His performing career began as a vibraphone player in local and touring bands. He began songwriting with his brother Giorgio Conte early on and eventually began writing songs of his own. As a poet, painter and lawyer as well as a musician, he first earned attention during the late '60s and early '70s as the creative force behind hits from Adriano Celentano and Patty Pravo. Conte began his solo career with a 1974 self-titled LP, with subsequent efforts like 1987's Aguaplano and 1990's Parole D'Amore Scritte a Macchina enjoying considerable success throughout Europe. 1998's Paolo Conte, a greatest-hits collection, was his first U.S. release. His compilation album is titled The Best of Paolo Conte.
Some of his hits were used in many movies, for example "Come di" (1999), "Via con me" in French Kiss (1995), Welcome to Collinwood (2002) , "Sparring Partner" in 5x2 (2004), "Chiamami Adesso" in The Lake House (2006), and the "Fritz" Coca Cola commercial that was widely shown in US movie theaters in early 2006. French humourist Pierre Desproges used both in his Chroniques de la haine ordinaire. The lyrics of "Insieme a te non ci sto più" was performed by Caterina Caselli in the Italian 2001 hit-at-Cannes La Stanza del Figlio.
Paolo Conte was a lawyer for years and has only retired recently.
Molto lontano
Paolo Conte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
oltre Milano
oltre i gasometri
oltre i manometri
oltre i chilometri
e i binari del tram
Lontano lontano
molto lontano
e l'elettricità
Là voglio arrendermi
in braccio a una musica
che chiude il discorso
delle affinità
forte petomane
scritta dal diavolo
in spregio evidente della civiltà
Forse tu non mi amerai
mi incontrerai
sorriderai
ma non mi amerai
Forse tu non mi amerai
mi ascolterai
mi seguirai
ma non mi amerai
La luna la luna
degli ululati
lascia ai poeti
della classicità
Là voglio arrendermi
in braccio a una musica
che chiude il discorso
dell'urbanità
forte petomane
scritta dal diavolo
in spregio solenne dell'umanità
Forse tu non mi amerai
mi parlerai
mi abbraccerai
ma non mi amerai
The lyrics in Paolo Conte's song, "Molto lontano" ("Very far away" in English) paint a picture of a desire to escape the urban landscape and the trappings of modern society - beyond Milan, beyond the gas and pressure gauges, beyond the kilometers and tram tracks. Far away from "running water and electricity", the singer wants to surrender to a music that embodies the essence of human connection, shutting down discourse about similarity and instead opting for a defiant, forbidden, and vulgar "strong flatulist" (forte petomane) written by the devil in contempt of civilization. The moon of the howlers leaves the poets of classicism behind, rendering them irrelevant to this experience.
In the chorus, the singer acknowledges that "maybe you won't love me", but you will meet me, you will smile at me, and maybe you will hear me, follow me, and embrace me - but you won't love me. The lyrics in the last stanza repeat the desire to surrender to music that closes the discourse of urbanity (dell'urbanita) in the arms of the forbidden "strong flatulist," which is again written by the devil, but this time in solemn contempt of humanity. The last two lines of the song repeat the chorus, acknowledging that maybe you will talk to me, hug me, or embrace me - but you won't love me.
Overall, the song is an ode to the desire to escape, the desire to rebel against societal norms and conventions that limit human connection and experience, and a recognition that perhaps despite these efforts, love remains an elusive and distant reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Lontano lontano oltre Milano oltre i gasometri oltre i manometri oltre i chilometri e i binari del tram
Far away, beyond Milan, beyond the gasometers, beyond the pressure gauges, beyond the kilometers and beyond the tram tracks.
Lontano lontano molto lontano oltre l'acqua corrente e l'elettricità
Very far away, beyond running water and electricity.
Là voglio arrendermi in braccio a una musica che chiude il discorso delle affinità forte petomane scritta dal diavolo in spregio evidente della civiltà
There, I want to surrender myself to a music that ends the conversation about similarities - a strong fart written by the devil in clear defiance of society.
Forse tu non mi amerai mi incontrerai sorriderai ma non mi amerai
Maybe you won't love me, you'll meet me, you'll smile, but you won't love me.
Forse tu non mi amerai mi ascolterai mi seguirai ma non mi amerai
Maybe you won't love me, you'll listen to me, you'll follow me, but you won't love me.
La luna la luna degli ululati lascia ai poeti della classicità
The howling moon is left to the classical poets.
Là voglio arrendermi in braccio a una musica che chiude il discorso dell'urbanità forte petomane scritta dal diavolo in spregio solenne dell'umanità
There, I want to surrender myself to a music that ends the conversation about urbanity - a strong fart written by the devil in solemn defiance of humanity.
Forse tu non mi amerai mi parlerai mi abbraccerai ma non mi amerai
Maybe you won't love me, you'll talk to me, you'll hug me, but you won't love me.
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Giovanni Lembo
Perfetto