… Read Full Bio ↴Ornella Vanoni (born September 22, 1934 in Milan) is an Italian singer.
She started her artistic career in 1960 as a theatrical actress of Bertolt Brecht works under the direction of Giorgio Strehler. At the same time, she started singing, recording for a high-class public. The folklore and popular songs she reinvented in her recordings of this period, especially ones connected with organized crime, gave her the nickname of cantante della mala (literally translated as "singer of the bad life")
Soon after her popularity rose, thanks to the songs "Senza fine" and "Che cosa c'è" (1963) written for her by Gino Paoli. In 1964 she won the Napoli Festival with "Tu si na cosa grande".
She subsequently took part in a series of Sanremo festivals, which resulted in great successes with the songs; "Abbracciami forte" (1965), "Io ti darò di più" (1966), "La musica è finita" (1967), "Casa bianca" (1968), and "Eternità" (1970). "Casa Bianca", which came second, was the subject of the dispute between its author Don Backy and the Clan of Adriano Celentano because of copyright problems.
During the same period she released the songs "Una ragione di più", "Un'ora sola ti vorrei" and "L'appuntamento".
In 1976 she met Vinicius de Moraes and Toquinho, and she released the songs "La voglia, la pazzia, l'incoscienza e l'allegria". During the 1980s she also released "Ricetta di donna" (1980), "Uomini" (1983) and "Ti lascio una canzone" (1985, a duet sung with Gino Paoli). In 1989 she returned to Sanremo with the song "Io come farò".
In 1999 she recorded "Alberi", a duet sung with Enzo Gragnaniello. She was mostly active in live concerts and as a guest singer in recordings. In 2004 she released a duo album with Gino Paoli as a way of celebrating her 70th birthday.
In addition to her singing career, Ornella Vanoni was active in many other performing arts. Apart from the aforementioned theatre career, she also took part in movies, posed nude for the Italian version of Playboy Italy and also participated in television programmes such as a parody of a velina of Striscia la notizia.
The inclusion of her song "L'Appuntamento" on the Ocean's Twelve soundtrack sparked a renewal of interest in Vanoni in the US.
Arrivederci
Ornella Vanoni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dammi la mano e sorridi
senza piangere
arrivederci
per una volta ancora
è bello fingere
abbiamo sfidato l'amore
quasi per gioco
soltanto per poco.
Arrivederci
esco dalla tua vita
salutiamoci
arrivederci
questo sarà l'addio
ma non pensiamoci
con una stretta di mano
da buoni amici sinceri
ci sorridiamo per dirci
arrivederci.
The lyrics of the song "Arrivederci" by Ornella Vanoni are a poignant and melancholic reflection on the nature of parting and saying goodbye. The singer implores her lover to give her a smile and not to cry as they bid one another a final farewell. There is an unspoken understanding that this is not the first time they have said goodbye, and that they have been toying with the idea of separating from one another for some time. They have played with love as if it were a game, but now they must pretend to part, if only for a short while.
The emotional complexity of this song lies in its recognition that farewells are never easy, even when they are expected. People often put up a brave front, pretending that they are not affected by the situation at hand. But deep down, we all feel the weight of loss, and it can be hard to bear. The singer and her lover acknowledge this truth by exchanging a firm handshake as they part ways, trying to convince themselves that they are good friends who will keep in touch. As the song draws to a close, there is a wistful tone in the words "arrivederci", which can be translated as "until we see each other again", suggesting that love is a promise that may or may not be fulfilled.
Overall, "Arrivederci" is a beautiful and heart-wrenching song that captures the essence of love and loss. It speaks to our universal experience of heartbreak and the courage it takes to say goodbye to someone we care for deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
Arrivederci
Goodbye
dammi la mano e sorridi
Give me your hand and smile
senza piangere
Without crying
per una volta ancora
One more time
è bello fingere
It's nice to pretend
abbiamo sfidato l'amore
We challenged love
quasi per gioco
Almost like a game
ed ora fingiam di lasciarci
And now we pretend to leave each other
soltanto per poco
Just for a little while
Arrivederci
Goodbye
esco dalla tua vita
I'm leaving your life
salutiamoci
Let's say goodbye
questo sarà l'addio
This will be the farewell
ma non pensiamoci
But let's not dwell on it
con una stretta di mano
With a handshake
da buoni amici sinceri
As good, sincere friends
ci sorridiamo per dirci
We smile at each other and say
arrivederci.
Goodbye.
Contributed by Katherine D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.