Girotondo per i grandi [English translation]

Ring a Ring o' Roses

for adults,

envying children like us.

Ring a Ring o' Roses

to go back

to those beautiful days at kindergarten with me,

running after butterflies in the garden,

while wearing the blu and white squared smocks,

like 'la vispa Teresa' (the lively Teresa) used to do,

as if she was playing hide-and-seek with them in the grass.

['La vispa Teresa'], a song that none sings anymore.1

Ring a Ring o' Roses

for adults,

who get lost in their dreams as I do.

Ring a Ring o' Roses,

without a destination,

with me, through the streets of the memories,

looking for the 'wantgrass' which doesn't sprout

even in the gardens of great kings.2

And, straddling the rainbow,

smiling happily with me.

Looking for the 'wantgrass' which doesn't sprout

even in the gardens of great kings.

And, straddling the rainbow,

smiling happily with me.

Ring a Ring 'o Roses

for adults,

who get lost in their dreams as I do.

1. 'La vispa Teresa' is the title of an old Italian song where a young girl used to chase butterflies. In the Italian version, the 'la vispa Teresa' sentence, is both used to describe her, translated as 'the lively Teresa', chasing butteflies just like other children do, and also as the title of the song. That's why I had to rearrange the lyrics a bit.2. The 'erba voglio', literally translated as 'wantgrass', comes from an old Italian saying focused on teaching children to ask things politely and without saying "I want...", but "I'd like", "I wish...". Usually, a child says: "I want some milk" and then their mother says: "You know that the 'wantgrass' doesn't sprout even in the king's garden". This because, after the end of the absolute monarchy, even the king can't obtain everything he wants and so, even he can't say: "I want...". So, basically, the proverb says: "You know, even the king can't say "I want...", so you should do the same and ask it politely".

• Artist:Umberto Bindi
• Album:Umberto Bindi e le sue canzoni (1960)