He has published one book (Non si muore tutte le mattine) and seven records, the last one being Da solo, released Friday October 17th, 2008.
His musical style is heavily influenced by Tom Waits and Paolo Conte.
Suite delle quattro ruote
Vinicio Capossela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nelle luci di un'autostrada
Tra i lampioni di ferrovia
Di notte a bere senz'allegria
E i ricordi son come monete
Persi al gioco della memoria
Ricordi consumati
E poi fuggiti via
Cosi' stanca di perdersi fra un attimo
E tornare chissa' quando
Mentre fuori i grilli saltano nell'acqua
E la nostalgia si spegne
Nella pioggia
Le gocce d'acqua sul parabrezza
Stanno brillando come diamanti
Ne portero' uno anche a lei
E chissa' se lei ricorda
I profumi della motte
Quando alla finestra
Sognava d'esser grande
E il cuore le batteva
Come un pulcino
Tra le mani
E anche stanotte
E' scomparsa
Qualche vicino si svegliera'
Il mio cane abbaia sempre un po'
Sentendo il camion arrivar
The song "Suite delle quattro ruote" by Vinicio Capossela is a poetic depiction of the mundanity and monotony that comes with travelling long distances on a highway. The singer reflects on how long a life can seem when traversing between the metal poles of the highway and railway lights, whilst drinking dull alcohol to pass the time. Memories are described as coins lost in the game of memory; things that have been consumed and subsequently vanished. The sense of ennui and fatigue of constantly losing oneself in the moment is apparent in the lyrics. The singer reflects on how this feeling of depression can return without warning, and how it can be accompanied by nostalgia. However, ultimately the feeling of loss is extinguished in the rain; possibly a metaphor that suggests the temporary nature of sadness, and the importance of change.
The second stanza reveals moments of hope amidst the bleakness. In noticing how the raindrops on the windshield look like diamonds, the singer decides to bring one to her. This "her" could be a loved one, and he hopes that she remembers the smell of the earth when she was young, dreaming of being older and feeling the excitement in her heart. The windows metaphorically represent the progression of time and the transmission of growth. The singer reflects on how a distant neighbour will wake up with the arrival of a truck, and how his dog will bark at the sound of it. The imagery across the song vividly captures the mundanity of long journeys, encapsulated in vivid metaphors.
Line by Line Meaning
E quanto e' lunga una vita
Life can feel very long
Nelle luci di un'autostrada
Especially when driving down a highway, surrounded by the artificial light of street lamps
Tra i lampioni di ferrovia
And passing by train lamps in the middle of the night
Di notte a bere senz'allegria
Feelings of melancholy and boredom arise, especially when drinking to occupy time
E i ricordi son come monete
Memories are like coins
Persi al gioco della memoria
Lost and confused during the game of remembering
Ricordi consumati
Memories are used up
E poi fuggiti via
And then forgotten
E questa allegria
The joy and happiness in life
Cosi' stanca di perdersi fra un attimo
Is so tired of slipping away in just a moment
E tornare chissa' quando
And who knows when it will come back again
Mentre fuori i grilli saltano nell'acqua
Meanwhile, the crickets are still jumping in the rain
E la nostalgia si spegne
And the nostalgic feeling starts to fade away
Nella pioggia
In the rain
Le gocce d'acqua sul parabrezza
The raindrops on the car windshield
Stanno brillando come diamanti
Shining like diamonds
Ne portero' uno anche a lei
I'll bring one of them to her too
E chissa' se lei ricorda
And who knows if she remembers
I profumi della motte
The scent of soil and earth
Quando alla finestra
When she used to sit by the window
Sognava d'esser grande
Dreaming of being grown up
E il cuore le batteva
With her heart beating fast
Come un pulcino
Like a newborn chick
Tra le mani
In her hands
E anche stanotte
And even tonight
E' scomparsa
She's disappeared
Qualche vicino si svegliera'
A neighbor may wake up and notice
Il mio cane abbaia sempre un po'
My dog always barks a little
Sentendo il camion arrivar
When he hears the sound of a truck approaching
Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.