Gino Paoli (born 23 September 1934) is an Italian singer-songwriter.
Read Full Bio ↴Gino Paoli (born 23 September 1934) is an Italian singer-songwriter.

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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I Gatti Si Difendono Così
Gino Paoli Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I gatti si difendono così
mostrando sempre un'aria indifferente
come se una carezza
non fosse poi così importante
come se il loro cuore
non ascoltasse niente

I gatti si difendono così

I gatti si comportano così

Tanto non sei come gli altri
ma non lo dicono
e se amano si come gli altri
non lo dimostrano
non cercano
non chiedono

I gatti si difendono così
facendo finta di non sentir niente
e quando gli fai male
nascondono il dolore
curandosi da soli
leccandosi da soli

I gatti si difendono così
I gatti si comportano così

Tanto non sei come gli altri
ma non lo dicono
e se amano si come gli altri
non lo dimostrano
non cercano
non chiedono

I gatti si comportano così
facendo finta di non saper niente
capiscono senz'altro più di te
ma non ti fan pesare
quel che sanno
ti guardano
poi se ne vanno via

I gatti si comportano così
I gatti si difendono così
I gatti si comportano così
I gatti si difendono così

I gatti si comportano così
I gatti si difendono così

Overall Meaning

The Italian song "I Gatti Si Difendono Così," translated as "Cats Defend Themselves Like This," speaks about the nature of cats and how they protect themselves from the emotional wounds that can come from caring too much. The lyrics suggest that cats keep an air of indifference, making it appear as if they don't care about affection, when in actuality they just have a different way of showing it. They pretend not to feel pain, hide it when they do, and only heal themselves with their own methods.

The first verse of the song illustrates how cats protect themselves by keeping an indifferent demeanor and not appearing to care for physical touch. They maintain this posture even when their hearts are listening and longing for affection. The chorus then repeats the title, "Cats defend themselves like this," suggesting that there is no other way for them to behave.

The second verse delves into the topic of love, describing that cats don't express it aloud. They don't need to seek and ask for it because it's already within them. Similarly, they hide their pain and resort to self-help techniques such as licking their wound. The lyrics again emphasize the chorus, stating that the behavior portrayed is a defense mechanism.

In summary, the song is communicating that cats protect themselves from emotional pain through a façade of indifference. They are in tune with their emotions despite their appearance of not caring. The message to the listener is that everyone has their own way of handling emotions, including animals.

Line by Line Meaning

I gatti si difendono così
Cats defend themselves this way

mostrando sempre un'aria indifferente
by always showing an indifferent air

come se una carezza non fosse poi così importante
as if a caress wasn't all that important

come se il loro cuore non ascoltasse niente
as if their heart wasn't listening to anything

I gatti si comportano così
Cats behave this way

Tanto non sei come gli altri ma non lo dicono
You're not like the others, but they don't say it

e se amano si come gli altri non lo dimostrano
and if they love like the others, they don't show it

non cercano non chiedono
they don't seek or ask

facendo finta di non sentir niente
pretending not to feel anything

e quando gli fai male nascondono il dolore
and when you hurt them, they hide the pain

curandosi da soli leccandosi da soli
healing themselves, licking themselves

facendo finta di non saper niente
pretending not to know anything

capiscono senz'altro più di te
they certainly understand more than you

ma non ti fan pesare quel che sanno
but they don't make you feel the weight of their knowledge

ti guardano poi se ne vanno via
they look at you and then go away

Writer(s): Paola Penzo, Gino Paoli Copyright: Fonit Cetra Music Publishing S.r.l., Universal Music Publishing Ricordi S.r.l.

Contributed by Abigail D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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