Nella guerra di Valois il Signor di Vly è morto, se sia stato un prode eroe non si sa, non è ancor certo. Ma la dama abbandonata lamentando la sua morte per mill'anni e forse ancora piangerà la triste sorte. Fila la lana, fila i tuoi giorni illuditi ancora che lui ritorni, libro di dolci sogni d'amore apri le pagine sul suo dolore. Son tornati a cento e a mille i guerrieri di Valois, son tornati alle famiglie, ai palazzi alle città. Ma la dama abbandonata non ritroverà il suo amore e il gran ceppo nel camino non varrà a scaldarle il cuore. Fila la lana, fila i tuoi giorni illuditi ancora che lui ritorni, libro di dolci sogni d'amore apri le pagine al suo dolore. Cavalieri che in battaglia ignorate la paura stretta sia la vostra maglia, ben temprata l'armatura. Al nemico che vi assalta siate presti a dar risposta perché dietro a quelle mura vi s'attende senza sosta. Fila la lana, fila i tuoi giorni illuditi ancora che lui ritorni, libro di dolci sogni d'amore chiudi le pagine sul suo dolore. Fila la lana © 1965 Fabrizio De André "Fila la lana" was presented as a translation of a popular medieval French song from the 15th century. In fact the French source song was "File la laine" composed by Robert Marcy in 1948, popularized by Jacque Douai in 1955. The War of Valois in De André's version is better known as the War of the Breton Succession (1341-1364). The original French version speaks of the "Monsieur of Malbrough" which refers to a 1709 battle in the War of the Spanish Succession depicted in one of the most famous of French folk songs, "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre." |
In the war of Valois the Seignior of Vly died. Whether he was a valiant hero is unknown, it’s still not certain. But the woman left abandoned lamenting his death, for a thousand years, maybe more, will mourn his sad destiny. Spin the wool, spin your days, keep fooling yourself that he might return. Book of sweet dreams of love - open the pages to its sorrow. They returned by the hundreds and by the thousands, the warriors of Valois. They returned to their families, to their palaces, to their cities. But the abandoned woman won’t find her love again, and the big log in the fireplace will be of no use for warming her heart. Spin the wool, spin your days, keep fooling yourself that he might return. Book of sweet dreams of love - open the pages to its sorrow. Knights who in battle ignore the fear, may your chain mail be tight, your armor well-tempered. To the enemy who assaults you be ready to give riposte, because behind those walls you’re awaited without cease. Spin the wool, spin your days, keep fooling yourself that he might return. Book of sweet dreams of love - close the pages on its sorrow. English translation © 2014 Dennis Criteser Tutto Fabrizio De André was released in 1966 and is a compilation of singles released between 1961 and 1966. |
Fabrizio De André, the revered Italian singer/songwriter, created a deep and enduring body of work over the course of his career from the 1960s through the 1990s. With these translations I have tried to render his words into an English that reads naturally without straying too far from the Italian. The translations decipher De André's lyrics without trying to preserve rhyme schemes or to make the resulting English lyric work with the melody of the song.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Tutto Fabrizio De André:
Fila la lana - Spin the Wool
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