Having the distinction of releasing three albums under th… Read Full Bio ↴Etna biography
Having the distinction of releasing three albums under three different names but without changing their personnel, this quartet from Sicily includes the brothers Agostino and Antonio Marangolo (drums and keyboards, respectively), their cousin Carlo Pennisi on guitar, and Elio Volpini on bass and sax. Based in Rome, they played under the name FLEA ON THE HONEY and then FLEA, having released two good albums ("Flea on the Honey" in 1971 and "Topi o Uomini" in 1972) in the hard progressive rock vein. Following the release of "Topi o Uomini," bassist Elio Volpini left the band to join his keyboard-playing brother Enzi in L'UOVO DI COLOMBO. He was replaced in FLEA briefly by Fabio Pignatelli, who later left to join CHERRY FIVE and GOBLIN. FLEA then broke up for a short time.
In 1975 the original four members reunited and changed their name to ETNA. Their only eponymous album represents a major shift in musical style to Jazz Rock. The style emphasizes melodic jazz rock, similar to NOVA and IL BARICENTRO, as opposed to the lightning fast style of some of the Fusion bands of the day.
The group then broke up for the last time. Elio Volpini played with many musicians on stage and in the studio. Agostino Marangolo joined GOBLIN and was later involved in NEW PERIGEO and later in the new version of NAPOLI CENTRALE. Antonio Marangalo had a successful career as a session musician and released a solo album "Duo" in 1987. Carlo Pennisi played briefly in LIBRA, MEDITERRANEO, GOBLIN, and NEW PERIGEO. The Marangolo brothers and cousin Carlo Pennisi played together again on Agostino's 2001 solo album "Day By Day," which is supposed to be similar to WEATHER REPORT in style.
Nie ma wody na pustyni
Etna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Czołgać się już dłużej nie mam siły o jak bardzo bardzo chce się pić
Nasza karawana w piach się wciska tonie w niej jak stutonowa łódź
Nasz kapelmistrz patrzy na nas z bliska brudne włosy stoją mu jak drut
Nasz kapelmistrz pije stare wino w oczach jego widzę dziki blask
Spił się już dokładnie tak jak świnia i po tyłkach batem bije nas
Pustynia wciąga nas od głowy do pięt
Wypala oczy suszy ciało i krew
I tylko tra tra tra zgrzyta w zębach piach
Słońce opala brzuchy wiatr tarmosi nasze ciuchy
La la la la
La la la la
Nie ma nie ma wody na pustyni a przed nami jeszcze drogi szmat
Czyja to jest kara kogo wina że czołgamy się już tyle lat
Nasz kapelmistrz pije stare wino w oczach jego widzę dziki blask
Spił się już dokładnie tak jak świnia i po tyłkach batem bije nas
La la la la
Pustynia wciąga nas od głowy do pięt
Wypala oczy suszy ciało i krew
I tylko tra tra tra zgrzyta w zębach piach
Słońce opala brzuchy wiatr tarmosi nasze ciuchy
La la la la
The song "Nie ma wody na pustyni" by Etna talks about the struggles of a caravan crossing a desert and the unbearable thirst they face. The first verse describes the lack of water in the desert and the exhaustion of the camels, who refuse to continue walking. The persona expresses their desperation to drink, emphasizing how much they long for water. The imagery of the sinking caravan in the sand is used to illustrate the dire situation they are in, comparing it to a sinking ship. The mention of the conductor, or kapelmistrz, watching them closely with dirty hair that stands up like wire, suggests a sense of control and authority in their suffering. The conductor is portrayed as drunk and abusive, likened to a pig, as he beats them with a whip.
The chorus repeats the refrain "La la la la," which serves as a sort of cathartic release amidst the hardships. The following verse describes how the desert consumes them from head to toe, burning their eyes, drying their bodies, and depleting their blood. The sound of "tra tra tra" is used to mimic the sound of the sand grinding in their teeth, further emphasizing the harshness of their environment. The heat of the sun, meanwhile, tans their stomachs, while the wind scrubs their clothes, symbolizing the relentless nature of their surroundings.
In the final verse, the persona questions whose fault it is that they have been wandering for so long, and who is to blame for their current predicament. They once again mention the conductor, who continues to drink old wine, exhibiting a wild glimmer in his eyes. This time, however, the conductor's drunkenness is amplified, comparing him to a pig. He continues to abuse them with his whip, highlighting the cycle of suffering they endure.
The repetition of the chorus brings a sense of longing and desperation, as the chorus is sung with increased intensity. Overall, the lyrics of "Nie ma wody na pustyni" convey the hardship, thirst, and abuse faced by the caravan in the desert, painting a vivid picture of their struggle for survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Nie ma nie ma wody na pustyni a wielbłądy nie chcą dalej iść
There is no water in the desert, and the camels refuse to go on
Czołgać się już dłużej nie mam siły o jak bardzo bardzo chce się pić
I don't have the strength to crawl any longer, oh how desperately I want to drink
Nasza karawana w piach się wciska tonie w niej jak stutonowa łódź
Our caravan is sinking into the sand, drowning in it like a hundred-ton ship
Nasz kapelmistrz patrzy na nas z bliska brudne włosy stoją mu jak drut
Our bandmaster looks at us closely, his dirty hair standing up like wire
Nasz kapelmistrz pije stare wino w oczach jego widzę dziki blask
Our bandmaster drinks old wine, in his eyes I see a wild gleam
Spił się już dokładnie tak jak świnia i po tyłkach batem bije nas
He's gotten drunk exactly like a pig and beats us with a whip on our backsides
La la la la
N/A
Pustynia wciąga nas od głowy do pięt
The desert consumes us from head to toe
Wypala oczy suszy ciało i krew
It burns the eyes, dries the body and blood
I tylko tra tra zgrzyta w zębach piach
And only 'tra tra' grinds sand in our teeth
Słońce opala brzuchy wiatr tarmosi nasze ciuchy
The sun tans our bellies, the wind tatters our clothes
La la la la
N/A
La la la la
N/A
Nie ma nie ma wody na pustyni a przed nami jeszcze drogi szmat
There is no water in the desert, and before us are still ragged roads
Czyja to jest kara kogo wina że czołgamy się już tyle lat
Whose punishment is this, whose fault is it that we've been crawling for so many years
Nasz kapelmistrz pije stare wino w oczach jego widzę dziki blask
Our bandmaster drinks old wine, in his eyes I see a wild gleam
Spił się już dokładnie tak jak świnia i po tyłkach batem bije nas
He's gotten drunk exactly like a pig and beats us with a whip on our backsides
La la la la
N/A
Pustynia wciąga nas od głowy do pięt
The desert consumes us from head to toe
Wypala oczy suszy ciało i krew
It burns the eyes, dries the body and blood
I tylko tra tra zgrzyta w zębach piach
And only 'tra tra' grinds sand in our teeth
Słońce opala brzuchy wiatr tarmosi nasze ciuchy
The sun tans our bellies, the wind tatters our clothes
La la la la
N/A
Lyrics © SCHUBERT MUSIC PUBLISHING INC.
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