Cuore means 'heart' in Italian. While it might seem like a common word, its repeated and nuanced use in "Terzo Cuore" makes it incredibly central and intriguing.
The song literally translates to "Third Heart," and the lyrics explore the protagonist's three metaphorical hearts: one for joy, one for resilience, and a 'third heart' that stubbornly refuses to forget a past love. This personification of the heart, especially the 'maledetto terzo cuore' (damned third heart), gives the word a unique and profound emotional weight within the song's narrative.
Terzo Cuore is Leo Gassmann’s playful confession about juggling feelings that just will not stay in their lane. After a fortune-teller spots “a thousand problems” in his palm, the singer dives into a roller-coaster romance that breaks, mends, and flips through the air like Cirque du Soleil acrobats. He claims to have three hearts inside his chest: one that laughs on holidays, one that keeps him afloat in stormy seas, and a stubborn third that refuses to forget the person he loves. The song turns that quirky image into a catchy metaphor for how we split ourselves between joy, resilience, and heartbreak while trying to move on.
Behind the lighthearted tone sits a bittersweet truth: some connections feel impossible to quit, no matter how sensible it would be. Gassmann mixes humor with vulnerability, admitting he would rather be “wrong with you” than right and alone. By the end, the “cursed third heart” becomes both a curse and a badge of loyalty, reminding us that even in the messiest love stories, caring deeply is what makes us human.