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.
L'Uomo Di Cartone
Adriano Celentano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
come hai fatto a innamorarti di quel cesso
tu ascoltavi le emozioni, lui pensava ai suoi quattrini
e ti ha usato solamente per il sesso
che delusione
hai sporcato la tua vita col carbone
che delusione
quanto costa adesso un pezzo di sapone
le hai bevute tutte quante giù in un fiato
quanta ingenuità, l'ho lasciata qua e là
sei finita nella trappola del topo
che delusione
nel vederti con un uomo di cartone
che delusione
lo credevi vero ed era un gran cialtrone
Ero sincero e ti amavo come sai
tu non hai capito niente e adesso come stai
dimentichiamo tutto quanto se tu vuoi
ma non dimentichiamoci di noi
Ma tu non hai capito
si è nascosto dietro a un dito
chi è gentile qualche volta può far male
un discorso inzuccherato e così ti ha imbambolato
che peccato che rimane in bocca il sale
che delusione
so che hai pianto per un uomo di cartone
che delusione
cerchi forse ancora l'oro nel carbone
Ero sincero e ti amavo come sai
tu non hai capito niente e adesso come stai
dimentichiamo tutto quanto se tu vuoi
ma non dimentichiamoci di noi
Che delusione, so che hai pianto per un uomo di cartone
che delusione, cerchi forse ancora l'oro nel carbone...
The lyrics of Adriano Celentano's "L'Uomo Di Cartone" is about a woman who fell in love with the wrong guy. The man that she was with was only focused on his own wealth and used her solely for sex. The singer is calling her out for being naive and not seeing through the man's facade. Celentano sings about her disappointment in herself for getting involved with him and for staining her life with coal, a metaphor for the dirtiness and regret that comes with making a bad decision. He mentions that she has been fed lies and has fallen into the "trap of the mouse," illustrating how easily she was fooled by the man. The singer then reveals that he had loved her sincerely, but she never understood it. He dismisses the past but wants her to remember their relationship.
The language used in the song is straightforward and direct, making it easy for listeners to understand what the songwriter is saying. The tone of the song is sad but not melancholic, as if the singer is speaking to her as a friend or confidant. The use of the metaphor of coal shows how Celentano sees her, tainted and regretful.
Line by Line Meaning
Non ci caschi più, solo adesso lo dici tu
You're realizing too late that you were fooled
come hai fatto a innamorarti di quel cesso
How could you fall in love with such a loser?
tu ascoltavi le emozioni, lui pensava ai suoi quattrini
You were listening to your heart, he was only thinking about money
e ti ha usato solamente per il sesso
He only used you for sex
che delusione
What a disappointment
hai sporcato la tua vita col carbone
You've stained your life with coal
quanto costa adesso un pezzo di sapone
How much does a bar of soap cost now?
Balle e ancora balle alla luce delle stelle
Lies, lies and more lies under the stars
le hai bevute tutte quante giù in un fiato
You swallowed them all in one breath
quanta ingenuità, l'ho lasciata qua e là
You were so naive, he led you here and there
sei finita nella trappola del topo
You fell into the trap of a rat
nel vederti con un uomo di cartone
Seeing you with a cardboard man
lo credevi vero ed era un gran cialtrone
You thought he was real but he was a big liar
Ero sincero e ti amavo come sai
I was honest and loved you as you know
tu non hai capito niente e adesso come stai
You didn't understand anything, how are you now?
dimentichiamo tutto quanto se tu vuoi
Let's forget everything if you want to
ma non dimentichiamoci di noi
But let's not forget about us
si è nascosto dietro a un dito
He hid behind a finger
chi è gentile qualche volta può far male
Someone kind can sometimes hurt you
un discorso inzuccherato e così ti ha imbambolato
A sugary speech and he fooled you
che peccato che rimane in bocca il sale
It's a pity that the taste of salt remains in your mouth
so che hai pianto per un uomo di cartone
I know you cried for a cardboard man
cerchi forse ancora l'oro nel carbone
Do you still search for gold in coal?
Che delusione, so che hai pianto per un uomo di cartone
What a disappointment, I know you cried for a cardboard man
che delusione, cerchi forse ancora l'oro nel carbone...
What a disappointment, do you still search for gold in coal?
Contributed by Lillian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.