“Tarantola d’Africa” from the album Nessuno È Solo
This is a surreal song about his own career. He likens himself to a caged tarantula, while those who are not famous are beautiful ladybugs. This has always been one of my favorites. It’s one of his more alternative songs, a very heavy sound, complete with strings. Perfect for what the song is about. He should do more songs like this one.
English translation of “Tarantola d’Africa”:
“African Tarantula”
I am the African tarantula
I smile, thinking ugly things
Inside my plexiglas cage
To protect you from me and my venom
Free, they say I can kill you, while watching you
But you pay for your ticket to look at me
Then you can want me dead or love me
You’ll look as long as you want
Tightly grasping your daddy’s hand
You go go go, go go go
And what happens inside if the heart’s too thirsty
And outside you’re enjoying yourself, but no one asks me
How easy it is to think of the sun as a distraction
And while maturing my sorrow I become an attraction
Captured because of my carelessness, by choice or imposition?
Repeating to myself with conviction that life from here would be better
But the better life doesn’t last
And how beautiful is it, how sad is it
To forget that sorrow exists, that sorrow exists
You’re the most beautiful ladybug
You smile while looking at everything
Perhaps no one will ever watch you
But sometimes this matters less, a lot less
Idiot, they say
Treat yourself to a different tree
Fall asleep between its branches and its leaves
You don’t know anymore if you should go on or if you’re satisfied
You’ll look as long as you want
Tightly grasping your daddy’s hand
You go go go, go go
And what happens inside if the heart’s too thirsty
And outside you’re enjoying yourself, but no one asks me
How easy it is to think of the sun as a distraction
And while maturing my sorrow I become an attraction
Captured because of my carelessness, by choice or imposition?
Repeating to myself with conviction that life from here would be better
But the better life doesn’t last
And how beautiful is it, how sad is it
To forget that sorrow exists, that sorrow exists
But you pay for your ticket to look at me
Then you can want me dead or love me
You’ll look as long as you want
Tightly grasping your daddy’s hand
Tightly grasping your daddy’s hand
