Daniele Sepe (born April 17, 1960 in Naples) is an Italian musician, known … Read Full Bio ↴Daniele Sepe (born April 17, 1960 in Naples) is an Italian musician, known internationally for interpreting protest songs from around the world. His first instrument was the flute, which he played at the San Pietro a Majella conservatoire. After graduating, he began performing with the Gruppo operaio 'E Zezi di Pomigliano d'Arco, playing at numerous festivals and recording a few albums. Sepe soon, however, became more interested in jazz and learned to play the saxophone. He continued recording and began performing with many prominent musicians, like Nino D'Angelo, Gino Paoli, Eduardo de Crescenzo, Mia Martini, Teresa de Sio, Roberto de Simone, Peppino Gagliardi, Nino Bonocore and Roberto Murolo. His band, which played under several names, varied widely, from purely wind instruments to big bands. He also composed music for the theatre, cinema and ballet.

In 1994, Sepe recorded Vite Perdite, which was much more successful than any of his previous niche recordings. It was dubbed album of year by Rockerilla, one of the one hundred greatest albums of the 1990s by Rockstar[disambiguation needed], and received a rave review from Folk-Roots, an English magazine.

Vite perdite
Daniele Sepe Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Vite perdite
Me legi subdideram
Minus licite
Dum fregi quod voveram
Sed ad vite vesperam
Corrigendum legi
Quidquid ante perperam
Puerilis egi

Predatori del mondo intero
Adesso che mancano terre alla vostra sete
Di totale devastazione
Andate a frugare anche il mare
Avidi, se il nemico è ricco
Arroganti, se è povero
Gente che né l'Oriente né l'Occidente possono saziare
Gente che né l'Oriente né l'Occidente possono saziare
Solo voi bramate possedere
Con pari smania, ricchezza e miseria
E rubano, massacrano, rapinano
E con falso nome
Lo chiamano impero
Rubano, massacrano, rapinano
E con falso nome
Lo chiaman nuovo ordine, infine
Dove fanno il deserto dicono
Che è la pace

Vite perdite
Me legi subdideram
Minus licite
Dum fregi quod voveram
Sed ad vite vesperam
Corrigendum legi
Quidquid ante perperam
Puerilis egi

Predatori del mondo intero
Adesso che mancano terre alla vostra sete
Di totale devastazione
Andate a frugare anche il mare
Avidi, se il nemico è ricco
Arroganti, se è povero
Gente che né l'Oriente né l'Occidente possono saziare
Gente che né l'Oriente né l'Occidente possono saziare
Solo voi bramate possedere
Con pari smania, ricchezza e miseria
E rubano, massacrano, rapinano
E con falso nome
Lo chiamano impero
Rubano, massacrano, rapinano
E con falso nome
Lo chiaman nuovo ordine, infine
Dove fanno il deserto dicono
Che è la pace

Vite perdite
Me legi subdideram
Minus licite
Dum fregi quod voveram
Sed ad vite vesperam
Corrigendum legi
Quidquid ante perperam
Puerilis egi

Vite perdite
Me legi subdideram
Minus licite
Dum fregi quod voveram
Sed ad vite vesperam
Corrigendum legi
Quidquid ante perperam
Puerilis egi

Raptores orbis
Postquam cuncta vastantibus
Defuere terrae mare scrutantur
Si locupes hostis est avari
Si pauper ambitiosi
Quos non oriens, non occidens satiaverit
Soli omnium inopes atque inopiam
Pari adfectu concupiscunt
Auferre, trucidare, rapere
Falsis nominibus imperium
Atque ubi solitudinem faciunt
Pacem appellant

Vite perdite
Me legi subdideram
Minus licite
Dum fregi quod voveram
Sed ad vite vesperam
Corrigendum legi
Quidquid ante perperam
Puerilis egi

Vite perdite
Me legi subdideram
Minus licite
Dum fregi quod voveram
Sed ad vite vesperam
Corrigendum legi

Quidquid ante perperam
Puerilis egi

Overall Meaning

The song "Vite perdite" by Daniele Sepe speaks about the destruction and devastation caused by the world's predators, who have looted and ravaged the Earth and are now turning towards the sea to satisfy their insatiable greed. The lyrics lament how the natural world is being destroyed, and how the world's poor and powerless are being ruthlessly exploited by those who crave wealth and power.

The song's opening lines "Vite perdite, me legi subdideram, minus licite, dum fregi quod voveram" translate to "Wasted lives, I had submitted myself to you, with less legitimacy, when I broke what I had promised." The lines express regret for having surrendered to the destructive forces of the world's predators and having broken the promise of protecting and preserving the natural world.

The lyrics also highlight the predatory nature of the world's powerful elite and their quest for domination and control. The lines "Rubano, massacrano, rapinano, e con falso nome, lo chiamano impero" ("They steal, massacre, plunder, and under a false name, they call it an empire") illustrate how those in power have justified their destructive actions with euphemistic language and deceptive narratives.

Overall, the song "Vite perdite" is a poignant critique of the destructive forces in the world, urging listeners to challenge the greed and exploitation that has brought the world to the brink of destruction.

Line by Line Meaning

Vite perdite
Life lost

Me legi subdideram
I had subjected myself to the law/guidelines

Minus licite
Less legally

Dum fregi quod voveram
While breaking my vow/promise

Sed ad vite vesperam
But as life draws to an end

Corrigendum legi
The law needs to be corrected

Quidquid ante perperam
Whatever was done wrong earlier

Puerilis egi
I did it like a child

Predatori del mondo intero
Predators of the whole world

Adesso che mancano terre alla vostra sete
Now that your thirst for land is not quenched

Di totale devastazione
Of total devastation