Tutti morimmo a stento: Recitativo (due invocazioni e un atto d'accusa)/ Corale (leggenda del re infelice) - Recitative (Two Invocations and an Indictment)/ Chorale (Legend of the Unhappy King)

Uomini senza fallo, semidei che vivete in castelli inargentati che di gloria toccaste gli apogei noi che invochiam pietà siamo i drogati. Dell'inumano varcando il confine conoscemmo anzitempo la carogna che ad ogni ambito sogno mette fine: che la pietà non vi sia di vergogna.      C'era un re      che aveva      due castelli      uno d'argento      uno d'oro      ma per lui      non il cuore      di un amico      mai un amore      né felicità. Banchieri, pizzicagnoli, notai, coi ventri obesi e le mani sudate coi cuori a forma di salvadanai noi che invochiam pietà fummo traviate. Navigammo su fragili vascelli per affrontar del mondo la burrasca ed avevamo gli occhi troppo belli: che la pietà non vi rimanga in tasca. Giudici eletti, uomini di legge noi che danziam nei vostri sogni ancora siamo l'umano desolato gregge di chi morì con il nodo alla gola. Quanti innocenti all'orrenda agonia votaste decidendone la sorte e quanto giusta pensate che sia una sentenza che decreta morte?      Un castello      lo donò      e cento e cento      amici trovò      l'altro poi      gli portò      mille amori      ma non trovo      la felicità. Uomini cui pietà non convien sempre male accettando il destino comune, andate, nelle sere di novembre, a spiar delle stelle al fioco lume, la morte e il vento, in mezzo ai camposanti, muover le tombe e metterle vicine come fossero tessere giganti di un domino che non avrà mai fine. Uomini, poiché all'ultimo minuto non vi assalga il rimorso ormai tardivo per non aver pietà giammai avuto e non diventi rantolo il respiro: sappiate che la morte vi sorveglia gioir nei prati o fra i muri di calce, come crescere il gran guarda il villano finché non sia maturo per la falce.      Non cercare la felicità      in tutti quelli a cui tu      hai donato      per avere un compenso      ma solo in te      nel tuo cuore      se tu avrai donato      solo per pietà      per pietà      per pietà... Recitativo and Corale © 1968 Fabrizio De André/Gian Piero Reverberi In "Recitativo" and "Corale" De André makes the case that a merciful outlook should underpin all human affairs, as death waits patiently for each of us regardless of station in life. Gian Piero Reverberi and Fabrizio De André in the studio

You men with no failings, half gods who live in silvered castles, who touched the heights of glory, we who invoke mercy are the addicts. Of the inhuman border crossing we will know prematurely its carcass that puts an end to every ambitious dream: may mercy not be shameful for you all.      There was a king      who had      two castles,      one of silver,      one of gold;      but for him      not the heart      of a friend,      never a love      nor happiness. Bankers, deli owners, accountants with obese bellies and sweaty hands, with hearts shaped like piggy banks, we who invoke mercy were led astray. We sail on fragile ships to face the storm of the world and we have eyes too beautiful: may mercy not remain in your pockets. Elected judges, men of law, we who still dance in your dreams, we are the bleak human herd of those who died with a knot at the throat. How many innocents to a horrible agony did you vote through, determining their destiny? And how right do you think it is that it’s a sentence that decrees death?      One castle      he gave away      and hundreds and hundreds      of friends he found.      The other then      brought him      a thousand lovers,      but he didn't find      happiness. Men for whom mercy is not always suitable, ill accepting the common destiny, you go, in the evenings of November in the dim light of the stars, to spy on death and the wind, amidst the graveyards, moving tombstones and placing them nearby as if they were giant pieces of a domino game that will never have an end. You men, since at the last minute remorse, by then belated, doesn’t assault you for never having had mercy, and the breath doesn’t become a death rattle: know that death keeps a close eye on you, rejoicing in the meadows or in between the lime walls like a boorish peasant looks after the growing grain while it’s not yet ripe for the scythe.      Don’t search for happiness      in all those to whom you      have gifted      in order to have a reward,      but only in you,      in your heart,      if you might have given      purely out of mercy,      out of mercy,      out of mercy . . . English translation © 2014 Dennis Criteser Tutti morimmo a stento, released in 1968, was one of the first concept albums in Italy. In De André's own words, the album "speaks of death, not of bubble gum death with little bones, but of psychological death, moral death, mental death, that a normal person can encounter during his lifetime." After the success of Volume I, De André was provided for this next album a cutting edge recording studio complete with an 80-member orchestra, directed by Gian Piero Reverberi, and a children's chorus. The whole project was under the direction of Gian Piero's brother Gian Franco Reverberi. This album also met with commercial success, becoming the highest selling album in Italy in 1968. In 1969 a version of the album was made with De André re-recording the vocals in English. The album was not officially released.

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