Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Caruso by Lucio Dalla from Italian to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Verse 1
Here where the sea shines
This song by Lucio is dedicated to Caruso, who was an acclaimed Italian operatic singer
And the wind blows hard
Lucio Dalla stayed some time in the same hotel where Caruso spent some time before dying
On an old terrace
A few years before he died, Caruso met and wed a woman 20 years his junior, Dorothy, whom Lucio Dalla describes in this song. He had a daughter with her named Gloria
In front of the Gulf of Sorrento
Sorrento (Surriento in the Neapolitan language) is a town overlooking the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy, where this song was written
A man hugs a girl
After she had cried
Then he clears his throat
Lit: And then he clears his voice
And he starts singing again
Or: And starts to sing again
Chorus 1
I love you so much
Lit: I wish you well. Also, this is using Neapolitan dialect, as standard Italian would be: 'ti voglio bene'
But so, so much, you know
It's a chain now
That melts the blood inside your veins, you know
Verse 2
He saw the lights in the middle of the sea
He thought of the nights there in America
Caruso had problems with Italian opera houses, but gained more fame and success in the United States, which is why we see mentions of America in this song
But they were only the fishing lamps
And the white wake of a propeller
He felt the pain in the music
He got up from the piano
But when he saw the moon come out of a cloud
Even death seemed sweet to him
He looked into the girl's eyes
Those green eyes like the sea
Then suddenly a tear came out
Or: Then suddenly a tear fell
And he thought he was drowning
Chorus 2
I love you so much
In Italian, I love you said with 'Ti voglio bene' is generally not used in a romantic context. However, in Neapolitan, where this song originates, it's often used romantically
But so, so much, you know
Or: But very very much, you know
It's a chain now
That melts the blood inside your veins, you know
Verse 3
The power of opera
Or: The power of opera
Where every drama is make-believe
That with a little makeup and with acting
Or: With a little make-up and facial expressions
You can become someone else
Or: You can become someone else
But two eyes that look at you
So close and real
They make you forget the words
They confuse your thoughts
So everything becomes small
Even the nights there in America
You turn around and see your life
Like the wake of a propeller
Oh well, it's life that ends
But he didn't think about it much
In fact, he already felt happy
And he began his song again
Chorus 3
I love you so much
Usually in Italian, 'ti amo' is reserved for romantic love, while 'ti voglio bene' is used in a non-romantic context, such as family and friends
But so, so much, you know
It's a chain now
That melts the blood inside your veins, you know
Chorus 4
I love you so much
But so, so much, you know
It's a chain now
That melts the blood inside your veins
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lampare are the bright lamps used on fishing boats at night to attract fish to the surface. It’s a beautifully specific word that paints a vivid picture of the Italian coast.
In the song, the protagonist sees lights on the dark sea and dreams of America, only to realize, "ma erano solo le lampare" (but they were only the fishing lamps). This single word captures the heart of the song: a poignant contrast between a faraway dream and the simple, beautiful reality of his home in Italy.
This song tells a story set on an old terrace overlooking the Gulf of Sorrento in Italy, where "il mare luccica" [the sea shines]. An emotional scene unfolds: a man holds a girl who has been crying, and then he starts to sing. The chorus is one of the most passionate declarations of love you'll ever hear: "Te voglio bene assaie / Ma tanto tanto bene sai" [I love you so much / So, so much, you know]. He says this love is like a chain that "scioglie il sangue dint'e vene" [melts the blood in the veins]. It's intense!
The man seems to be looking back on his life. He sees lights on the water and thinks of his nights in America, but then realizes his life is more like "la scia di un'elica" [the wake of a propeller], something that quickly disappears behind you. He feels pain in the music he's playing and thinks even death could be sweet. But when he looks into the girl's eyes, which are "verdi come il mare" [green like the sea], that real connection makes him forget all his lines and confused thoughts. He realizes that in the face of such a true moment, everything else, even his past in America, becomes small. He accepts that his life is ending, but feels happy and starts to sing his song of love again.
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