Vizio translates to "vice" or "habit". It's a compelling word because it suggests something irresistible, perhaps a little dangerous, but ultimately desired.
In "Certe Notti," Ligabue sings, "Certe notti somigliano a un vizio / Che tu non vuoi smettere, smettere mai" (Certain nights resemble a vice / That you never want to stop, stop). This paints a vivid picture of those unforgettable nights that become an addictive part of life, making the word highly evocative and memorable.
Ligabue’s “Certe Notti” is a love letter to those unforgettable nights when the world feels wide-open and anything can happen. The engine is warm, the radio plays Neil Young, and the road itself decides where you’re headed. In these hours the usual rules fade: street names stop mattering, bars are shut, yet friends gather at the first roadside diner to celebrate simply being alive. You might carry a few literal or emotional cuts, but someone in the crew will patch you up before the next laugh. It is part rock-and-roll road movie, part after-party confessional, bursting with mosquitoes, fog, kisses, and the reckless promise that you won’t change.
These “certain nights” turn ordinary people into kings of places that do not exist by daylight. They blur loneliness and togetherness, parent-like comfort and playful sin, until you realise that settling for “so-so” joy is still better than sleeping through life. The song invites you to keep that vice of late-night freedom alive, to stay awake to your own desires, and to believe that—sooner or later—everyone will meet again “da Mario” for one more round. It is a tribute to spontaneity, camaraderie, and the stubborn thrill of chasing the night just because it feels right.
Ligabue, whose full name is Luciano Ligabue, is one of Italy's most beloved rock singers. Born in 1960 in Correggio, a small town in the Emilia-Romagna region, he started his music career with his self-titled debut album in 1990 and has been a major force in Italian rock ever since.
His 1995 album "Buon Compleanno Elvis" made him a household name, and his song "Certe Notti" is still considered one of the defining Italian songs of the 1990s. In 2005, he played a legendary concert in his hometown area that drew around 180,000 fans, setting a European record at the time.
Beyond music, Ligabue is also a writer and filmmaker. He wrote and directed the film "Radiofreccia," which won several major Italian film awards, and he has published acclaimed short stories as well.
More than three decades into his career, he remains one of Italy's most popular rock artists, known for lyrics that mix everyday emotion with a rebellious, working-class spirit.