He is considered one of the most original personalities in Italian music from the 1970s to now. Battiato's songs are dreamy, controversial collages of images and sensations, very experimental and convoluted, rich of esoteric, philosophical and East Asian religious themes.
His collaborations (from 1994 onward) with the nihilistic-cynical philosopher Manlio Sgalambro have added further depth to his apparently nonsensical lyrics, with references to Emil Cioran, Friedrich Nietzsche and other anarchistic and problematic thinkers.
Centro Di Gravità Permanente
Franco Battiato Lyrics
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Con un cappello e un ombrello di carta di riso e canna di bambù
Capitani coraggiosi
Furbi contrabbandieri macedoni
Gesuiti euclidei
Vestiti come dei bonzi per entrare a corte degli imperatori
Della dinastia dei Ming
Che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
Avrei bisogno di
Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
Che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
Over and over again
Per le strade di Pechino erano giorni di maggio
Tra noi si scherzava a raccogliere ortiche
Non sopporto i cori russi
La musica finto rock la new wave italiana il free jazz punk inglese
Neanche la nera africana
Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
Che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
Avrei bisogno di
Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
Che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
Over and over again
You are a woman in love
Baby I need your love
I want your love
Over and over again
Come in into my life
Baby, I want to give you my soul
Baby, I need your love
Centro di gravità permanente, which translates to "Center of permanent gravity," is a song by Franco Battiato that was released in 1981. The song describes the singer's search for a permanent center of gravity, something that will never change his mind regardless of the people or things around him. The lyrics mention various characters, including a Breton woman with a paper and bamboo umbrella, courageous captains, Macedonian smugglers, Jesuits drawn from Euclid, and members of the Ming Dynasty's imperial court. Battiato sings about his dislike for Russian choruses, fake rock music, Italian new wave, English punk, and African music.
The lyrics of Centro di gravità permanente are very rich with imagery and symbolism. The characters mentioned can be interpreted as representing different worldviews or philosophies, with the search for a permanent center of gravity representing the singer's desire for a stable and unchanging belief system. The idea of a center of gravity is also associated with science and physics, where it defines the point around which an object's weight is evenly distributed, and the object remains balanced. The song can thus be seen as a meditation on the balance between stability and change, both in the personal and the social spheres.
The lyrics also touch on themes of cultural identity and the rejection of conformity. Battiato sings about his search for something authentic and original, rejecting various music styles and cultures that he perceives as artificial or derivative. This rejection of conformity is also reflected in the refrain, where he asks for love that will never change or be influenced by external forces. Overall, Centro di gravità permanente is a deep and thought-provoking song that invites reflection on the search for stability and authenticity in a rapidly changing world.
Line by Line Meaning
Una vecchia bretone
A Breton woman
Con un cappello e un ombrello di carta di riso e canna di bambù
Wearing a hat and carrying a paper, rice, and bamboo umbrella
Capitani coraggiosi
Brave captains
Furbi contrabbandieri macedoni
Sly Macedonian smugglers
Gesuiti euclidei
Euclidean Jesuits
Vestiti come dei bonzi per entrare a corte degli imperatori
Dressed as Buddhist monks to enter the emperors' court
Della dinastia dei Ming
Of the Ming dynasty
Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
I'm looking for a center of permanent gravity
Che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
That never changes my mind about things and people
Avrei bisogno di
I would need
Over and over again
Repeatedly
Per le strade di Pechino erano giorni di maggio
On the streets of Beijing, it was May
Tra noi si scherzava a raccogliere ortiche
We joked about gathering nettles
Non sopporto i cori russi
I can't stand Russian choirs
La musica finto rock la new wave italiana il free jazz punk inglese
Fake rock music, Italian new wave, English free jazz punk
Neanche la nera africana
Not even African black music
You are a woman in love
You are a woman in love
Baby I need your love
Baby, I need your love
I want your love
I want your love
Come in into my life
Come into my life
Baby, I want to give you my soul
Baby, I want to give you my soul
Baby, I need your love
Baby, I need your love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Franco Battiato, Giusto Pio
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind