He made his debut in 1962 and quickly placed high at or won a number of Italian popular song festivals, including the Canzonissima festival in 1969.
In 1970, he represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with Occhi Di Ragazza. His career went into a decline in the 1970s but underwent a revival in the 1980s. He won the Festival of San Remo in 1987, placed second in 1995 and third in 2000.
It is estimated that Morandi has sold 30 million records and CDs. He has written a number of autobiographical books and appeared in 18 films.
In TV he has played in 1984 Claude Jade's husband Davide in TV-Series Voglia di volare.
Il giocattolo
Gianni Morandi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
non mi basta mai
E' finita ma
ricomincerei
Questo amore è un giocattolo
che non potrà stancarmi mai
fa morire e fa vivere
Ma il prezzo di un giocattolo così
è di mille lacrime d'amor
che ogni sera piango in mano a te
quando tu mi lasci e te ne vai
E' finita ma
ricomincerei
Stare insieme a te
non mi basta mai
Questo amore è un giocattolo
che fa ridere e piangere
non ho più giorni inutili
ora so per chi vivere
Ma il prezzo di un giocattolo così
è di mille lacrime d'amor
che ogni sera piango in mano a te
quando tu mi lasci e te ne vai
Stare insieme a te
non mi basta mai
E' finita ma
Ricomincerei
Stare insieme a te
non mi basta mai
The lyrics of Gianni Morandi's song "Il Giocattolo" express the singer's deep longing for the love he once had, which has now ended. He admits that being with his former partner was never enough for him, and though the relationship is over, he finds himself wanting to start over again. He then compares the love they shared to a toy, which he cannot get bored of playing with, and which both gives him life and tears him apart. He knows that the price he has to pay for this toy is a thousand tears he sheds every night as he holds it close, wishing his partner would not leave him.
Despite the melancholic tone of the lyrics, Morandi's performance of the song is lively and upbeat, and the use of playful metaphors, such as love as a toy, makes it a catchy tune that can easily get stuck in one's head. The juxtaposition of such contrasting emotions as joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, also adds to the song's emotional complexity, conveying the singer's feelings of both regret and hopefulness. Overall, "Il Giocattolo" is a poignant love song that captures the bittersweet nature of love and the human need to seek it out, even when it hurts.
Line by Line Meaning
Stare insieme a te
Being with you is never enough
non mi basta mai
I am never satisfied
E' finita ma
It's over, but
ricomincerei
I would start again
Questo amore è un giocattolo
This love is a toy
che non potrà stancarmi mai
that I will never tire of
fa morire e fa vivere
It causes me to die and to live
questo amore che tu mi dai
This love that you give to me
Ma il prezzo di un giocattolo così
But the price of such a toy
è di mille lacrime d'amor
is a thousand tears of love
che ogni sera piango in mano a te
that I cry for every night in your hands
quando tu mi lasci e te ne vai
when you leave me and go away
che fa ridere e piangere
Which makes me laugh and cry
non ho più giorni inutili
I don't have any more useless days
ora so per chi vivere
now I know who to live for
Contributed by Jacob G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.