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.
Il Cammino Interminabile
Franco Battiato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Se vuoi sapere come sarai domani osserva i tuoi pensieri di oggi
Ci penzi quannu abballamu
E dintra all'occhi tutte e dui ni vaddamu.
Stu novu amicu tò nan sapi nenti... No sapi caia statu ju lu tò amanti.
Li turchi mi pigghiaru intra lu cori
A tradimentu m'arrubbaru l'amuri
ca di sti patti stannu d'arretu e mura.
Si no mi cuccu ‘n terra o ‘nda lu lettu
Ca di li vermi sugnu già mangiatu tuttu.
Si no mi cuccu ‘n terra o ‘nda lu lettu...
Curri e na stanca ‘u cavaddu ‘i Monreali
‘U tempu sta finennu na ‘n ci pinzari
macari aceddi sunu stanchi di cantari
su tempu...
mi l'aia passatu tra peni e turmenti
li peni di lu ‘nfernu nan su nenti
The lyrics of Franco Battiato's "Il Cammino Interminabile" speak about the connection between our thoughts, our body, and our future. The first verse says, "If you want to know your yesterday thoughts, observe your body today. If you want to know how you'll be tomorrow, observe your thoughts today." This suggests that our thoughts and our bodies are intimately connected, and by paying attention to them, we can gain insight into our past, and perhaps even shape our future.
The second part of the song is a conversation between two people who are dancing. One of them says that they are dancing with a new friend, who doesn't know anything about their past, that they were robbed of the love they had by betrayal. And then they talk about the inevitability of death, saying that if they don't take care of themselves, they will be eaten by worms.
Taken together, these lyrics suggest a philosophical and reflective approach to life, urging listeners to pay attention to their innermost thoughts and feelings and to be mindful of the connections between their inner life and their external reality. The lyrics also touch on themes of love, loss, and mortality, emphasizing the importance of living in the moment and taking care of oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Se vuoi conoscere i tuoi pensieri di ieri osserva il tuo corpo oggi
To understand yesterday’s thoughts, observe your body today.
Se vuoi sapere come sarai domani osserva i tuoi pensieri di oggi
To predict tomorrow, observe your thoughts today.
Ci penzi quannu abballamu
We think while we dance.
E dintra all'occhi tutte e dui ni vaddamu.
Looking into each other’s eyes, we move together.
Stu novu amicu tò nan sapi nenti... No sapi caia statu ju lu tò amanti.
Your new friend knows nothing about you. They don’t know that I was your lover.
Li turchi mi pigghiaru intra lu cori
The Turks captured my heart.
A tradimentu m'arrubbaru l'amuri
Betrayal robbed me of love.
‘nzignatimi la via prima cà scura
Teach me the way that first led into the dark.
ca di sti patti stannu d'arretu e mura.
Because these agreements are walls and barriers.
Si no mi cuccu ‘n terra o ‘nda lu lettu
If I don't lie on the ground or on the bed.
Ca di li vermi sugnu già mangiatu tuttu.
The worms have already eaten me up.
Curri e na stanca ‘u cavaddu ‘i Monreali
Running and fatigue, the horses of Monreali.
‘U tempu sta finennu na ‘n ci pinzari
Time is ending, we can't think about it.
macari aceddi sunu stanchi di cantari
Even the nightingales are tired of singing.
su tempu...mi l'aia passatu tra peni e turmenti li peni di lu ‘nfernu nan su nenti
Time has passed for me with pain and torment, the pains of hell mean nothing to me.
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@scarface182088
E di una bellezza straziante, uno dei pezzi più belli mai scritti dal maestro..
@davidepalermo7028
E come la fa finire...spettacolo puro...comunque il più bello scritto dal maestro è il prossimo che ascolti
@delendacarthago2474
La bellezza di questo.pezzo mi lascia senza respiro..gratitudine eterna al Maestro❤
@ticorillo93
Grazie Daniele per il video e grazie a tutti gli amanti della musica vera... Ho 16 anni e tutti mi davano del pazzo perché ascoltavo Franco... poi è bastato sentire qualcosa del Maestro per far cambiare idea a molti... Uao
@maryagyovanna
Un orgasmo generale, totale di gioia, felicità, nel cuore, nell'animo. Grande Battiato
@inad8787
Grazie a voi per apprezzare battiato! Condividere per me.. è quasi un dovere! Un saluto a tutti i miei amici!
@vattelapesca4283
è troppo bella questa canzone, la adoro
@1752LEONIDA1
questa canzone é bella come la tua terra,la tua lingua...e la tua ANIMA!
@MrUomodaffari
Che capolavoro!
@000beggar000
Tra le meno conosciute, tra le più grandi (IMHO)