'Comunque bella' - Lucio Battisti

Thread: 'Comunque bella' - Lucio Battisti

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  1. Atars's Avatar

    Atars said:

    Post 'Comunque bella' - Lucio Battisti

    However Beautiful
    (Lucio Battisti - 1972)

    Tu vestita di fiori
    You were dressed by flowers
    o di fari in città
    or by lights in the town
    con la nebbia o i colori
    with the fog or the colours
    cogliere le rose a piedi nudi e poi
    (we had) pick(ed) roses barefoot and then
    con la sciarpa stretta al collo bianca come mai
    (you were dressed by) the scarf tight around your neck, (it had never been) so white
    ma...
    but...

    eri bella
    you were (so) beautiful
    bella
    beautiful
    comunque bella
    however beautiful

    Quando l’arcobaleno
    When the rainbow
    era in fondo ai tuoi occhi
    was at the bottom of your eyes
    quando sotto al tuo seno
    when, below your breast,
    l’ira avvelenava il cuore tuo perché
    the rage would poison your heart as
    tu vedevi un’altra donna avvicinarsi a me
    you saw another woman approaching me
    prima ancora ch’io capissi e riscegliessi te
    sooner than I realized and I had picked you again
    tu...
    you...
    eri bella
    were (so) beautiful
    bella
    beautiful
    comunque bella
    however beautiful

    Anche quando un mattino tornasti vestita di pioggia
    Even when one morning you came back dressed by rain
    con lo sguardo stravolto da una notte d’amore
    with your stare distressed by one-night stand (with someone else)
    "Siediti qui. Non ti chiedo perdono perché tu sei un uomo"
    ‘(Please) Sit down here. I do not ask you forgiveness because you are a male’

    Coi capelli bagnati
    (You stayed here) With your wet hair
    "So che capirai"
    'I know that you’ll understand’
    Con quei segni sul viso
    (You stayed there) With those signs on your face
    "Mi spiace da morire sai"
    ‘You know I am too sorry.’
    Coi tuoi occhi arrossati
    (You stayed here) With your redden eyes
    mentre tu mentivi e mi dicevi che
    while you lied and said to me that
    ancora più di prima tu amavi me
    still more than before, you were in love with me
    tu...
    You...

    eri bella
    were beautiful
    bella
    beautiful
    comunque bella
    beautiful anyway

    Please tell me if there are some mistakes. Tnx
    ===Edited by Atars===

    Tnx a lot to citlalli for the corrections
    Last edited by Atars; 09-09-2008 at 05:57 PM.
     
  2. citlalli's Avatar

    citlalli said:

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    I could only spot a couple of tiny grammar mistakes, specially in the verb tenses... other than that I think your translation is quite good
    “If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That's what people remember.” ― Terry Pratchett.
     
  3. Atars's Avatar

    Atars said:

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    Thanks citty
    can u tell me which tenses I have to do?

    What do you think about

    quote on
    the rage has poisoned your heart because
    the rage had poisoned your heart because
    you had seen another woman who was approaching me
    you had seen another woman who was approaching me
    sooner than I realized and I picked you again
    sooner than I had realized and I had picked you again
    quote off

    Take your time for the answer. I wait (or 'I am waiting' ?!) tnxeeee
    "Non parlerò mai più, perché un artista deve comunicare solo per mezzo del suo lavoro. L'artista non esiste. Esiste la sua arte"
    The last interview to the Swiss Radio by Lucio Battisti (1978)
     
  4. citlalli's Avatar

    citlalli said:

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    Buongiorno caro Atars yes, that verse you highlighted is exactly the one I meant, but I took all the lyrics again and this is the result:


    con la sciarpa stretta al collo bianca come mai
    (you were dressed by) the scarf tight the neck, (it was been) never so white
    (you were dressed by) the scarf tight around your neck, (you had)* never been so white...
    or maybe a bit more "free translation": the scarf tight around your neck, (you were) whiter than ever before
    *in italian he means that the girl is looking white, isn't he? that's why I changed "it" to "you"...



    l’ira avvelenava il cuore tuo perché
    the rage has poisoned your heart because
    the rage would poison your heart because/as/when/each time

    tu vedevi un’altra donna avvicinarsi a me
    you had seen another woman who was approaching me
    you saw another woman approaching me



    Con quei segni sul viso
    (You’re stayed there) With those signs on your face
    (You stayed here)... (the rest is fine)


    I hope it helps!!
    “If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That's what people remember.” ― Terry Pratchett.
     
  5. citlalli's Avatar

    citlalli said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Atars View Post
    Thanks citty
    can u tell me which tenses I have to do?

    What do you think about

    quote on
    the rage has poisoned your heart because
    the rage had poisoned your heart because
    you had seen another woman who was approaching me
    you had seen another woman who was approaching me

    In this case I'd say "the rage would poison your heart" because it's a repeated action, it happened more than once (at least that's how I understand it in italian... avvelenaba... but if I'm wrong please tell me )
    ... for the same reason, maybe it's possible to change the "because" for a temporal expression like as, when, each time, every time, etc.
    ... and I'd say "you saw another woman.." to express that it was something simultaneous.



    sooner than I realized and I picked you again
    sooner than I had realized and I had picked you again
    And here: "Sooner than I realized and I had picked you again", because first "he picks her again" (past perfect) and only after does he realize what he did (simple past). It's just a sequence of events.

    quote off

    Take your time for the answer. I wait (or 'I am waiting' ?!) tnxeeee
    Mhhh, I'm not really very good at explaining, so I hope I didn't confuse you
    “If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That's what people remember.” ― Terry Pratchett.
     
  6. Atars's Avatar

    Atars said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by citlalli View Post
    Buongiorno caro Atars yes, that verse you highlighted is exactly the one I meant, but I took all the lyrics again and this is the result:


    con la sciarpa stretta al collo bianca come mai
    (you were dressed by) the scarf tight the neck, (it was been) never so white
    (you were dressed by) the scarf tight around your neck, (you had)* never been so white...
    or maybe a bit more "free translation": the scarf tight around your neck, (you were) whiter than ever before
    *in italian he means that the girl is looking white, isn't he? that's why I changed "it" to "you"...
    In italian it only means that the scarf was never been so white

    I hope it helps!!
    Mhhh, I'm not really very good at explaining, so I hope I didn't confuse you
    I suppose that I understand it
    Thanks a lot citlalli, I'll make the errors correction (and go at the english school)
    "Non parlerò mai più, perché un artista deve comunicare solo per mezzo del suo lavoro. L'artista non esiste. Esiste la sua arte"
    The last interview to the Swiss Radio by Lucio Battisti (1978)
     
  7. citlalli's Avatar

    citlalli said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by Atars View Post
    In italian it only means that the scarf was never been so white
    LOL... then back to "it"... forget about "you"... sorry ... I've learnt something too

    Eh bene... faccio la tradutrice, no la profesoressa, ma se posso aiutare un pò lo farò con piacere
    “If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That's what people remember.” ― Terry Pratchett.
     
  8. citlalli's Avatar

    citlalli said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Atars View Post
    In italian it only means that the scarf was never been so white
    Hehe...little correction:
    "... the scarf had never been so white."

    “If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That's what people remember.” ― Terry Pratchett.
     
  9. Atars's Avatar

    Atars said:

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    Azz.... lo sapevo, lo sapevo.... ero troppo preso a scrivere i post dell'altro 3D per venire qui a correggere Domani correggerò tutta 'You were beautiful' del primo post secondo le tue preziosissime indicazioni.

    Grazieee cit

    === Edited by Atars===
    Now the song is correct. Tnx

    La cinta rosa (Con il nastro rosa) - Lucio Battisti - 1980
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkL935oGADA
    sorry, here the full version
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKLzwJYi1Iw
    Last edited by Atars; 09-09-2008 at 06:37 PM.
    "Non parlerò mai più, perché un artista deve comunicare solo per mezzo del suo lavoro. L'artista non esiste. Esiste la sua arte"
    The last interview to the Swiss Radio by Lucio Battisti (1978)