Francesco De Gregori
Scacchi e tarocchi lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Italian
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1985
- Genre
- Pop
- Length
- 4:47
Venivano da lontano, avevano occhi e cani
They came from afar, they had eyes and dogs
Avevano stellette e guanti
They had stars on their shoulders and gloves
E paura
And fear
Erano tre, erano quattro, erano più di ventiquattro
There were three, there were four, there were more than twenty-four
Erano il sale della terra
They were the salt of the earth
Erano il fuoco e la guerra
They were the fire and the war
Erano il segno della croce, erano cani senza voce
They were the sign of the cross, they were voiceless dogs
Erano denti
They were teeth
Erano denti senza bocca, erano un fuoco che scotta
They were teeth without a mouth, they were a burning fire
Erano la vita che rintocca
They were the life that echoes
Erano tre, erano quattro, avevano sassi
There were three, there were four, they had stones
Avevano cuori
They had hearts
Avevano parrucche e occhiali, e pistole a tamburi
They wore wigs and glasses, and drum guns
E silenziatori
And silencers
Avevano linguaggio e chitarre e da dietro le sbarre ridevano
They had language and guitars and from behind the bars they laughed
E pure parlavano
And they even spoke
Avevano, alcuni, moglie e figli che da dietro un vetro, adesso
Some of them had wives and children who, from behind a glass, now
Li salutavano
Waved to them
Avevano certo dei mandanti ed erano tanti
They surely had sponsors and there were many
Senza né viso né storie
Without faces or stories
E senza prove
And without evidence
Alcuni sapevano tutto e tutto ricordavano e andavano
Some knew everything and remembered it all and they went
Ma non dicevano dove
But they didn't say where
Altri giuravano e spergiuravano, e tutto confessavano
Others swore and perjured themselves, and confessed everything
Nome e cognome
First and last name
Tutti sapevano tutto di tutti, perfino il numero
Everyone knew everything about everyone, even the number
Ma non dicevano come
But they didn't say how
Venivano da lontano, avevano occhi e cani
They came from afar, they had eyes and dogs
Avevano stellette e guanti
They had badges and gloves
E paura
And fear
Erano tre, erano quattro, erano più di ventiquattro
There were three, there were four, there were more than twenty-four
Erano dieci
There were ten
O diecimila
Or ten thousand
Erano bocca e occhi, scacchi e tarocchi
They were mouth and eyes, chess and tarot
Erano occhi e brace
They were eyes and embers
Erano giovani e forti, erano giovani vite
They were young and strong, they were young lives
Dentro una fornace
Inside a furnace
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- venivano
- were coming
- avevano
- they had
- cani
- dogsB1
- stellette
- rank insignia
- guanti
- glovesC1
- paura
- fearA2
- quattro
- fourB1
- ventiquattro
- twenty-four
- sale
- saltA2
- fuoco
- fireA2
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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.