Born in Sassuolo, in the Province of Modena and belonging to a working class family, when he was 4 he suffered of poliomyelitis and he lost the use of his legs. He started his singing career at the end of 1973, with the album Rosso colore dell'amore and one year later with the self-produced album Roca Blues. One of his most famous albums was the 1979 "A muso duro".
Married to Bruna, he had 3 sons, Emiliano, Petra and Alberto, also a singer.
In 1990 he worked with Elio e le Storie Tese, and in 1991 with Tazenda. In 1992 he took part in the Sanremo Music Festival.
Bertoli died in Modena on October 7, 2002.
Navigatori
Pierangelo Bertoli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Guardava gli uomini del mondo intero
E sulla rotta non mandava luce
Era lì ferma nell'immensa pace
E tutto stava lì da un tempo eterno senza inferno
A noi dispersi disegnava un porto ed era notte sopra un mare perso
Navigavamo oltre Gibilterra, cercando un angolo su questa Terra
Una speranza forse solo un sogno, un bisogno
Una nuova conoscenza sboccerà
Il capitano stava ritto a prora e aveva un tuono chiuso nella gola
Il desiderio di poter urlare, gridare: "Terra!" è finito il mare
Per fare a nuoto l'ultima barriera da varcare
Ma nella stiva c'era tanto posto
Ed imbottirla infine ad ogni costo
Non vedevamo il sangue sul cammino
Ma volevamo uccidere il destino con l'illusione di poter barare per contare
Quando l'ancora la corsa fermerà
Una nuova conoscenza sboccerà
E giunse Terra come un grande dono
E giunse gente priva del perdono
Facemmo loro croci di speranza
Ma regalammo un lutto in ogni stanza
Lasciammo chiese in cambio di un tesoro tutto d'oro
Tornammo a bordo sulla vecchia traccia
Sedemmo stanchi intorno al capitano
E sulla tolda stava il cappellano
Le gole gonfie fino a farci male nel cantare
Quando l'ancora la corsa fermerà
Una nuova conoscenza sboccerà.
The song "Navigatori" by Pierangelo Bertoli is a deep and meaningful ballad about the challenges and sacrifices of exploration and colonization. The first verse sets the stage, describing a great star in the sky that watches over all of humanity but doesn't provide any guidance or direction. It's up to us to navigate the unknown waters of the world and find our own way. The singer, likely a sailor or explorer, is on a quest to find a new land to call home, but the journey is filled with danger and uncertainty.
As the sailors sail beyond Gibraltar, the sense of desperation and longing becomes more palpable. They're searching for hope and a new beginning, but it's a challenge to keep going when the seas are rough and the destination is unknown. The captain is resolute and steadfast, but even he struggles with the weight of the unknown, with a deep desire to scream out and find land. The sailors are determined to find a place to call home and to conquer the unknown and the unforeseen. Regardless of the cost, they are determined to find a way.
As they finally encounter land, the reality sets in. They encounter people who don't understand their language or customs, and they struggle to find a place in this new world. They try to bring hope and faith, but their presence also brings conflict and violence. They leave behind a trail of sorrow and heartache, exchanging churches for gold and leaving behind a wake of grief. Yet, despite the difficulties, they press on, driven by a desire to explore and conquer new frontiers.
Overall, "Navigatori" is a powerful meditation on the human desire to explore and conquer, but also on the tragic costs that come with this kind of ambition. It asks difficult questions about colonization and the price of progress, while also portraying the courage and determination of those who seek to chart a new course in life.
Line by Line Meaning
La grande stella stava attenta in cielo
The big star was watchful in the sky
Guardava gli uomini del mondo intero
It watched over all the people of the world
E sulla rotta non mandava luce
But it didn't send light on our path
Era lì ferma nell'immensa pace
It was still, in immense peace
E tutto stava lì da un tempo eterno senza inferno
Everything had been there for an eternal time without chaos
A noi dispersi disegnava un porto ed era notte sopra un mare perso
It drew us, the lost ones, a harbor in the night over a lost sea
Navigavamo oltre Gibilterra, cercando un angolo su questa Terra
We sailed past Gibraltar, searching for a corner of this Earth
Una speranza forse solo un sogno, un bisogno
Hope, perhaps just a dream, a need
Quando l'ancora la corsa fermerà
When the anchor will cease our journey
Una nuova conoscenza sboccerà
A new understanding will blossom
Il capitano stava ritto a prora e aveva un tuono chiuso nella gola
The captain stood upright at the prow, thunder trapped in his throat
Il desiderio di poter urlare, gridare: 'Terra!' è finito il mare
The desire to scream, to shout 'Land!' - the sea journey is at an end
Per fare a nuoto l'ultima barriera da varcare
To swim and overcome the last barrier
Ma nella stiva c'era tanto posto
But there was plenty of room in the hold
Ed imbottirla infine ad ogni costo
And to fill it up at all costs
Non vedevamo il sangue sul cammino
We didn't see the blood on the path
Ma volevamo uccidere il destino con l'illusione di poter barare per contare
But we wanted to kill fate, with the illusion of cheating to have a count
E giunse Terra come un grande dono
Land arrived like a great gift
E giunse gente priva del perdono
People arrived without forgiveness
Facemmo loro croci di speranza
We gave them crosses of hope
Ma regalammo un lutto in ogni stanza
But we gifted sorrow in every room
Lasciammo chiese in cambio di un tesoro tutto d'oro
We left churches in exchange for an all-golden treasure
Tornammo a bordo sulla vecchia traccia
We returned aboard on the old trail
Sedemmo stanchi intorno al capitano
We sat tired around the captain
E sulla tolda stava il cappellano
And on the deck stood the chaplain
Le gole gonfie fino a farci male nel cantare
Our throats were swollen, hurting from singing
Quando l'ancora la corsa fermerà
When the anchor will cease our journey
Una nuova conoscenza sboccerà
A new understanding will blossom
Contributed by Hannah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.