Paoli was born in Monfalcone, but moved very early to Genoa.
After several different jobs, he was called by Ricordi with his friends Luigi Tenco and Bruno Lauzi. His first success was the single "La gatta". This was followed by "Sapore di sale", arranged by Ennio Morricone. In the same year he attempted suicide by shooting at his heart, but he survived.
In 1974 he returned with the LP I semafori rossi non sono Dio, followed by Il mio mestiere (1977). Both showed a more mature inspiration than his 1960s works. In the 1980s Paoli procuded a series of successful albums, and in 1985 he toured Italy together with Ornella Vanoni.
In 1987 he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies for the Italian Communist Party. He abandoned politics in 1992.
He was married with actress Stefania Sandrelli, from whom he divorced. Their daughter Amanda Sandrelli is also an actress.
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Bozzoliana
Gino Paoli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
come se fosse in fondo una gran città
e c'è perfino il nigth
dietro alle stalle i buoi,
vieni da Pietro e sei per i fatti tuoi.
Entra c'è già il tuo posto alla sua tavola
se vuoi mangiare mangia
Non è molto elegante e poi bestemmia un po',
ma il cuore ce l'ha in faccia e te lo dà.
Le mani, cinquant'anni che lavorano
i campi che oggi ho visto intorno a Bozzolo.
Non è molto elegante e poi bestemmia un po',
ma il cuore ce l'ha in faccia e te lo dà.
La belva ha fatto il giro della città
l'ultimo furto è stato vent'anni fa
poi anche lui verrà
a bere insieme a noi
tanto da Pietro sei per i fatti tuoi.
Quanto mi rompo ora a tornare a vivere
in quella gran città fatta di cadaveri
quanto è meglio il sapore dell'erba fracida,
quanto sarebbe meglio stare qui.
The lyrics to Gino Paoli's song Bozzoliana paint a vivid picture of a quaint, rural Italian town with a small bar that stays open late. The singer suggests that even though the town may not seem like much, it has all the necessary amenities of a big city including a "night" spot (most likely a discotheque). The bar in question is run by a man named Pietro who welcomes all to his establishment with open arms, even providing them with a spot at his table to share a meal in a communal fashion. While Pietro may not be the most refined individual due to his occasional cursing, he wears his heart on his sleeve and shows kindness to all those who visit his bar.
Line by Line Meaning
In piazza il bar è aperto fino alle tre
The bar in the square is open until three o'clock
come se fosse in fondo una gran città
as if it were a big city
e c'è perfino il nigth
There's even the night club
dietro alle stalle i buoi,
behind the cows in the stables,
vieni da Pietro e sei per i fatti tuoi.
Come to Pietro's and mind your own business.
Entra c'è già il tuo posto alla sua tavola
Come in, your seat at his table is already waiting
se vuoi mangiare mangia
If you want to eat, go ahead
e poi puoi berci su.
And then you can have a drink.
Non è molto elegante e poi bestemmia un po',
He isn't very elegant, and he swears a little bit,
ma il cuore ce l'ha in faccia e te lo dà.
But he wears his heart on his sleeve and gives it to you.
Le mani, cinquant'anni che lavorano
His hands have worked for fifty years
i campi che oggi ho visto intorno a Bozzolo.
In the fields that I saw around Bozzolo today.
Non è molto elegante e poi bestemmia un po',
He isn't very fancy and he swears a little bit,
ma il cuore ce l'ha in faccia e te lo dà.
But he wears his heart on his sleeve and gives it to you.
La belva ha fatto il giro della città
The wild animal has gone around the city
l'ultimo furto è stato vent'anni fa
The last theft was twenty years ago
poi anche lui verrà
Then he too will come
a bere insieme a noi
To drink with us
tanto da Pietro sei per i fatti tuoi.
Since you're at Pietro's, mind your own business.
Quanto mi rompo ora a tornare a vivere
How much I struggle to go back to living
in quella gran città fatta di cadaveri
In that big city full of corpses
quanto è meglio il sapore dell'erba fracida,
How much better the taste of rotten grass is
quanto sarebbe meglio stare qui.
How much better it would be to stay here.
Writer(s): Giuseppe Pirazzoli, Gino Paoli
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.