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Original lyrics
Kowalsky
Kowalsky crocefisso alla stazione di Bologna
Tra don Chisciotte e un principe vestito da Pierrot
C’era Cristo, la tigre con Ninetto maglia a righe
Lungo un binario morto, aspettavano Totò
Allo Zen di Palermo, sulla strada per l’inferno
Caronte col suo taxi un giorno si fermò
Kowalsky, sette vite, disse: “Ancora non capite”
Lasciò da sola Alice, con Caronte e se ne andò
È solo un sogno che non riesco a catturare
È solo un sogno da decifrare
È solo un sogno che non riesco a ricordare
È solo un sogno o qualcosa in più?
Sul tetto del Leoncavallo, Kowalsky come un gallo
Tirando le sue frecce chiese a Robin Hood
“Quante sono le stanze che fanno la tua terra?
La mia si chiama guerra, non ci tornerò più”
Ai cancelli di Mirafiori, Kowalsky, re di cuori
Prese picche e quadri da Lenin e Robespierre
Quando il tempo era un ostaggio puntò il suo miraggio
Vinse il primo maggio e il sindacato non firmò
È solo un sogno che non riesco a catturare
È solo un sogno da decifrare
È solo un sogno che non riesco a ricordare
È solo un sogno o qualcosa in più?
Il cielo era di Napoli, le matite di Pazienza
Kowalsky con urgenza, una cometa disegnò
Pulcinella a notte fonda era sulla Domiziana
Inseguito da madama, quando Fatima arrivò
Kowalsky e Paolo Rossi al Ferrante Aporti
Erano ai ferri corti, quando Elvis si affacciò
“Eccovi due chitarre, son fatte di cartone”
Fecero una canzone, inventarono il rock’n’roll
È solo un sogno che non riesco a catturare
È solo un sogno da decifrare
È solo un sogno che non riesco a ricordare
È solo un sogno o qualcosa in più?
È solo un sogno che non riesco a catturare
È solo un sogno da decifrare
È solo un sogno che non riesco a ricordare
È solo un sogno o qualcosa in più?
Submitted by 
Alberto Scotti on 2020-12-05
Alberto Scotti on 2020-12-05Translation
Kowalsky
Kowalsky, crucified at the Bologna train station
between Don Chisciotte and a prince dressed as Pierrot.
Christ and the tiger with Ninetto-striped-shirt were there.
On a dead track, they were waiting for Totò.1
In Palermo's ZEN2, on the road to hell,
Charon, with his taxi, one day stopped.
Kowalsky, seven lives, said: "You all still don't get it"
He left Alice alone with Charon and left.
It's just a dream that I can't catch
It's just a dream to decypher
It's just a dream that I can't remember
Is it just a dream or something more?
On the roof of the Leoncavallo3, Kowalsky, like a rooster,
Shooting his arrows, asked Robin Hood:
"How many rooms is your land made of?
Mine is called war, and I will never come back"
At the gates of Mirafiori4, Kowalsky, the king of hearts,
Picked spades and diamonds from Lenin and Robespierre.
When the time was a hostage, he aimed at his illusion.
He won the first of May5 and the union wouldn't sign.
It's just a dream that I can't catch
It's just a dream to decypher
It's just a dream that I can't remember
Is it just a dream or something more?
The sky was of Naples, the pencils of Pazienza.6
Kowalsky immediately drew a comet.
Chased by the cops, when Fatima arrived.
They were on the outs, when Elvis chimed in:
"Here's two guitars, they're made of cardboard"
They wrote a song, they invented rock'n'roll.
It's just a dream that I can't catch
It's just a dream to decypher
It's just a dream that I can't remember
Is it just a dream or something more?
It's just a dream that I can't catch
It's just a dream to decypher
It's just a dream that I can't remember
Is it just a dream or something more?
- 1. Well-known italian actor and comedian, active through the 40s up to the 60s.
- 2. Social housing district in Palermo, notorious for its crime and physical and social degradation.
- 3. A historic, self-managed social centre in Milan, first occupied (squatted) in '75.
- 4. A large industrial complex in Turin. It was the center of a prolonged workers' strike, started in '69, which led to a wider movement across northern Italy ("Hot autumn").
- 5. The first of May is the italian Workers' Day, a national holiday.
- 6. Andrea Pazienza was an italian comics artist, illustrator and painter. He died at 32 in 1988.
- 7. Neapolitan stock theatrical character from the 17th century.
- 8. A large, ancient coastal road near Naples.
- 9. Actor, comedian and writer. Author of the theatre play from which this song is inspired.
- 10. Ferrante Aporti is an italian historical figure. In this verse the name indicates a building named after him.
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Submitted by 
misolyr on 2022-01-20
misolyr on 2022-01-20Added in reply to request by 
子弹∞盒子炮
子弹∞盒子炮 Last edited by misolyr on 2024-04-21
misolyr on 2024-04-21✕
Gang: Top 3
| 1. | L'altra metà del cielo |
| 2. | Ombre rosse |
| 3. | Buonanotte ai viaggiatori |
Idioms from "Kowalsky"
| 1. | Ai ferri corti |
Comments
About translator
The lyrics are inspired by the script of Kowalsky, a play for theatre written by Paolo Rossi, Davide Riondino and Gino & Michele.
In this song, Kowalsky symbolizes the Dream, the vagrancy, and the story being told is about his journey in Italy from the end of the 70s up until the 90s.
Source (italian): https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?lang=it&id=8506