The word schiaffi literally translates to "slaps". It's a very strong and visceral word that immediately grabs your attention.
In the song, Marco Mengoni isn't talking about a physical fight. He uses it metaphorically in the line "Tutte le corse gli schiaffi, gli sbagli che fai" (All the runs, the slaps, the mistakes you make) to refer to life's hard knocks, setbacks, and the painful lessons we learn along the way. It’s a powerful way to describe the struggles and chaos of life.
Marco Mengoni brings us straight into that chaotic, 3:00 AM state of mind where sleep is impossible and your head won't stop spinning. He frames two people as if they are "i soli svegli in tutto l'universo" ("the only ones awake in the whole universe"), shouting out their frustrations from a rooftop. The song leans hard into messy, realistic snapshots instead of polished romance: think an empty flat with a book left lying on the floor, blurry photos, and the bizarre classic remedy of "il caffè col limone contro l'hangover" ("coffee with lemon for a hangover"). He sings bluntly about wasting another night outside a club ("ci siamo fottuti ancora una notte fuori un locale") and immediately adds a relieved "e meno male" ("and just as well").
At its heart, the track explores the winding paths and collisions between two lives ("che giri fanno due vite"). Mengoni moves between extremes, calling them "i mostri e le fate" ("the monsters and the fairies"), trying to deal with life when it hits too hard ("quando la vita poi esagera") with all its rush and metaphorical slaps ("le corse, gli schiaffi"). Even if the world were ending and the moon exploded, he pictures himself staying right there in the dark, wrapped up only in the sound of a voice, trying to make sense of all the beautiful disorder.
Marco Mengoni is an Italian singer-songwriter born on December 25, 1988, in Ronciglione, Italy. He rose to fame in 2009 after winning the third season of "X Factor Italy," and became one of Italy's most celebrated pop and soul artists in the years that followed.
Mengoni has won the Sanremo Music Festival twice, in 2013 with "L'Essenziale" and again in 2023 with "Due Vite," which also represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest. Known for his powerful, soulful voice and emotionally direct lyrics, he has released multiple platinum-certified albums and remains one of the most streamed Italian artists both at home and internationally.