“We wanted so badly for things to change, and music helped us so much.” – Pino Daniele
You can listen to Pino Daniele’s splendid voice at the link found below.
| Voglio di più Pino Daniele Io che ho visto la terra bruciare E la gente che mi entrava in casa Io che ho visto tutto oggi sono vero Io che ho visto un uomo e una campana Stare insieme a gridare per ore Ieri che ho visto il mare oggi sono stanco Ma voglio di più Di quello che vedi Voglio di più Di questi anni amari Sai che non striscerò Per farmi valere Vivrò così Cercando un senso anche per te, oh no Ed ho visto prestare le mani Solo in cambio di un po’ di rumore Mentre a Sud il caldo t’ammazza e hai voglia di cambiare Cambiare Ed ho visto morire bambini Nati sotto un accento sbagliato Ieri mi sono incazzato ed oggi sono vero Ma voglio di più Di quello che vedi Voglio di più Di questi anni amari Sai che strillerò Per farmi valere Sarò così sempre pronto a dire no Ma voglio di più Di quello che vedi Voglio di più Di questi anni amari Sai che non striscerò Per darti colore Vivrò così Cercando un senso anche per te | I want more Pino Daniele I who’ve seen the land burning And people invading my home I who’ve seen everything today am real I who’ve seen a man and a bell Hollering together for hours Yesterday I who saw the sea today am tired But I want more Than what you see I want more Than these bitter years You know I will not grovel To make myself heard I’ll live like this Looking for meaning for you too, oh no And I’ve seen people lending hands Only in return for some noise While in the South the heat kills you and you want change Change And I’ve seen the dying of children Born under an accent that’s wrong Yesterday I got mad and today I’m real But I want more Than what you see I want more Than these bitter years You know I’ll holler To make myself heard So I’ll always be ready to say no But I want more Than what you see I want more Than these bitter years You know I will not grovel To give you colour I’ll live like this Looking for meaning for you too Translation ©Matilda Colarossi 2024 |
‘Voglio di più’ by Pino Daniele is about wanting change, about wanting a better life with a deeper meaning. In the world he depicts, today’s world, we see injustice and suffering, but we also sense the author’s resilience and determination: he is looking for something more for himself but also for us, and he will not lower himself, he will not crawl, he will shout out the injustice and make his voice heard.
In this touching song Pino Daniele recounts the devastation caused by fire (“terra bruciare”, as in “Terra dei Fuochi” which indicates an anomaly, a monstrous environmental crime, an area in Naples where in illegal landfills night fires destroy illegal waste, filling the air with noxious and polluting substances), the danger caused by people introducing themselves into homes (thieving and invasion of personal space and safety). He gives a faithful description of the failings of man who only lend a hand for attention or their own gain and of the South with its stifling heat. What is most touching is the painful image of children dying because “nati sotto un accento sbagliato” (the “accent” underlines the difference between the south of Italy and the north, in which children enjoy more favourable conditions than they do in the south).
The song is from the album “Nero a metà”. About the album, the author, Pino Daniele, states: «The title “Nero a metà”, linked to a musical concept, was inspired by a beautiful book that came out in the ‘70s, “Nero di Puglia”, which is a story about a black man born in the south, a bit like the story of my friend James Senese. Needless to say, the most beautiful part is “Quanno chiove”, one of my first love songs*… tanto l’aria s’adda cagna [things just have to change]! We wanted so badly for things to change, and music helped us so much.”
Pino Daniele died on January 4, 2015. He will always be missed…
Photo: Pino Daniele during a concert at Pomigliano Jazz in July 2012 by Matricole
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
parallel texts: words reflected 
