30 Days of Songs - Day One

Music is a huge part of my life. Not only because I dance but because it defines us. It can define a moment in time, an experience, a person. Music has this way of becoming a part of your soul. It touches you, makes you laugh, makes you cry, soothes you when your angry and picks you up when you are down.

I want to know what YOUR favourite songs are. What moves you? What artist or band is always on your play list?

For me, it's so hard to just pick one. My collection is vast and varied. But I'm going to try to narrow it down to a few of my all-time faves. 

One song that I could listen to forever is called Caruso. It's a song written by Italian singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla in 1986. It is dedicated to Enrico Caruso, an Italian tenor. Many well-known singers have done renditions of this song including Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Julio Iglessias, and Josh Groban. While all these men have done this song justice, my absolute favourite version is sung by French-Canadian Lara Fabian. Her voice and the emotion that she conveys and evokes in the lyrics make my heart swell and gives me goosebumps.

The song is sung in Italian but translation and English subtitles are provided in the above video.

Lyrics with translation:

Italian lyrics
Qui dove il mare luccica E tira forte il vento Su una vecchia terrazza Davanti al Golfo di Surriento Un uomo abbraccia una ragazza Dopo che aveva pianto Poi si schiarisce la voce E ricomincia il canto Ritornello: Te voglio bene assaie Ma tanto, tanto bene sai È una catena ormai Che scioglie il sangue dint'e vene sai Vide le luci in mezzo al mare Pensò alle notti là in America Ma erano solo le lampàre E la bianca scia di un'elica Sentì il dolore nella musica Si alzò dal pianoforte Ma quando vide la luna uscire da una nuvola Gli sembrò più dolce anche la morte Guardo negli occhi la ragazza Quegli occhi verdi come il mare Poi all'improvviso usci una lacrima E lui credette di affogare {Ritornello} La potenza della lirica Dove ogni dramma è un falso Che con un po'di trucco e con la mimica Puoi diventare un altro Ma due occhi che ti guardano Così vicini e veri Ti fan scordare le parole Confondono i pensieri Così diventa tutto piccolo Anche le notti là in America Ti volti e vedi la tua vita Come la scia di un'elica Ma si è la vita che finisce Ma lui non ci pensò poi tanto Anzi si sentiva già felice E ricominciò il suo canto {Ritornello} x 2Here, where the sea shimmers And the wind gusts strongly On an old terrace In front of the Gulf of Sorrento English translation A man embraces a girl After she had cried Then clears his throat (lit: whitens his voice) And begins the song again Chorus: I love you very much So much, so much, you know It is a bond from now on That frees the blood inside the veins, you know He saw the lights in the middle of the sea He thought of the nights there in America But they were only the fishermen's lamps And the white wake from a propeller He felt the pain in the music He rose from the piano But when he saw the moon emerging from a cloud Even death seemed sweeter to him He looked the girl in the eyes Those eyes, green like the sea Then suddenly a tear fell And he believed he was drowning {Chorus} The power of opera Where every drama is a hoax With a little make-up and with mimicry You are able to become another But two eyes that look at you So close and real Make you forget the words Confuse your thoughts Thus everything becomes small Even the nights there in America You turn and see your life Like the wake from a propeller But it is life itself that ends But he did not think about it much then On the contrary, he was already feeling happy And began his song again {Chorus} x 2 Hope you enjoy it! :)