Aridi means 'arid' or 'dry'. It's a striking, somewhat literary word that goes beyond simple dryness to evoke barrenness and a lack of emotional or spiritual nourishment.
Ramazzotti uses it in the line "Nonostante questi tempi aridi" (Despite these arid times) to create a powerful metaphor for our modern, superficial world. By contrasting this harsh, lifeless landscape with the enduring, resilient love he sings about, he makes the romance feel even more precious and vital.
Gli Ultimi Romantici (which means The Last Romantics) finds Italian pop legend Eros Ramazzotti celebrating real love in a world that often feels fake. Over the song’s joyful “Uoh-oh-oh” chant, he paints modern life as artificial and superficial, full of “arid times” and “comic times.” Yet the singer and his partner refuse to follow that trend. By truly understanding each other, reading each other’s thoughts, and holding on tight, they become the rare exception, proving that genuine affection still has a place today.
Ramazzotti’s message is hopeful and a little heroic: people who dare to feel deeply are “the new heroes,” the ones who keep romance alive when everyone else has given up. So while the world scrolls past in fast, shallow flashes, these two stand strong, eyes shining, determined to be gli ultimi romantici—the last romantics—who show that authentic connection can survive any era.
Eros Ramazzotti is one of Italy's most beloved pop singers and songwriters. Born in Rome in 1963 and named after the Greek god of love, he grew up in a working-class part of the city and started writing songs as a teenager, with help from his music-loving father.
His breakthrough came in 1984, when he won the newcomers' competition at the Sanremo Festival. Since then he has sold more than 80 million records across a career spanning four decades, recording in both Italian and Spanish and filling arenas throughout Europe and Latin America. Along the way he has shared songs with stars like Tina Turner, Cher, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti.
Released in 1996, "Più bella cosa" is one of his signature hits. Its title means "the most beautiful thing," and the song is a warm tribute to the woman he loved at the time. It remains one of the best-loved Italian love songs of its generation.