Chiachierate is an Italian word that means "chats" or "conversations." While the song is primarily in French, Claudio Capéo, who has Italian roots, beautifully weaves Italian phrases into the lyrics to evoke a sense of nostalgia and connection to his heritage.
In the song, he sings, "Comme elle me manque la Piazza Navona / Le chiachierate quando viene la sera, mamma" (How I miss Piazza Navona / The chats when evening comes, mama). This word is particularly enticing because it's an unexpected Italian gem within a French song, highlighting the artist's cultural blend and adding a unique, personal touch that makes the lyrics more vibrant and authentic.
Ever feel like you're in one place, but your heart is somewhere else entirely? That's exactly what Claudio Capéo is singing about in "Porte D'Italie". He tells us, "J'ai les deux pieds ici" [I have both feet here], but his heart is constantly escaping to Rome. The song is a beautiful daydream about Italy, filled with specific places and tastes he misses, like having chats in the Piazza Navona or eating "pasta al'forno" [baked pasta]. The title itself, "Porte d'Italie", is a real gate in Paris that marks the beginning of the road to Italy. For him, just seeing it out the window is enough to make his heart run away.
What makes this song so special is how it mixes French and Italian, showing his split identity. His accordion even gets a personality, telling him, "Claudio, c'est l'heure... Voglio andare fuori" [Claudio, it's time... I want to go outside]. He dreams of throwing a coin in the Fontana di Trevi [Trevi Fountain] and riding a Vespa scooter, living out scenes from the classic Italian movies of Fellini. It’s a song for anyone who has a deep connection to another culture or place, a feeling of longing for a second home that is always calling you back.
Claudio Capéo, born Claudio Ruccolo in 1985, is a French singer and accordionist with Italian roots. He grew up in Cernay, a small town in the Alsace region of eastern France, and picked up the accordion at the age of six, playing it in competitions long before he ever sang on a stage.
His route into music took a few turns along the way. As a teenager he played in a metal band, then in an African jazz group, and only later settled into the warm, streetwise pop that made his name. He reached a national audience in 2016 on the French edition of The Voice, and the self titled debut album that followed went straight to number one in France and stayed there for five weeks. The single "Un homme debout" turned him into one of the most recognisable voices in modern French song, and he has kept filling venues across France, Belgium and Switzerland ever since with music about ordinary people, dignity and stubborn hope.