Background:
Umberto Tozzi first recorded "Gloria" in 1979; that summer the song stayed on the Italian Top-10 chart for sixteen weeks, six of them at number 2. The song stayed four weeks at number 1 in both, Switzerland and – in a translated version – Spain. That same year saw Tozzi's "Gloria" achieve hit status in Austria at number 4, Belgium at number 3, the Netherlands at number 21, France at number 3, and Germany where the track reached number 8.
Tozzi's "Gloria" is a love song, as is the first English rendering of the song, recorded by its original English-language lyricist, Jonathan King, in November 1979; Tozzi later recorded and performed King's translated version of "Gloria". He also re-recorded the song with Trevor Veitch's and Laura Branigan's English lyrics; this version appears on his 2002 release, The Best of Umberto Tozzi.
In 2011, the song was brought up to date with a set of new house mixes by Alex Gaudino and Jason Rooney. The music video stars Umberto and Natasha Tozzi.
Tozzi's original version of "Gloria" was a soundtrack selection for two distinct films in 2013, The Wolf of Wall Street and Gloria.
Lyrical content:
In his song of Jonathan King's translated lyrics, Tozzi, who takes the role of the song's main character, tells that he is dreaming about an imaginary woman named Gloria. He describes his living days as misery, but when he dreams of Gloria, he says his nights are liberty. The protagonist describes Gloria as his queen imagination that comes from his fascination, not from any kind of fantasy. He further elaborates that he has always set Gloria free from him, just as he has set freedom from reality. He then tells that his friends think he is crazy, but he argues his point that they have never met Gloria (so far, he has no proof of her actual existence); but one day when he finds her, he says his friends will talk about Gloria's beauty and her loyalty. To accomplish the goal of realizing his dreams despite everyone else's protests, the protagonist sets all his life to searching for Gloria until he meets her in reality and then promises to hold her, to touch her, and to keep her because he loves Gloria.
Gloria
Umberto Tozzi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Manchi tu nell'aria
Manchi ad una mano
Che lavora piano
Manchi a questa bocca
Che cibo più non tocca
E sempre questa storia
Che lei la chiamo Gloria
Gloria sui tuoi fianchi
La mattina nasce il sole
Entra odio ed esce amore
Dal nome Gloria
Gloria
Manchi tu nell'aria
Manchi come il sale
Manchi più del sole
Sciogli questa neve
Che soffoca il mio petto, oh
T'aspetto Gloria
Gloria (Gloria)
Chiesa di campagna (Gloria)
Acqua nel deserto (Gloria)
Lascio aperto il cuore (Gloria)
Scappa senza far rumore
Dal lavoro, dal tuo letto
Dai gradini di un altare
T'aspetto Gloria
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Gloria
Per chi accende il giorno
E invece di dormire
Con la memoria torna
A un tuffo nei papaveri
In una terra libera
Per chi respira nebbia
Per chi respira rabbia
Per me che senza Gloria
Con te nuda sul divano
Faccio stelle di cartone
Pensando a Gloria
Gloria
Manchi tu nell'aria
Manchi come il sale
Manchi più del sole
Sciogli questa neve
Che soffoca il mio petto, ah-ah-ah
T'aspetto Gloria
Gloria (Gloria)
Chiesa di campagna (Gloria)
Acqua nel deserto (Gloria)
Lascio aperto il cuore (Gloria)
Scappa senza far rumore
Dal lavoro, dal tuo letto
Dai gradini di un altare
T'aspetto Gloria
The song "Gloria" by Umberto Tozzi is a love song in which the singer professes his longing and desire for a woman named Gloria. The song begins with the singer explaining how Gloria is missing from the air, from his hands that work slowly, and from his mouth that no longer tastes food. The recurring line "lei la chiamo Gloria" (which means "she calls herself Gloria" in English) signals that the singer is not just talking about any woman, but a particular woman who has captivated him.
The second verse talks about how Gloria's presence brings about the dawn and transforms hate into love. The chorus repeats the sentiment of Gloria's absence in the singer's life, comparing it to the lack of salt and the sun. The singer pleads for Gloria to come back and relieve the snow that is suffocating his chest. The subsequent verses contain more images of longing for Gloria, including calling her a church in the countryside and water in the desert.
Overall, the lyrics of "Gloria" are a passionate expression of love and longing for a woman who is considered the missing piece in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Gloria
The singer longs for someone named Gloria.
Manchi tu nell'aria
Her absence is felt in the air around him.
Manchi ad una mano che lavora piano
His slow-working hand misses her presence.
Manchi a questa bocca Che cibo più non tocca
His mouth no longer has an appetite since she left him.
E sempre questa storia Che lei la chiamo Gloria
The story of her name always reminds him of her.
Gloria sui tuoi fianchi
The singer imagines Gloria’s shape.
La mattina nasce il sole Entra odio ed esce amore Dal nome Gloria
The singer loves her name and believes it to be the source of his love for her.
Manchi come il sale Manchi più del sole Sciogli questa neve Che soffoca il mio petto T'aspetto Gloria
He eagerly awaits Gloria, and cannot function without her even for a day.
Chiesa di campagna Acqua nel deserto Lascio aperto il cuore Scappa senza far rumore Dal lavoro del tuo letto Dai gradini di un altare Ti aspetto Gloria
Gloria is compared to a beloved place of worship and a source of water in the arid desert. He will welcome her back even if she comes quietly from her bed or from a church.
Per chi accende il giorno E invece di dormire Con la memoria torna A un tuffo nei papaveri In una terra libera Per chi respira nebbia Per chi respira rabbia
The singer feels that his love for Gloria is strong and unique.
Per me che senza Gloria Con te nuda sul divano Faccio stelle di cartone Pensando a Gloria
He daydreams about Gloria, with whom he was intimate, even when she's not there, making cardboard stars in her memory.
Lyrics © Sugarmusic s.p.a.
Written by: Giancarlo Bigazzi, Umberto Tozzi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LordCommanderEdTN
Gloria
Manchi tu nell'aria
Manchi ad una mano
Che lavora piano
Manchi a questa bocca
Che cibo più non tocca
E sempre questa storia
Che lei la chiamo Gloria
Gloria sui tuoi fianchi
La mattina nasce il sole
Entra odio ed esce amore
Dal nome Gloria
Gloria
Manchi tu nell'aria
Manchi come il sale
Manchi più del sole
Sciogli questa neve
Che soffoca il mio petto, oh
T'aspetto Gloria
Gloria (Gloria)
Chiesa di campagna (Gloria)
Acqua nel deserto (Gloria)
Lascio aperto il cuore (Gloria)
Scappa senza far rumore
Dal lavoro, dal tuo letto
Dai gradini di un altare
T'aspetto Gloria
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Gloria
Per chi accende il giorno
E invece di dormire
Con la memoria torna
A un tuffo nei papaveri
In una terra libera
Per chi respira nebbia
Per chi respira rabbia
Per me che senza Gloria
Con te nuda sul divano
Faccio stelle di cartone
Pensando a Gloria
Gloria
Manchi tu nell'aria
Manchi come il sale
Manchi più del sole
Sciogli questa neve
Che soffoca il mio petto, ah-ah-ah
T'aspetto Gloria
Gloria (Gloria)
Chiesa di campagna (Gloria)
Acqua nel deserto (Gloria)
Lascio aperto il cuore (Gloria)
Scappa senza far rumore
Dal lavoro, dal tuo letto
Dai gradini di un altare
T'aspetto Gloria
@elajxx
The best part about getting rescued by Italians is they save you, feed you, make you drink wine...and then you get to dance.
@marvinsilverman4394
the best part of americans is they stereotype much ^^!
@chipotlejanitor3673
@@marvinsilverman4394 calm down snowflake he's just quoting a movie. The main character is caught in a sea storm near Italy. As his Yacht is sinking; he's rescued by Italians, where they later party with this song playing in the background
@marvinsilverman4394
@@chipotlejanitor3673 me?? a snowflake??? thanks you comfirmed my point xD
@ernestogasulla7763
@@marvinsilverman4394 ok, you're not a snowflake, just an ass. It's a funny movie quote, that's all.
@andrespiccinoni7454
marvin silverman Damn man it’s just a quote from a movie. I’m Italian as well and I don’t see the offense in a satirical quote.
@dilly-2-philly841
The world would have been a darned boring place without Italians……Grazie Mille a Voi!!!!
@albizabm
Grazie!!
Gentilissimo☺👋👋
@massimilianomiotello3473
👍🏻
@gioia6305
❤️🇮🇹