Lyrics of Buonanotte Fratello - Francesco De Gregori

Buonanotte Fratello (original)

Ho visto torri alte e un Paradiso,
crescere sopra isole deserte,
dov’eri tu quando parlavo tanto,
ed ero solo come?
una bestemmia.
Torre d’avorio e pena nella notte,
cristallizzata nella tua agonia.
Dov’eri tu vestito da scolaro,
quando dormivo senza avere sonno,
dov’eri tu col tuo sorriso onesto,
dov’eri tu col tuo vestito hippy
e il tuo ospedale per amori infranti,
chiusi dentro un cassetto insieme al vino,
dov’eri tu col tuo buonumore.
Tu mi stavi ammazzando,
tu mi stavi ammazzando con amore.
E io dormivo dove era pi?
freddo,
dentro il mio pozzo ormai senza pudore,
con il mio cuore stranamente nuovo
e mi dicevo adesso si che sto crescendo,
invece era soltanto una stazione,
certezza necessaria e sufficiente,
utile tutt’al pi?
per affogare,
per liberarsi di un vestito stretto
ed indossarne uno un p?
pi?
largo.
Dov’eri tu che mi dicevi sempre,
«Guarda che bello, come siamo pazzi».
Dov’eri tu quando restavo zitto
ed ero ingenuo come era una bestemmia,
dov’eri tu con la pace nel cuore.
Tu mi stavi ammazzando,
tu mi stavi ammazzando con amore.
E adesso guarda ho rotto il mio orologio
e ho costruito la mia stanza a specchi
e cullo il mio suicidio come un bimbo
che aspetta il giorno che verr?
Natale
e non invidio la tua casa bianca,
dove resisterai fino a cent’anni,
per finire su un letto di granito,
con il conforto della tua coscienza,
la mani nette e il cuore di cristallo
e i cani abbaieranno a mezzavoce.
Io forse allora non sar?
pi?
niente,
solo una X nel ciclo dell’azoto,
se c'?
un inferno mi potr?
ascoltare.
Buonanotte fratello,
buonanotte fratello con amore.

(translation)

I've seen tall towers and a paradise,
grow on desert islands,
where were you when I talked so much,
and I was lonely how?
a blasphemy.
Tower of ivory and pain in the night,
crystallized in your agony.
Where were you dressed as a schoolboy,
when I slept without sleep,
where were you with your honest smile,
where were you with your hippy dress
and your hospital for broken loves,
closed in a drawer with the wine,
where were you with your good humor.
You were killing me,
you were killing me with love.
And I slept where it was most?
cold,
inside my well now shamelessly,
with my strangely new heart
and I was saying to myself now that I'm growing up,
instead it was just a station,
necessary and sufficient certainty,
useful at most?
to drown,
to get rid of a tight dress
and wear one ap?
pi?
wide.
Where were you who always told me,
"Look how beautiful we are, how crazy we are."
Where were you when I was silent
and I was naive as it was a blasphemy,
where were you with peace in your heart.
You were killing me,
you were killing me with love.
And now look, I broke my watch
and I built my mirror room
and I rock my suicide like a child
what is waiting for the day to come?
Christmas
and I don't envy your white house,
where you will last up to a hundred years,
to end up on a granite bed,
with the comfort of your conscience,
the clean hands and the crystal heart
and the dogs will bark in a low voice.
Maybe I won't be then?
pi?
nothing,
only one X in the nitrogen cycle,
if there?
a hell will I be able to?
listen.
Goodnight brother,
goodnight brother with love.