Goodbye Toto Cutugno – Yeni Vatan Newspaper

2023-08-23 12:57:06

Born in Tuscany to a Sicilian father, Cutugno was one of Italy’s biggest pop stars. 100 million album sales prove his fame.

L’italiano (Italian: The Italian) is a song written by Italian singer Toto Cutugno with Cristiano Minellono in 1983 and placed fifth at the 1983 Sanremo Festival.

The lyrics of the song reflect the mood and “zeitgeist” of 1980s Italy. While the melody is culturally transferable around the world, the original lyrics can only be understood against the backdrop of Italy at the time. With the start of the decade, Italy’s economic boom lost momentum, stagnated and gave way to a depression, with crises in large state-owned enterprises and high inflation affecting the mood in the country.

Turkish translation and meaning of the verses of the song L’italiano:

Good day, Italy. Spaghetti is tough to bite and a partisan as president. The car radio is always on the right and there is a canary above the window.

(Explanation: bite-proof pasta as a stereotype for Italy. Incumbent and popular President Sandro Pertini was a partisan fighting against fascism in World War II. The mention of a car radio is a reference to this status symbol of the early 1980s – comparable to a smartphone today) .

Good day, Italy. With your artists, so much America on the posters, with love songs, with heart, with more women – fewer and fewer nuns.

(Explanation: In the early 1980s, criticism of the United States increased in Italy, accused of Americanization or commercialization. At the time, this criticism was reflected in other works, such as the texts of Dario Fo, who would later win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Church lost its importance and women’s emancipation gained momentum).

Good day, Italy. Good day, Mary, with eyes full of melancholy. Good day, God – do you know that I exist too?

Let me sing. With a guitar in my hand. Let me sing a very soft song. Let me sing. Because I’m proud of it. I am an Italian. A real Italian.

(Explanation: In the refrain, the text again plays with stereotypes, contradictions and clichés – but emphasizes the patriotism of a true Italian, despite all the contradictions and a certain melancholy about the future economic future. God is also indirectly asked for help in the current situation).

Good day, Italy, which is not afraid of menthol shaving cream, blue striped suits and soap operas on television on Sundays. Good day Italy. With a strong coffee, new socks in the top drawer, a flag in the cleaner, and a dented/rusty 600.

(Explanation: Once again, some clichés from everyday life, such as the typical ristretto (extra strong espresso), are used to reflect the spirit of the times: The first telenovelas start on television and soon become part of everyday culture. In football, clean for the match on the next Saturday It is customary to wash the team’s flag on Sunday in order to be safe. However, in the text the flag is in the laundry. The Fiat 600 – a symbol of the economic boom similar to the VW Beetle in Germany – is not in good condition. It is not in good condition at the moment).