Vertebre – Bilingual Lyrics Italian/English

• By: SETTEMBRE

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of "Vertebre" by SETTEMBRE, a compelling Italian pop song that offers a raw look into the emotional landscape of youth. Through its sincere lyrics, which beautifully blend Italian and Neapolitan, you can learn expressions related to vulnerability, relationships, and the search for identity. What makes this song special is its relatable portrayal of universal feelings, offering insights into how language can express deep personal experiences and generational struggles.

[English]

You told me: "It's fine"

And then you're leaving me alone

You put your faults on me

And you know this isn't the way

We play at being grown-ups, but

We cry at university

I also feel, sometimes

A lost dog in the middle of the city

Tear the skin from my vertebrae

But tell me why you don't want to talk to me anymore

In your eyes the city burns

Because being here with you is like losing my dignity

Neglecting yourself, to me, is messing things up

It's like throwing yourself into the fire without lighting it

Between the two of us, I don't know who will win

Nobody ever told us how to cry at our age

You gave me the best of you

Your best lies

And I held them so tightly while

I was learning to fall (ah)

Tear the skin from my vertebrae

But tell me why you don't want to talk to me anymore

In your eyes the city burns

Because being here with you is like losing my dignity

Neglecting yourself, to me, is messing things up

It's like throwing yourself into the fire without lighting it

Between the two of us, I don't know who will win

Nobody ever told us how to cry at our age

(Salt rains inside your room)

(A Sunday that won't pass for me)

Nobody ever told us, no

Nobody ever told us, no

(We look for remedies against anxiety)

(Just so we don't disappear)

Tear the skin from my vertebrae

But tell me why you don't want to talk to me anymore

Between the two of us, I don't know who will win

Nobody ever told us how to laugh at our age

...

[Italian]

Mi hai detto: "Non fa niente"

E poi mi stai lasciando solo

Mi hai messo in bocca le tue colpe

E sai che questo non è il modo

Giochiamo a fare i grandi, ma

Piangiamo all'università

Anch'io mi sento, a volte

Un cane perso in mezzo alla città

Strappami la pelle dalle vertebre

Ma dimmi pecché nun vuo' cchiù parla' cu me

Nei tuoi occhi brucia la città

Che poi stare qui con te è come perdere la dignità

Trascurarsi per me è uguale a fottere

È buttarsi nel fuoco senza accendere

Tra noi due non so chi vincerà

Nessuno ci ha mai detto come si piange alla nostra età

Mi hai dato il meglio di te

Le tue bugie migliori

Ed io le ho strette così forte mentre

Imparavo a cadere (ah)

Strappami la pelle dalle vertebre

Ma dimmi pecché nun vuo' cchiù parla' cu me

Nei tuoi occhi brucia la città

Che poi stare qui con te è come perdere la dignità

Trascurarsi per me è uguale a fottere

È buttarsi nel fuoco senza accendere

Tra noi due non so chi vincerà

Nessuno ci ha mai detto come si piange alla nostra età

(Piove sale dentro la tua stanza)

('Na dummeneca ca nun me passa)

Nessuno ci ha mai detto, no

Nessuno ci ha mai detto, no

(Cerchiamo rimedi contro l'ansia)

Sul pe nun spari'

Strappami la pelle dalle vertebre

Ma dimmi pecché nun vuo' cchiù parla' cu me

Tra noi due non so chi vincerà

Nessuno ci ha mai detto come si ride alla nostra età

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vertebra /ˈvɛrtebra/ B2	noun - vertebra (a bone in the spine)
pelle /ˈpɛlle/ A2	noun - skin
colpa /ˈkolpa/ B1	noun - fault, blame, guilt
dignità /diɲɲiˈta/ B2	noun - dignity
fuoco /ˈfwɔko/ A2	noun - fire
bugia /buˈdʒia/ B1	noun - lie (untruth)
ansia /ˈansja/ B2	noun - anxiety, apprehension
età /eˈta/ A1	noun - age
università /universiˈta/ A2	noun - university
rimedio /riˈmɛdjo/ B1	noun - remedy, solution, cure
strappare /strapˈpare/ B2	verb - to tear, to rip, to snatch
bruciare /bruˈtʃare/ B1	verb - to burn (e.g., fire burns, to burn something)
perdere /ˈpɛrdere/ A2	verb - to lose (e.g., a game, an object, dignity)
trascurarsi /traskuˈrarsi/ B2	verb - to neglect oneself, to let oneself go
fottere /ˈfɔttere/ C1	verb - to fuck, to mess up, to steal (vulgar, colloquial)
buttarsi /butˈtarsi/ B1	verb - to throw oneself, to jump (into something), to dive in
piangere /ˈpjaŋdʒere/ A2	verb - to cry, to weep
ridere /ˈridere/ A1	verb - to laugh
vincere /ˈvintʃere/ A2	verb - to win, to conquer
cadere /kaˈdere/ A2	verb - to fall, to drop