L'elefante con le ali
Matrioska Lyrics

The lyrics of Matrioska’s song “L’elefante con le ali” (“The Elephant with Wings” in English) are difficult to interpret because of the eclectic and surrealistic images present in the lines. The song seems to be about a confusing and erratic train of thoughts that may be evoked by overwhelming feelings of affection for someone. The opening line, “E′ una caramella il pozzo nella pista lentamente”, suggests that the singer’s perception may be distorted and things may appear sweet and desirable, even if they are just deep and dark pits. It seems that someone is approaching the singer, leading them to ask themselves “Ma sicuramente vuole delle pasta” (“But surely they want some pasta?”), which could either be a real question or just a random thought.

The next line “Dicono che se la canta da soprano ma da un’ora aspetto il treno” (“They say that if she sings it soprano, but I’ve been waiting for the train for an hour”) may indicate that the singer is caught up in a daydream and cannot focus on reality. The line continues “Ma lo so che deficiente io ci sono... il mio problema qual è? è che son pazzo di te...” (“But I know that I’m foolish... what is my problem? I’m crazy about you...”) which clarifies that the whole confusion is motivated by the singer’s infatuation with someone.

The rest of the lyrics are full of strange images and references; a “civetta” (an owl) eating a Christmas cake, a cow having breakfast, Biancaneve (Snow White) offering to sell the precious Cathedral for just £1000, and the singer saying “Posso dire che sto male” (“I can say that I’m not feeling well...”) which could be a sign of a distressful emotional state. Overall, the song seems to be constructed from disconnected images and pieces of thought that create a sense of confusion and disorientation. It seems that the singer is trying to express feelings that are hard to put into words and that are accompanied by chaotic and enigmatic thoughts.