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.
Sanmatio
Adriano Celentano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La vole l'acqua rento 'l so castelo
Ma che la porta el capitano
Quel che comanda la cita' de giano
Co la rigina de san matjo
La vole l'acqua rento 'l so castelo
Ma che la porta el capitano
Ma'l capitano ga za l'amore
Le ze la fiola de lilano belo
El se la porta nel so castelo
E l'indormenza co' le serenate
Le serenate del capitano
Le sveja tuta la cita' de giano
Ma la regina no' za contenta
La vole l'asqua de la valle scura
El capitano el ga paura
El ga paura de la busa fonda
La busa fonda la busa nera
El capitano belo el se dispera
El se dispera el capitano
Quel che comanda la cita' de giano
Ma la regina no' ze contenta
La vole l'asqua rente l'erba menta
Co' l'erba menta co' l'erba amara
La busa fonda la diventa ciara
Col prima sole de la mattina
La prima onda za de l'asqua fina
Col primo sole la prima onda
Co l'asqua fina la diventa bionda
Col primo sole de la matina
El capitano trova l'asqua fina
Col primo sole la prima onda
Co l'asqua fina la diventa bionda
Col primo sole de la matina
El capitano trova l'asqua fina
Ma la regina no' ze contenta
La vole l'asqua rento 'l so castelo
Che ghe la porta col capitano
La vol la fiola de liliano belo
Liliano belo dal campo tondo
Ga tanti fiori che profuma 'l mondo
Ma'l capitano li porta via
Cosi' la storia 'desso ze finia
La ze la storia del capitano
Quel che comanda la cita' de giano
La ze la storia de la regina
Che la voleva tuta l'asqua fina
Ma'l capitano la porta via
Ma'l capitano la porta via
Ma'l capitano la porta via
Cosi' la storia 'desso ze finia
Cosi' la storia 'desso ze finia
Cosi' la storia 'desso ze finia
........
The song "Sanmatio" by Adriano Celentano tells the story of a queen who wants the water from the Sanmatio river to flow into her castle but the captain of the city of Giano, who holds the power to command the city, has fallen in love with the beautiful daughter of Liliano. This results in the captain serenading her every night, which annoys the queen who continues to demand the water from the river. However, the captain is afraid of the deep waters of the river and becomes desperate when he realizes that he cannot fulfill the queen's request. In the end, the captain takes Liliano's daughter away and the story ends.
The lyrics depict a classic love story filled with themes of power, jealousy, and sacrifice for love. The queen embodies strength and power while the captain represents a strong-willed yet vulnerable character who is unable to refuse his love for Liliano's daughter despite the consequences. The river is used as a metaphor for the life force that flows from the land, and the queen's desire for its water symbolizes her need for control over all the aspects of the land she rules.
Overall, "Sanmatio" is a beautifully crafted song that tells a timeless story of love, power struggle, and ultimately sacrifice for love.
Line by Line Meaning
Co la rigina de san matjo
With the queen of San Matjo
La vole l'acqua rento 'l so castelo
She wants the water inside her castle
Ma che la porta el capitano
But the captain has the key
Quel che comanda la cita' de giano
He who commands the city of Giano
Ma'l capitano ga za l'amore
But the captain is already in love
Le ze la fiola de lilano belo
He has the daughter of Lilano belo
El se la porta nel so castelo
He takes her to his castle
E l'indormenza co' le serenate
And he wooes her with serenades
Le serenate del capitano
The serenades of the captain
Le sveja tuta la cita' de giano
Wake up the whole city of Giano
Ma la regina no' za contenta
But the queen is not satisfied
La vole l'asqua de la valle scura
She wants the water from the dark valley
El capitano el ga paura
The captain is afraid
El ga paura de la busa fonda
He is afraid of the deep abyss
La busa fonda la busa nera
The deep abyss is black
El capitano belo el se dispera
The handsome captain becomes desperate
Col prima sole de la mattina
With the first sun of the morning
La prima onda za de l'asqua fina
The first wave has the fine water
Co' l'erba menta co' l'erba amara
With mint and bitter herbs
La busa fonda la diventa ciara
The deep abyss becomes clear
El capitano trova l'asqua fina
The captain finds the fine water
Ma'l capitano la porta via
But the captain takes her away
Cosi' la storia 'desso ze finia
So the story now is over
Contributed by Carson D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.