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.
Gli Uccelli
Franco Battiato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nello spazio tra le nuvole
Con le regole assegnate
A questa parte di universo
Al nostro sistema solare
Aprono le ali
Scendono in picchiata atterrano
Cambiano le prospettive al mondo
Voli imprevedibili ed ascese velocissime
Traiettorie impercettibili
Codici di geometria esistenziale
Migrano gli uccelli emigrano
Con il cambio di stagione
Giochi di aperture alari
Che nascondono segreti
Di questo sistema solare
Aprono le ali
Scendono in picchiata atterrano
Meglio di aeroplani
Cambiano le prospettive al mondo
Voli imprevedibili ed ascese velocissime
Traiettorie impercettibili
Codici di geometria esistenziale
Volano gli uccelli volano
Nello spazio tra le nuvole
Con le regole assegnate
A questa parte di universo
Al nostro sistema solare
The first verse of "Gli uccelli" talks about the flight of birds and how they follow the rules assigned to them in our part of the universe. Battiato is pointing out how birds are part of a complex system - our solar system - and they fly with trajectories of existential geometry that are not always visible to the naked eye. He is suggesting that there is a science to their movements which affects and changes perspective and perception of the world.
The second verse speaks about migratory birds and how their movements change with the seasons. During their seasonal journeys, birds use their wings like a game of secrets to navigate, which signals the unspoken majesty and wonder of the world. In both verses, Battiato is essentially highlighting the mysteries and revelations of bird flight and how they can offer perspectives that we may not normally see.
Overall, the song's lyrics celebrate the elegance and majesty of birds and their unique place in our universe. It encourages the listener to consider the beauty in nature and the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Volano gli uccelli volano
The birds fly, they take flight
Nello spazio tra le nuvole
In the space amongst the clouds
Con le regole assegnate
Following the rules assigned
A questa parte di universo
To this part of the universe
Al nostro sistema solare
To our solar system
Aprono le ali
Opening their wings
Scendono in picchiata atterrano
Diving down to land
Meglio di aeroplani
Better than airplanes
Cambiano le prospettive al mondo
Changing the world's perspectives
Voli imprevedibili ed ascese velocissime
Unpredictable flights and very fast ascents
Traiettorie impercettibili
Imperceptible trajectories
Codici di geometria esistenziale
Codes of existential geometry
Migrano gli uccelli emigrano
The birds migrate, they emigrate
Con il cambio di stagione
With the change of season
Giochi di aperture alari
Wing opening patterns
Che nascondono segreti
That hide secrets
Di questo sistema solare
Of this solar system
Volano gli uccelli volano
The birds fly, they take flight
Nello spazio tra le nuvole
In the space amongst the clouds
Con le regole assegnate
Following the rules assigned
A questa parte di universo
To this part of the universe
Al nostro sistema solare
To our solar system
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Franco Battiato, Giusto Pio
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind