Figlia [English translation]

He knew all the truth

the old man who sold cards and numbers,1

however, your mother has been hard to reach,

I know that without me there was no difference:

you would be born anyway,

she would have you anyway.

There was no river when I loved her;

she wasn’t exactly a girl,

but I think I did my best,

so, sometimes I watch if I look like you.

I know, I know it isn’t fair,

but I need this too.

Afterwards, they’ll tell you that you had a grandfather general,

and that conversely your father was rather abnormal,

and then you’ll know that you bear

the surname of a friend of mine,

of one of the few who never betrayed me,

because you were born on the day

on which he lost a dream.

And dreams, dreams,

dreams come from the sea,

for all those

who always chose to be wrong,

because, because to win means “accept”

if I arrive, it means that it can help “someone”,

and this, if I ever will have to do this,

you never forgive me for this.

And daughter, daughter,

I don’t want you to be happy,

but always “against”,

as long as they leave you your voice;

they’ll want have

your picture with a stupid smile,

they’ll say:

“Don’t get excited, it's no use”,

and instead you shout aloud,

shout life against death.

And daughter, daughter,

daughter, you are as beautiful as the sun,

as the earth,

as the anger, as the bread,

and I know that you’ll fall in love without thinking,

and forgive me,

forgive me if we’ll see little and badly:

my dream leads me far away,

I have a flower here inside my fist.2

1. lottery numbers2. In Italian “pugno” means “fist” but also “punch”.

• Artist:Roberto Vecchioni
• Album:Elisir