Lyrics of Il barbone - Fabio Concato

Il barbone (original)

Guarda quel barbone personaggio d’altri tempi chissa' dove andra'
Porta sulle spalle un grosso sacco d’immondizia pieno a meta'
Addosso ha due cappotti, nove maglie, sembra quasi un palombaro;
Si china per raccogliere qualcosa: spera sia danaro
Poi dal sacco esce legno, latta, un po' di stracci ed un barattolo
Commercia in questi articoli che io trovo ridicoli
Ci campa sopra, forse lui e' un filosofo e male non ne fa
Ecco si avvicina, certo vuole qualche soldo… beh, gliene do';
Dopotutto e' un poveraccio e forse coi miei soldi puo' mangiare
Mi domando perche' mai non cerchera' lavoro
In qualche posto potrebbe risparmiare
E avere un conto al Banco Popolare
Poi mi guarda dritto in faccia
Sembra aver capito quel che penso
Mi fa un sorriso strano
Mi indica orgoglioso gli stracci che ha raccolto
E i soldi che gli han dato con pieta', come me
Ora si allontana ed io sto meglio
Quasi avessi visto un incidente
Mi sto congratulando con me stesso e penso:
«Che bello non essere un pezzente»
Ma ecco che il barbone fa ritorno
Mi fa una gran risata in faccia
Mi fa sentire stupido e meschino;
Mi fa sentire quel che sono
Ed io capisco che lui e' felice come me della vita che fa

(translation)

Look at that homeless character from the past who knows where he will go
He carries a large half-full garbage bag on his shoulders
He is wearing two coats, nine shirts, he almost looks like a diver;
He bends down to collect something: he hopes it's money
Then from the sack comes out wood, tin, some rags and a jar
He trades in these items which I find ridiculous
He lives on it, maybe he is a philosopher and he doesn't hurt
Here he is approaching, of course he wants some money ... well, I'll give him some;
After all, he's a poor fellow and maybe with my money he can eat
I wonder why he won't be looking for work
Somewhere he could save
And have an account at Banco Popolare
Then he looks me straight in the face
He seems to have understood what I think
He gives me a weird smile
He proudly points to the rags he has collected
And the money they gave him with pity, like me
Now he walks away and I'm better
Almost I saw an accident
I am congratulating myself and thinking:
"How nice not to be a beggar"
But here comes the homeless man
He gives me a big laugh in my face
He makes me feel stupid and mean;
He makes me feel what I am
And I understand that he is as happy as I am with the life he leads