
This is the woman of the West.
Zappa la terra ha i calli nelle mani
She works hard on the farm, her hands are calloused from the hoe.
spara il fucile contro gli indiani.
She defends her land and people by shooting at the attacking Indians.
Ma di sera...
But at night...
Sulla gamba bianca c'è una calza nera
On her white leg, she wears a black stocking.
sulla calza nera giarrettiera rossa
On the black stocking, she wears a red garter belt.
è una donna vera mentre donna
She is a real woman while being the star of the saloon bar.
è la star del saloon bar.
She is the star of the saloon bar.
Ma quando fa giorno a casa ritorna
But when the day comes, she goes back home.
fa il pane nel forno munge vacche
She bakes bread in the oven and milks cows.
Tribù di Pellirossa si scontrano con i Cowboy
Native American tribes clash with cowboys.
e giarrettiera rossa, che combina mille guai.
And the red garter belt, causes lots of trouble.
Nè Toro Seduto, nè Nuvola Nera non hanno più sonno
Neither Sitting Bull nor Black Cloud can sleep anymore.
perchè sanno che di sera..
Because they know that at night...
Calza nera giarrettiera rossa
Black stocking, red garter belt,
sei la star del saloon bar
you are the star of the saloon bar.
Calza nera giarrettiera rossa
Black stocking, red garter belt,
sei la star del saloon bar.
you are the star of the saloon bar.
Contributed by Brooklyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.