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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La Ragazza Senza Nome
Gino Paoli Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Non so chi è
Non ha lasciato molto
Dietro sé
Un fiore, l'ombra di un sorriso
Due occhi in cui sparisce il viso
E niente più

Chissà perché

Ha fatto un po' l'amore insieme a me
Il trucco sfatto sul cuscino
E poi dormire lì vicino
E niente più
Niente più

E solo dopo qualche giorno
D'un tratto mi mancava intorno
Un fiore, l'ombra di un sorriso
Ed era lei
Ma perché proprio lei?

E Dio lo sa se l'ho cercata
Ma chissà dove era sparita
E quando ormai non ci speravo
Era lì, in piedi sulla porta
Proprio lei, con la sua gonna corta
E con quella sua domanda muta
"se mi vuoi, io son qui"

Ma perché proprio lei?

Non so chi sia
So solo che ora vive in casa mia
Le lascio uscendo di mattino
Un fiore lì sul comodino
Col mio cuore e un caffè
Un fiore

Col mio cuore
E un caffè

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gino Paoli's song "La Ragazza Senza Nome" tell the story of a mysterious woman who enters the singer's life. In the first verse, the singer admits that he does not know who she is and that she left very little behind. All he has as a memory of her is the image of a flower and the shadow of a smile. Her face disappears in her eyes, leaving nothing more to hold onto.

The second verse reflects on the singer's confusion about why she chose to be with him, even if it was just for a brief moment of love. He mentions finding the aftermath of their intimacy on the pillow, and then falling asleep next to her. However, there is a sense of emptiness in the end, as if she vanished without a trace, leaving him with nothing but memories.

The third verse reveals that after a few days, he suddenly began to feel her absence. He longed for the presence of the flower and the shadow of a smile, realizing he missed her. But why her? The singer poses this question, suggesting that her hold on him is inexplicable, transcending logical reasoning. It seems that her presence made a profound impact on him.

In the final verse, the singer conveys his continued search for her, expressing uncertainty about where she disappeared to. Just when he stopped hoping to find her, she appears at his door, dressed in a short skirt, and asks him silently if he still wants her. Again, the question of why it is specifically her remains unanswered.

Ultimately, the lyrics convey a sense of enchantment and intrigue surrounding the mysterious woman. Despite not knowing much about her or understanding why she captivates him, the singer persists in longing for her. He leaves a flower on the nightstand every morning, along with his heart and a cup of coffee, as a gesture of his enduring affection. The repetition of the lines "Un fiore, col mio cuore, e un caffè" highlights his devotion towards her, even in her absence.

Line by Line Meaning

Non so chi è
I don't know who she is

Non ha lasciato molto
She didn't leave much behind

Dietro sé
Behind herself

Un fiore, l'ombra di un sorriso
A flower, the shadow of a smile

Due occhi in cui sparisce il viso
Two eyes in which the face disappears

E niente più
And nothing more

Chissà perché
Who knows why

Ha fatto un po' l'amore insieme a me
She made love with me for a bit

Il trucco sfatto sul cuscino
The smeared makeup on the pillow

E poi dormire lì vicino
And then sleep close by

E niente più
And nothing more