| Tra stanchi ferrovieri un poco buffi
| Among tired railway workers a little funny
|
| notturne guardie, con grossi baffi
| nocturnal guards, with big moustaches
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| mandavan giùquel vino come fosse
| they swallowed that wine as if it were
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| un Dio con passi di velluto rosso
| a God with red velvet footsteps
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| Per non pensar Domani éun altro giorno
| Not to think Tomorrow is another day
|
| e al puzzo di sudore in pieno inverno
| and the smell of sweat in the middle of winter
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| che traspirava dai baveri alzati
| that perspired from the raised collars
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| dei loro pastranoni stazzonati
| of their wrinkled greatcoats
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| Un cameriere brutto quanto basta
| A waiter ugly enough
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| ci prospettava riso, oppure pasta
| he promised us rice, or pasta
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| sbirciava l’orologio e — si vedeva — ci odiava
| he glanced at his watch and — it was visible — he hated us
|
| E le puttane su sgabelli appollaiate
| And the whores perched on stools
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| con quelle gambe certo troppo accavallate
| with those legs certainly too crossed
|
| offrivano agli sguardi di platea
| offered to the gazes of the audience
|
| la loro industria con la mercanzia
| their industry with merchandise
|
| Mentre i magnaccia nei lapin impellicciati
| While the pimps in lapin fur coats
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| con quei pesanti anelli grossi ed ostentati
| with those heavy, large and ostentatious rings
|
| bevendo rhum, contavano la grana
| drinking rum, they counted the grain
|
| nel mentre che fumavano marjuana
| while they smoked marijuana
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| Un fumo grosso si tagliava a fette
| A large smoke was cut into slices
|
| l’ora diceva quattro e zerosette
| the time said four zero seven
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| la filodiffusione diffondeva
| the piped music was spreading
|
| una canzone, sì, Come pioveva
| a song, yes, How it rained
|
| Seduti al tavolino si aspettava
| Sitting at the table, they waited
|
| il risottino, e intanto si capiva
| risotto, and in the meantime we understood
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| di quanto fosse inutile parlare
| about how useless it was to talk
|
| di quanto fosse inutile sperare
| than it was useless to hope
|
| Ci guardavamo muti dentro gli occhi
| We were silently looking into each other's eyes
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| per una strada chiusa, senza sbocchi | on a closed road, with no outlets |
| pensando forse a un’isola lontana, lontana
| perhaps thinking of a distant, distant island
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| Ed un barbone che sfogliava le attricette
| And a tramp who leafed through the starlets
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| forse sognando di palpar loro le tette
| perhaps dreaming of felling their boobs
|
| la sigaretta fatta con cartine
| the cigarette made with rolling papers
|
| gli provocava tosse senza fine
| it caused him to cough endlessly
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| Le mani vinte, sprofondate nelle tasche
| The won hands, sunk in the pockets
|
| ed un destino, dalle tinte troppo fosche
| and a fate, with too gloomy hues
|
| davanti a una schedina sfortunata
| in front of an unlucky ticket
|
| la nostra storia era così, finita | thus, our story was over |