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.
Valzer Lento
Pierangelo Bertoli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alla nativa terra ogni soldato tornò
Dai campi più lontani, tornano vinti ed eroi
Solo chi cade non ritornerà
Resta una vita a metà
Soldato ignoto che riposi nell'Afganistan
In Palestina, tra i silenzi dei boschi in Vietnam
Dentro ai Balcani, nelle antiche città dell'Iraq
La neve cadrà, il mondo che ha fretta dimenticherà e non parlerà di te
Io non piangerò, se il fuoco si spegne, lo riaccenderò
Al scender della sera l'ombra della libertà
Innalza una preghiera a tutta l'Umanità
Fai che riposi in pace il figlio che non ritornò
Manda i potenti a morire per noi, risparmia i figli tuoi.
The lyrics of Pierangelo Bertoli's song Valzer Lento thoroughly depict the aftermath of war and the fate of soldiers who left their homes to fight for their country. The first stanza speaks of the soldiers' return to their native land after a long and exhausting battle, with some carrying the burden of defeat while others considered as heroes. It also refers to those who didn't make it back, those who sacrificed their lives in the name of war leaving them with an incomplete existence.
The second stanza shifts attention to the forgotten soldiers who rest in places like Afghanistan, Palestine, Vietnam, Iraq and the Balkans. The song conveys how their names, stories and memories are left behind once the war is over; a world too busy to remember or mourn their loss. However, the general public seems to move on, some even rejoicing the end of a meaningless war. The singer, on the other hand, promises to keep the memory of these forgotten soldiers alive and to honor their sacrifices by not letting their fire die down.
Overall, the song carries a message of gratitude towards those who fought for their country, acknowledging their bravery and sacrifice. At the same time, it highlights the need for humanity to understand the consequences of war and to work towards avoiding it.
Line by Line Meaning
Dopo la sporca guerra, dopo che il mondo tremò
After the dirty war, after the world trembled
Alla nativa terra ogni soldato tornò
Every soldier returned to their native land
Dai campi più lontani, tornano vinti ed eroi
From the farthest fields, they return as both losers and heroes
Solo chi cade non ritornerà
Only those who fall will not return
Resta una vita a metà
A life remains incomplete
Soldato ignoto che riposi nell'Afganistan
Unknown soldier who rests in Afghanistan
In Palestina, tra i silenzi dei boschi in Vietnam
In Palestine, among the silences of the woods in Vietnam
Dentro ai Balcani, nelle antiche città dell'Iraq
In the Balkans, in the ancient cities of Iraq
Per l'interesse che cuore non ha, l'alba non ti sveglierà
For the interest that has no heart, the dawn will not wake you up
La neve cadrà, il mondo che ha fretta dimenticherà e non parlerà di te
The snow will fall, the world in a hurry will forget you and not speak of you
Io non piangerò, se il fuoco si spegne, lo riaccenderò
I will not cry, if the fire goes out, I'll relight it
Al scender della sera l'ombra della libertà
As evening descends, the shadow of freedom
Innalza una preghiera a tutta l'Umanità
Raise a prayer to all humanity
Fai che riposi in pace il figlio che non ritornò
Make sure the son who did not return rests in peace
Manda i potenti a morire per noi, risparmia i figli tuoi.
Send the powerful to die for us, spare your children.
Contributed by Chloe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.