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.
Povera Mary
Pierangelo Bertoli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
e quel lontano giorno ormai
non lo potrai scordare tu,
lo hai negli occhi sempre più;
fu da quel dì che la bambina che era in te,
senza problemi, né perché,
si è ritrovata abbandonata donna ormai.
Povera Mary, che n'è stato dei rosai?
Passò qualche tempo ed arrivò
la nuova vita nata in te,
chiudesti al mondo gli occhi tuoi
per dedicarti solo a lei;
il nome che le hai dato lo portò
e mai un momento lo lasciò,
tua figlia vive per la madre che c'è in te.
Povera Mary, sono triste e penso a te!
Poi la tua bambina si sposò
e il cuore in gola ti arrivò,
dalla finestra il cielo è blu,
per una volta hai vinto tu;
bussano alla porta, chi sarà?
un brigadiere?, che vorrà?,
"Lei è la madre? C'è sua figlia morta, sa?"
Povera Mary, di te adesso che sarà?
Vecchia, stanca, lacera tu sei,
ma torni ancora quando puoi
nel cimitero, da colei
che è stata tutti i sogni tuoi;
sola verso casa tornerai,
e mentre torni penserai:
"Un altro giorno in meno,
vado verso lei!"
Povera Mary, sto piangendo e penso a te.
The song Povera Mary by Pierangelo Bertoli tells the story of a woman named Mary who was abandoned as a young girl and had to grow up quickly. The first stanza describes her departure from her childhood, as she leaves behind her innocence and carefree attitude. The line "fu da quel dì che la bambina che era in te, senza problemi, né perché, si è ritrovata abbandonata donna ormai" translates to "it was from that day on that the girl who was in you, without problems or reasons, found herself abandoned, now a woman." Mary's abandonment clearly had a profound impact on her, and the memories of that day still haunt her.
The song then goes on to describe Mary's life as a mother, and how she dedicated herself entirely to her daughter. The lyrics "chiudesti al mondo gli occhi tuoi per dedicarti solo a lei" translate to "you closed your eyes to the world to dedicate yourself only to her." Mary's daughter clearly meant everything to her and became the center of her universe. However, the lyrics also suggest that Mary's love for her daughter may have been born out of her own personal trauma and abandonment as a child.
The final stanza of the song is heartbreaking, as it describes Mary's old age and how she visits her daughter's grave. The line "sola verso casa tornerai, e mentre torni penserai: 'Un altro giorno in meno, vado verso lei!'" translates to "you will return home alone, and while you return you will think: 'one less day, I am going towards her!'" This final line suggests that Mary is anticipating her own death and is eager to join her daughter in the afterlife. The song ends with the haunting refrain "Povera Mary, sto piangendo e penso a te," which translates to "poor Mary, I am crying and thinking of you."
Line by Line Meaning
Senza più uno sguardo se ne andò,
Without another glance, he left
e quel lontano giorno ormai
And that distant day now
non lo potrai scordare tu,
You won't be able to forget it,
lo hai negli occhi sempre più;
It's increasingly in your eyes;
fu da quel dì che la bambina che era in te,
It was from that day that the child within you,
senza problemi, né perché,
Without problems or reasons,
si è ritrovata abbandonata donna ormai.
Found herself abandoned, now a woman.
Povera Mary, che n'è stato dei rosai?
Poor Mary, what happened to the roses?
Passò qualche tempo ed arrivò
Some time passed and it arrived,
la nuova vita nata in te,
The new life born in you,
chiudesti al mondo gli occhi tuoi
You closed your eyes to the world,
per dedicarti solo a lei;
To dedicate yourself only to her;
il nome che le hai dato lo portò
She carries the name that you gave her
e mai un momento lo lasciò,
And never left it for a moment,
tua figlia vive per la madre che c'è in te.
Your daughter lives for the mother that's in you.
Povera Mary, sono triste e penso a te!
Poor Mary, I'm sad and thinking of you!
Poi la tua bambina si sposò
Then your daughter got married,
e il cuore in gola ti arrivò,
And your heart was in your throat,
dalla finestra il cielo è blu,
From the window the sky is blue,
per una volta hai vinto tu;
For once, you've won;
bussano alla porta, chi sarà?
Someone knocks at the door, who could it be?
un brigadiere?, che vorrà?,
A policeman? What does he want?
Lei è la madre? C'è sua figlia morta, sa?
Are you the mother? Your daughter is dead, you know?
Povera Mary, di te adesso che sarà?
Poor Mary, what will become of you now?
Vecchia, stanca, lacera tu sei,
Old, tired, and ragged you are,
ma torni ancora quando puoi
But you still return when you can
nel cimitero, da colei
To the cemetery, to she
che è stata tutti i sogni tuoi;
Who was all of your dreams;
sola verso casa tornerai,
You'll return home alone,
e mentre torni penserai:
And while you return, you'll think:
Un altro giorno in meno, vado verso lei!
One less day, I'm going toward her!
Povera Mary, sto piangendo e penso a te.
Poor Mary, I'm crying and thinking of you.
Contributed by Savannah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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