Salvatore – English Lyrics

• By: Lana Del Rey

Lyrics & Translation

“Salvatore” by Lana Del Rey offers a beautiful entry point into the Italian language, woven into a dreamy, cinematic soundscape. The song's use of simple Italian phrases like 'Ciao amore' provides an accessible and melodic way to begin learning the language of romance. Its 'old-world' Italian feel makes it a special and immersive listening experience, encouraging a deeper connection with the culture it evokes.

[English]

All the lights in Miami begin to gleam

Ruby, blue and green, neon too

Everything looks better from above, my king

Like aquamarine, oceans blue

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Cacciatore

La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da

Limousines

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Ciao, amore

La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da

Soft ice cream

All the lights are sparkling for you, it seems

On the downtown scenes, shady blue

Beatboxing and rapping in the summer rain

Like a boss, you sang jazz and blues

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Cacciatore

La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da

Limousines

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Ciao, amore

La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da

Soft ice cream

The summer's wild and I've been waiting for you all this time

I adore you, can't you see you're meant for me?

The summer's hot but I've been cold without you

I was so wrong not to doubt your Medellín, tangerine dreams

Catch me if you can, working on my tan, Salvatore

Dying by the hand of a foreign man, happily

Calling out my name in the summer rain, ciao, amore

Salvatore can wait, now it's time to eat soft ice cream

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Cacciatore

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Limousines

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Ciao, amore

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah

Soft ice cream

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lights /laɪts/ A1	noun - devices that produce light
blue /bluː/ A1	adjective - the color of the sky noun - the color blue
green /ɡriːn/ A1	adjective - the color of grass noun - the color green
king /kɪŋ/ A2	noun - a male ruler of a country
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A1	noun - the warmest season of the year
ice cream /aɪs kriːm/ A1	noun - a frozen dessert made from cream, sugar, and flavorings
scenes /siːnz/ B1	noun - a place where something happens or is set
boss /bɒs/ B1	noun - a person in charge of others
jazz /dʒæz/ B1	noun - a type of music
blues /bluːz/ B1	noun - a type of music
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues
adore /əˈdɔːr/ B1	verb - love and respect (someone) deeply
cold /kəʊld/ A1	adjective - of or at a low or relatively low temperature, especially when compared to the human body
dreams /driːmz/ A2	noun - a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal
tan /tæn/ A2	noun - a yellowish-brown color of the skin verb - become tanned by exposure to the sun.
Salvatore /ˌsælvəˈtɔːreɪ/ B2	noun - A male given name, probably of Italian origin.
hand /hænd/ A1	noun - the end part of the arm beyond the wrist
foreign /ˈfɒrən/ B1	adjective - of or from a country that is not one's own
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - water falling from the sky

Key Grammar Structures

• Everything looks better from above, my king

  ➔ Inversion for emphasis, vocative case

  ➔ The typical word order is 'Everything looks better from above, you my king'. The inversion ('from above, my king') emphasizes the perspective and directly addresses someone as 'my king'. The use of 'king' is a direct address, a vocative.

• Like aquamarine, oceans blue

  ➔ Simile, adjective order

  ➔ This line uses a simile ('like aquamarine') to describe the color of the oceans. The adjective 'blue' follows the adjective 'oceans', which functions as an attributive noun. The order is natural and emphasizes the color.

• I adore you, can't you see you're meant for me?

  ➔ Indirect question, modal verb expressing inability

  ➔ 'Can't you see' is an indirect question, formed by adding 'you' to the negative contraction 'can't'. 'Can't' expresses the speaker's belief that the other person is unable to perceive the truth. 'You're meant for me' expresses destiny or predetermination.

• I was so wrong not to doubt your Medellín, tangerine dreams

  ➔ Negative construction with 'not', gerund as object of preposition, complex adjective phrase

  ➔ 'Not to doubt' is a negative infinitive construction. 'Doubt' is preceded by 'to' and negated with 'not'. 'Your Medellín, tangerine dreams' is a complex adjective phrase modifying 'dreams', using apposition to create a vivid image.

• Catch me if you can, working on my tan, Salvatore

  ➔ Idiomatic expression, present participle as part of a verb phrase, vocative case

  ➔ 'Catch me if you can' is a well-known idiom meaning 'try to stop me if you can'. 'Working on my tan' uses the present participle 'working' to describe an ongoing action. 'Salvatore' is a direct address, a vocative.