Langbeats
L'impiccato – Francesco De Gregori

Francesco De Gregori

L'impiccato lyrics with English translation

Language
Italian
Level
Intermediate
Released
1978
Genre
Pop
Length
3:59
  1. Uno l'hanno preso ieri sera, giovane giovane

    They caught one last night, young and bright

  2. E figlio di buona donna, era

    And he was the son of a good woman, oh

  3. Figlio di buona donna e pure ladro

    Son of a good woman and also a thief

  4. Con un sorriso tutto denti di cane

    With a smile all teeth like a dog’s

  5. Si nascondeva dietro una serie di "che ne so?"

    He would hide behind a series of 'what do I know?'

  6. Poi ne hanno preso un altro

    Then they caught another one

  7. Padre di famiglia, faccia scura scura

    A family man, with a very dark face

  8. Vestito grigio, camicia, cravatta

    Grey suit, shirt, tie

  1. Sguardo perduto all'arrivo in questura

    Lost gaze upon arriving at the police station

  2. Il terzo, accusato di oltraggio

    The third, accused of outrage

  3. Non fece in tempo a aprire la bocca

    He didn't have time to open his mouth

  4. Che un pugno lo mise a sedere

    When a punch knocked him down

  5. Allora chiese una sigaretta e confessò in fretta

    Then he asked for a cigarette and confessed in a rush

  6. Tutto quello che il commissario voleva sapere

    Everything that the commissioner wanted to know

  7. Il quarto si chiamava Tommaso

    The fourth one was called Tommaso

  8. E pregava e piangeva

    And he prayed and cried

  9. Chiese di telefonare all'avvocato

    He asked to call the lawyer

  10. Ma l'avvocato non rispondeva

    But the lawyer didn't answer

  11. E il quinto venne assunto in galera

    And the fifth was taken into jail

  12. Per un indizio da niente

    For a clue that meant nothing

  13. Venne assunto in galera

    He was taken in by the jail

  14. E il quinto venne assunto in galera

    And the fifth was taken in by the jail

  15. Per un indizio da poco

    For a trivial clue

  16. E fu crocefisso col ferro e col fuoco

    And he was crucified with steel and flame

  17. Forse per un errore

    Maybe for a mistake

  18. O forse perché era stato scoperto

    Or maybe because he had been discovered

  19. Forse un'implicita confessione

    Perhaps an implicit confession

  20. Oppure soltanto lo sconforto

    Or just pure despair

  21. E tutti si domandarono

    And everyone wondered

  22. Di che segno era il morto

    What sign the dead one was

Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Key vocabulary

ladro
thief
sorriso
smileB1
denti
teethB2
cane
dogB1
nascondeva
hid
dietro
behindA2
faccia
faceA2
scura
darkB2
vestito
clothesB1
grigio
grayB2

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About this song

Francesco De Gregori is an Italian singer-songwriter and OMRI recipient associated with Italian cantautor music. He is known for writing lyrics that are often described as elegant and for his preference to be credited simply as an artist.

More songs by Francesco De Gregori

More Intermediate Music to Learn Italian

🇮🇹 Francesco De Gregori

L'impiccato

Uno l'hanno preso ieri sera, giovane giovane

They caught one last night, young and bright

E figlio di buona donna, era

And he was the son of a good woman, oh

Figlio di buona donna e pure ladro

Son of a good woman and also a thief

Con un sorriso tutto denti di cane

With a smile all teeth like a dog’s

Si nascondeva dietro una serie di "che ne so?"

He would hide behind a series of 'what do I know?'

Poi ne hanno preso un altro

Then they caught another one

Padre di famiglia, faccia scura scura

A family man, with a very dark face

Vestito grigio, camicia, cravatta

Grey suit, shirt, tie

Sguardo perduto all'arrivo in questura

Lost gaze upon arriving at the police station

Il terzo, accusato di oltraggio

The third, accused of outrage

Non fece in tempo a aprire la bocca

He didn't have time to open his mouth

Che un pugno lo mise a sedere

When a punch knocked him down

Allora chiese una sigaretta e confessò in fretta

Then he asked for a cigarette and confessed in a rush

Tutto quello che il commissario voleva sapere

Everything that the commissioner wanted to know

Il quarto si chiamava Tommaso

The fourth one was called Tommaso

E pregava e piangeva

And he prayed and cried

Chiese di telefonare all'avvocato

He asked to call the lawyer

Ma l'avvocato non rispondeva

But the lawyer didn't answer

E il quinto venne assunto in galera

And the fifth was taken into jail

Per un indizio da niente

For a clue that meant nothing

Venne assunto in galera

He was taken in by the jail

E il quinto venne assunto in galera

And the fifth was taken in by the jail

Per un indizio da poco

For a trivial clue

E fu crocefisso col ferro e col fuoco

And he was crucified with steel and flame

Forse per un errore

Maybe for a mistake

O forse perché era stato scoperto

Or maybe because he had been discovered

Forse un'implicita confessione

Perhaps an implicit confession

Oppure soltanto lo sconforto

Or just pure despair

E tutti si domandarono

And everyone wondered

Di che segno era il morto

What sign the dead one was