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.
La Quiete Dopo Un Addio
Franco Battiato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Giacevo così mi parve e cadeva la neve
Curiosità e prudenza si univano ed indagavo
Mi avventurai a studiare il gelo e i suoi composti
E le immense riserve
Verrà un altro temporale sarà di nuovo estate
E scoppieranno i suoi colori per le strade
Ci sentiremo crescere e la voglia di viaggiare
Che rifaranno credere.
Monti sorgenti, dalle acque appariranno le baie dell’incostanza
Le valli dell’incoerenza per superare questa noia di vivere
Prendi ciò che vuoi dai tuoi giardini sospesi nell’anima
Verrà un nuovo temporale e finirà l’estate
La quiete dei colori autunnali a riflettersi sulle strade e sugli umori
Come il dolce malessere dopo un addio
Poche le cose che restano alla fine di un’estate
La quiete dei colori autunnali si rifletterà sulle strade e sugli umori
Come il dolce malessere dopo un addio.
The song "La Quiete Dopo Un Addio" by Franco Battiato explores the emotions that come after the end of something, in particular, a relationship. The first stanza describes a time when the singer lived in seclusion, and one particular day when the snow fell. The singer was curious and cautious and began to study the frost and its properties. The second stanza talks about a storm that will come again and bring with it the colors of summer. The longing to travel and meet new people and experience new love will return, and it will give them the opportunity to believe in love again.
The following stanza talks about the beauty that will appear when the mountains come up from the waters, and the valleys of incoherence will disappear, all to dispel the boredom of living. The refrain "Prendi ciò che vuoi dai tuoi giardini sospesi nell'anima" is repeated several times throughout the song and means "Take what you want from your gardens suspended in your soul." This line seems to suggest that the singer is telling the listener to look within themselves to find what they need to move past the loneliness that follows an ending.
The final stanza reiterates that there are few things that remain after the end of summer, but the tranquility of autumn colors will reflect in the streets and moods like the sweet malaise after a goodbye. Overall, the song suggests that the end of anything can be unpleasant, but with time and patience, things will inevitably change and new experiences and love will come.
Line by Line Meaning
Vivevamo segregati a quel tempo
At that time, we lived in isolation
Giacevo così mi parve e cadeva la neve
I lay down and it seemed to me that snow was falling
Curiosità e prudenza si univano ed indagavo
Curiosity and caution merged as I investigated
Mi avventurai a studiare il gelo e i suoi composti
I ventured to study frost and its compounds
E le immense riserve
And its vast reserves
Verrà un altro temporale sarà di nuovo estate
Another storm will come, and summer will return
E scoppieranno i suoi colori per le strade
Its colors will burst forth on the streets
Ci sentiremo crescere e la voglia di viaggiare
We'll feel ourselves grow and desire to travel
Ed incontrare nuovi amori
And meet new loves
Che rifaranno credere.
Who will make us believe again.
Monti sorgenti, dalle acque appariranno le baie dell’incostanza
Rising mountains, bays of inconsistency will appear from the waters
Le valli dell’incoerenza per superare questa noia di vivere
The valleys of incoherence to overcome this boredom of living
Prendi ciò che vuoi dai tuoi giardini sospesi nell’anima
Take what you want from your suspended gardens in your soul
Verrà un nuovo temporale e finirà l’estate
A new storm will come and summer will end
La quiete dei colori autunnali a riflettersi sulle strade e sugli umori
The calm of autumn colors reflecting on the streets and moods
Come il dolce malessere dopo un addio
Like the sweet discomfort after a farewell
Poche le cose che restano alla fine di un’estate
Few things remain at the end of a summer
La quiete dei colori autunnali si rifletterà sulle strade e sugli umori
The calm of autumn colors will reflect on the streets and moods
Come il dolce malessere dopo un addio.
Like the sweet discomfort after a farewell.
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.