Pachiderma literally translates to "pachyderm," referring to a large, thick-skinned mammal like an elephant or rhinoceros. It's a striking and somewhat uncommon word in everyday Italian, making it memorable.
In the song, Jovanotti uses it metaphorically to describe the human condition: "Marinai di terra ferma in pericolo costante / Sulla groppa di un pachiderma che non sta fermo un istante." This paints a vivid picture of people navigating life's constant changes and uncertainties, riding on something vast and unpredictable like a restless pachyderm. It's a unique and thought-provoking image.
Buon vento is what Italians wish a boat before it leaves, and Jovanotti hands it to anyone setting off today: "Buon vento a chi oggi partirà " (fair winds to whoever sets off today). The joke underneath it is that nobody in this song is actually at sea. We are "Marinai di terra ferma in pericolo costante" (sailors on dry land in constant danger), hanging on to "Sulla groppa di un pachiderma che non sta fermo un istante" (the back of a great beast that never stays still for a moment), and the storm he keeps naming is not weather at all: "Perché l'oceano più insidioso / È comunque quello che è nella testa" (because the most treacherous ocean is still the one inside your head).
Alfa takes the second verse and pushes it somewhere harder. "Facciamo sogni grandi come navi / Ma poi arrugginiscono se stanno fermi" (we dream dreams as big as ships, but then they rust if they stay still) is the whole argument in two lines, and he casts off anyway: "È vero, casa sarà sempre casa / Però l'orizzonte è dove voglio andare" (it is true, home will always be home, but the horizon is where I want to go). He is honest about what it costs. "Ho la coscienza piena di scogli" (my conscience is full of rocks) is a strange, very good line, and the answer the song gives it is "Ho un'estate eterna e il mio amico sole" (I have an endless summer and my friend the sun). Then it all dissolves into "Si muove" (it moves), repeated until it stops sounding like a warning.
Jovanotti, born Lorenzo Cherubini, started his career as a DJ in Italy, bringing a new sound to the airwaves. He quickly moved into making his own music, mixing early hip-hop and rap influences with pop.
His sound evolved to include rock and world music, creating an energetic blend that is uniquely his. He is known for popular songs like "L'ombelico del mondo," "Serenata Rap," and "A te," and albums such as Lorenzo 1994 and Safari. His concerts are often large, joyful events.