Solo – Bilingual Lyrics Italian/English

• By: Claudio Baglioni
• Album: Solo

Lyrics & Translation

If you're looking to dive into the beauty and emotional depth of the Italian language through music, Claudio Baglioni's "Solo" is an exceptional starting point. This iconic 1977 track, a testament to Baglioni's mastery as a singer-songwriter, offers rich, introspective lyrics that explore the universal theme of solitude. Its heartfelt melody and profound message make it special, allowing listeners to connect with the nuances of Italian expression and emotion, even as they learn the language. Through its poignant narrative, you can grasp authentic Italian sentiment and expand your vocabulary in a truly memorable way.

[English]

Let it all be this way

And the wind flew over your scarf

You had already taken with you

Your hands, your joy in the evenings

Never cut your hair

Eat a little more, you're all bones

And on the table between the tea and the receipt

I was swallowing this goodbye too

Let it all be this way

And the sky faded behind the cranes

No, never change and take care of yourself

Of your life, of the world you will find

Try not to get into trouble

Button up your coat properly

And among the car horns and the bells

I kept saying "I don't hold it against you"

And don't worry about me, you know

While my breath turned to smoke

It felt like I was slowly collapsing

And you were slowly leaving

And who knows if sooner or later

If you will ever understand

If you looked back

...

And who knows if sooner or later

If now and then you'll think

That I'm alone

...

And if now I play the songs

Those same ones you loved so much

She sits next to me, smiles, and thinks

That I dedicated them to her

And she doesn't know about when I told you

“Eat a little more, you're all bones”

She doesn't know about our fantasies from the first day

And how you left

And who knows if sooner or later

If you will ever understand

If you looked back

And who knows if sooner or later

If now and then you'll think

That I'm the only one left here

And I will sing alone

I will walk alone

I will continue alone

...

[Italian]

Lascia che sia tutto così

E il vento volava sul tuo foulard

Avevi già preso con te

Le mani le sere la tua allegria

Non tagliare i tuoi capelli mai

Mangia un po' di più che sei tutt'ossa

E sul tavolo fra il tè e lo scontrino

Ingoiavo pure questo addio

Lascia che sia tutto così

E il cielo sbiadiva dietro le gru

No non cambiare mai e abbi cura di te

Della tua vita del mondo che troverai

Cerca di non metterti nei guai

Abbottonati il paltò per bene

E fra i clacson delle auto e le campane

Ripetevo "non ce l'ho con te"

E non darti pena sai per me

Mentre il fiato si faceva fumo

Mi sembrava di crollare piano piano

E tu piano piano andavi via

E chissà se prima o poi

Se tu avrai compreso mai

Se ti sei voltata indietro

E chissà se prima o poi

Se ogni tanto penserai

Che son solo

E se adesso suono le canzoni

Quelle stesse che tu amavi tanto

Lei si siede accanto a me sorride e pensa

Che le abbia dedicate a lei

E non sa di quando ti dicevo

"Mangia un po' di più che sei tutt'ossa"

Non sa delle nostre fantasie del primo giorno

E di come te ne andasti via

E chissà se prima o poi

Se tu avrai compreso mai

Se ti sei voltata indietro

E chissà se prima o poi

Se ogni tanto penserai

Che io solo resto qui

E canterò solo

Camminerò solo

Da solo continuerò

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lascia /ˈlaʃ.ʃa/ A2	verb - to leave, to let go
tutto /ˈtut.tɔ/ A2	adjective, pronoun - everything
vento /ˈvɛn.to/ A2	noun - wind
foulard /fu.larˈdár/ B1	noun - scarf
mani /ˈma.ni/ A2	noun - hands
allegria /al.leˈɡri.a/ B1	noun - joy, happiness
capelli /kaˈpɛl.li/ A2	noun - hair
tagliare /ˌtaʎˈla.re/ B1	verb - to cut
verso /ˈvɛr.so/ B2	noun - verse, line, direction
sorridere /sorˈri.de.re/ B2	verb - to smile
dire /ˈdi.re/ B2	verb - to say, to tell
pensare /penˈsa.re/ B2	verb - to think
restare /resˈta.re/ B2	verb - to remain, to stay

Key Grammar Structures

• Lascia che sia tutto così

  ➔ Subjunctive mood with 'lasciare' (to let/allow).

  ➔ 'Lascia' (imperative of 'lasciare') is used to express a request or permission. 'Che sia' is the subjunctive form meaning 'that it be'.

• Avevi già preso con te Le mani le sere la tua allegria

  ➔ Pluperfect tense ('avevi preso') indicating an action completed before another point in the past.

  ➔ 'Avevi preso' translates to 'you had already taken'. It suggests that the happiness, holding hands, evenings were taken away *before* the point of the song.

• Non tagliare i tuoi capelli mai

  ➔ Negative imperative with 'mai' (never).

  ➔ 'Non tagliare' means 'don't cut'. 'Mai' emphasizes that it should *never* happen.

• E chissà se prima o poi Se tu avrai compreso mai

  ➔ Future perfect tense ('avrai compreso') in an indirect question. Conditional sentence

  ➔ 'Avrai compreso' means 'you will have understood'. The entire sentence translates to 'And who knows if sooner or later if you will have ever understood'. The use of future perfect emphasizes uncertainty about the future but focuses on the *completion* of understanding.

• E non sa di quando ti dicevo

  ➔ Indirect speech ('di quando ti dicevo') using the imperfect tense ('dicevo').

  ➔ 'Dicevo' is the imperfect tense, indicating a repeated or ongoing action in the past. 'Ti dicevo' means 'I was telling you'. This relates a memory or a recurring event.