Here is a Greek song and an Italian song which are similar in two respects:
1) they both deal with love about to be lost
2) they both use stairs or staircases as "central" images.
It's interesting to see how songwriters in both cultures make similar use of the image of the stairs or staircase. But also, both songs are quite beautiful, and the Zambetas composition is extraordinary, in my opinion.
Ήρθα κι απόψε στα σκαλοπάτια σου - 1961
http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?in...ils&song_id=75
Στίχοι: Χαράλαμπος Βασιλειάδης & Νίκος Μουρκάκος
Μουσική: Γιώργος Ζαμπέτας
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hiix5bb47gM (Dalaras)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR09CloB_xE (Anagnostakis - 10 times better)
Ήρθα κι απόψε στα σκαλοπάτια σου
να τραγουδήσω στερνή φορά
αύριο φεύγω όλα τελειώνουνε
σβήνει για μένα κάθε χαρά
Ειν’ η καντάδα η τελευταία μου
μέσα στης νύχτας τη σιγαλιά
κλαίνε μαζί μου τα σκαλοπάτια σου
κλαίνε μαζί μου και τα πουλιά
Σαν τον αλήτη στα σκαλοπάτια σου
στέκω μονάχος και τραγουδώ
για μένα ο κόσμος είναι τα μάτια σου
κι ο έρωτας σου με φέρνει εδώ
Ειν’ η καντάδα η τελευταία μου
μέσα στης νύχτας τη σιγαλιά
κλαίνε μαζί μου τα σκαλοπάτια σου
κλαίνε μαζί μου και τα πουλιά
I came tonight to your stairs as well
To sing for the last time
Tomorrow I'm going, everything is finishing
Every joy is fading away for me
It's my last serenade
In the night's stillness
Your stairs are crying with me as well
The birds are crying with me as well
Like the vagabond on his stairs
I'm lying alone and singing
Your eyes are the world for me
And your love takes me here
It's my last serenade
In the night's stillness
Your stairs are crying with me as well
The birds are crying with me as well
************************************************** ********
Scalinatèlla
http://lyricstranslate.com/en/scalin...-stairway.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku5V3bTH9_Y
Scalinatèlla,
longa, longa, longa,longa
Strettulélla, strettulélla,
addò sta chella 'nnammuratèlla?
Nun spónta ancora...
Zuc, zuc, zuc, zuc,
zucculillo, zucculillo,
pe' 'sta viarèlla
scarrupatèlla!
Add ó mme ne vogl'í, t''o ddico...e crídeme...
add ó se ne pò ghí chi è stanco 'e chiágnere?!
Scalinatèlla
saglie 'ncielo
o scinne a mare
cercammélla, trovammella
pòrtame a chella sciaguratèlla!
Chella s'è 'nnammurata 'e nu pittore
ca pitta Capre e parla furastiero...
e i' porto 'mpiétto nu dulore 'e core
e sento che m'accide stu penziero!
Scalinatèlla,
longa. longa, longa,longa
Strettulélla, strettulélla,
addò sta chella 'nnammuratèlla?
Nun spónta ancora...
Zuc, zuc, zuc, zuc,
zucculillo, zucculillo,
pe' 'sta viarèlla
scarrupatèlla!
Scalinatèlla
saglie 'ncielo
o scinne a mare
cercammélla, trovammella
pòrtame a chella sciaguratèlla!
A ghiuorne a ghiuorne parte nu vapore...
A ghiuorne 'ammore mio se vótta a mare!
Little Stairway
Little stairway,
long, long, long, long
A bit narrow, a bit narrow
where is she, that little sweetheart?
She still doesn't appear
Zuk, zuk, zuk, zuk,
little clog, little clog,
along this small street
a bit messy!
Where would I ever go, I'll say it to you, and believe me
Where does he could ever go, someone who's tired to cry?!
Little stairway,
climb up to the sky
or go down onto the sea
search for her to me, find her to me
bring me that little scoundrel!
That one has falled in love with a painter
who paints Capri and speaks as a foreigner...
so I hold in my chest such a pain into my heart
and I feel this thought 's killing me!
Little stairway,
long, long, long, long
A bit narrow, a bit narrow
where is she, that little sweetheart?
She still doesn't appear
Zuk, zuk, zuk, zuk,
little clog, little clog,
along this small street
a bit messy!
Little stairway,
climb up to the sky
or go down onto the sea
search for her to me, find her to me
bring me that little scoundrel!
In the next days a steam-ship will leave...
Within a few days my love will throw itself into the sea!