"E lucevan le stelle"
Luciano Pavarotti Lyrics


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E lucevan le stelle,
Ed olezzava la terra
Stridea l'uscio dell'orto
E un passo sfiorava la rena.
Entrava ella fragrante,
Mi cadea fra la braccia.

O dolci baci, o languide carezze,
Mentr'io fremente le belle forme disciogliea dai veli!
Svanì per sempre il sogno mio d'amore.
L'ora è fuggita, e muoio disperato!




E muoio disperato! E non ho amato mai tanto la vita!
Tanto la vita!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Luciano Pavarotti's song "E lucevan le stelle" are in Italian and tell the story of a man who is reminiscing about a past love affair as he looks up at the stars in the sky. The verse begins with the description of the stars shining brightly in the night sky and the scent of the earth. Then the sound of a door opening in a nearby garden and the sound of footsteps on the sand catch the man's attention. It is here that the man's beloved enters the scene, appearing as a captivating fragrance and falling into the man's arms.


Subsequently, the singer describes the sweet kisses and gentle caresses he bestowed upon his love and how he was unable to resist unveiling her beauty. However, this idyllic moment does not sustain as the man realizes that his dream of love has come to an end. The hour has passed, and he faces death in utter despair. With profound regret, he confesses that he has never loved life as much as he did in this moment, suggesting that his life had been incomplete before his love.


Overall, "E lucevan le stelle" is a tragic love song that displays the idea of the transient nature of life and love, and how it can be lost in an instant. The song expresses a sense of regret and sorrow for the past love that has now come to an end. It is a haunting and emotive piece that showcases Pavarotti's excellent vocal range and ability to convey powerful emotions.


Line by Line Meaning

E lucevan le stelle,
And the stars were shining brightly,


Ed olezzava la terra
And the earth was emanating a sweet fragrance


Stridea l'uscio dell'orto
The gate of the garden creaked,


E un passo sfiorava la rena.
And a footstep barely touched the sand.


Entrava ella fragrante,
She entered fragrant,


Mi cadea fra le braccia.
and fell into my arms.


O dolci baci, o languide carezze,
Oh sweet kisses, oh languid caresses,


Mentr'io fremente le belle forme disciogliea dai veli!
While I, trembling, was revealing her beautiful shape from her veils!


Svanì per sempre il sogno mio d'amore.
My dream of love vanished forever.


L'ora è fuggita, e muoio disperato!
The hour has fled, and I die in despair!


E muoio disperato! E non ho amato mai tanto la vita!
I die in despair! And I have never loved life so much!




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICK DODD, NICK PATRICK, GIACOSA PUCCINI, EVANS WYNNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Tayga72

E lucevan le stelle,
Е olezzava la terra,
Stridea l'uscio dell'orto
E un passo sfiorava la rena.
Entrava ella, fragrante,
Mi cadea fra le braccia.

Oh! dolci baci, o languide carezze,
Mentr'io fremente
Le belle forme disciogliea dai veli!
Svanì per sempre il sogno mio d'amore...
L'ora è fuggita,
E muoio disperato,
E muoio disperato!
E non ho amato mai tanto la vita!



All comments from YouTube:

@loriseybt3832

Imagine sitting in the audience and hearing that voice start flowing around you oh how I envy anyone hearing him live!!

@loriseybt3832

Please tell me about it!!

@luisquintanilla1954

My grandma took me to see him to one of his last presentations in Lima but I was 5 years old and barely remember it :'(

@ronnieplonk

I didn't see this, but I did see him live once. Let's just say that my life has never been the same since. Not only was he technically the best but the amount of emotion he threw into his songs would make the hardest man tremble. He was awe-inspiring. God bless him!

@RosarioCostanzo

It's not just his voice! God, Luciano was the greatest interpreter! He is really singing and suffering as he was really going to be executed. The best, the greatest, the only one

@giovannaandolina3956

Listen to Franco Corelli versione in 1967 and the tell me Who Is the best

@kmoore4896

Leave y'all fake fairy tale God outta this 😏🙄!!!!

@robyfiorili

It's all about interpretation

@loriseybt3832

All the comparisons aside on who sang it better In his day Pavarotti had one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard!!!

@NaturalSisa

@@giovannaandolina3956 Enrico Caruso is the best. I love this piece. Listened to it countless times, but Caruso is my favorite. His version feels as if he lived through it and he did in a way. Corelli is a close second for me.

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