He was born in Saigon, French Indochina, now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to an Italian father and a French mother. He moved to Rome, Italy at the age of 11 where he attended school and started his career as musician coming to success around 1972. He also lived in the USA and Ireland. In 1976, Cocciante covered the Beatles song "Michelle" for the musical documentary All This and World War II.
In 1991 he won the Sanremo Festival with the song "Se stiamo insieme", and for Christmas 1997 legendary Spanish operatic tenor and friend Plácido Domingo invited him to sing at Domingo's annual Christmas in Vienna concert, together with Sarah Brightman and Helmut Lotti.
As of 2008, Cocciante has three musicals running, probably Notre-Dame de Paris being the most known. This musical may later be put into competition against another musical in progress, Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame (musical).
Source: Wikipedia
Cervo a primavera
Riccardo Cocciante Lyrics
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cervo a primavera,
oppure diverrò
gabbiano da scogliera
senza più niente da scordare,
senza domande più da fare
con uno spazio da occupare.
amico che mi sai capire
e mi trasformerò
in qualcuno che non può più fallire
una pernice di montagna,
che vola eppur non sogna
in una foglia o una castagna.
E io rinascerò
amico caro amico mio
e mi ritroverò,
con penne e piume senza io
senza paura di cadere,
intento solo a volteggiare
come un eterno migratore
E io rinascerò
senza complessi e frustrazioni
amico mio ascolterò
le sinfonie delle stagioni
con un mio ruolo definito,
così felice di esser nato
tra cielo terra e l'infinito.
The lyrics of Riccardo Cocciante's song Cervo a Primavera reflect the singer's desire for renewal and transformation. The song speaks of a rebirth and a change of identity, where the singer hopes to become either a young deer during spring or a seagull that flies over cliffs, forgetting all his past questions and doubts. The singer wants to discard his current self, and acquire a new identity, with a purpose to fulfill in life.
As the song progresses, the singer starts to envision himself as a mountain partridge, who glides through the air, not dreaming about leaves or chestnuts. He hopes to be someone who cannot fail, and who understands and accepts him for who he is. The singer wants to leave behind any complexities and frustrations and enjoy listening to the symphonies of the seasons, with a clear role in life that makes him happy to be alive.
The song seems to be a metaphorical portrayal of human transformation and a journey towards self-discovery, where the singer seeks out new beliefs, unburdened by their past. The lyrics also reflect the importance of companionship and support in the transformation process, where the singer hopes to become a new person with the help of a close friend.
Line by Line Meaning
E io rinascerò cervo a primavera
I will be reborn like a deer in springtime, full of new life and vitality
Oppure diverrò gabbiano da scogliera senza più niente da scordare, senza domande più da fare con uno spazio da occupare
Or I will become a seagull perched on a rocky cliff, free from any burdens or questions, with only the vast expanse of the sky to explore
E io rinascerò amico che mi sai capire e mi trasformerò in qualcuno che non può più fallire una pernice di montagna, che vola eppur non sogna in una foglia o una castagna
I will be reborn as a friend who truly understands me, and I will transform into someone who cannot fail, like a mountain partridge that can fly, yet is not weighed down by material desires
E io rinascerò amico caro amico mio e mi ritroverò, con penne e piume senza io senza paura di cadere, intento solo a volteggiare come un eterno migratore
I will be reborn as a treasured friend, and I will find myself with wings and feathers, free from any fear of falling, soaring through the air like an eternal migrator
E io rinascerò senza complessi e frustrazioni amico mio ascolterò le sinfonie delle stagioni con un mio ruolo definito, così felice di esser nato tra cielo terra e l'infinito
I will be reborn without any complexes or frustrations, and I will listen to the symphonies of the seasons, content with my definite role and blissful to have been born between the earth, the sky, and the infinite cosmos
Contributed by Lily O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.