Nord sud ovest est – Bilingual Lyrics Italian/English

• By: 883

Lyrics & Translation

Immerse yourself in the nostalgic sounds of 883's "Nord sud ovest est." This classic Italian pop song, released in 1993, offers a blend of catchy melodies and introspective lyrics that capture the universal themes of searching for love and one's own identity. Learning this song can provide insights into Italian youth culture of the 90s and the enduring appeal of Max Pezzali's songwriting.

[English]

But why did you go away

I got lost in the night

Why didn't you tell me you weren't mine

I don't know

It must be the wind or it could be you

The voice that answers my whys, uoh-uoh-uoh

Come on, gallop as fast as you can

Run, go, don't stop

There's still a long way to go, you know

Yes, I know

I see a cellar that

Can quench my thirst and dust (uoh-uoh-uoh)

I throw some coins to the bartender

Who never speaks

Next to me there's a gringo, a stranger

He asks me "Man, where are you going?" (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

And maybe what I'm looking for isn't even there (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

I’ll be looking for her or maybe for me

...

Between desert and prairie

But why did you stop

I was tired and hungry, my friend

Yes, I know

The huts, a tribe

From below the shaman looks up, uoh-uoh-uoh

"White man, come here"

Be careful, don't go there

"I can read your future if you want"

Say no

I smile at him, I say "Okay"

In the pebbles, he observes my affairs (uoh-uoh-uoh)

Pale face, he's deceiving you

You won't find her

You've been riding for months

Tell me where you will go (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

And maybe what I'm looking for isn't even there (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

I’ll be looking for her or maybe for me

...

The city is celebrating and you

Finally, you have arrived

You have a dark look, you don't look at me anymore

Yes, I know

The caballero next to you

Why is he hugging you and looking at me, uoh-uoh-uoh

I gently caress the Colt

God, please don't do it

Then I turn, look at the sky, where will I go

Adiós, my love

Everyone is dancing around me

Under the colors of the lamps (uoh-uoh-uoh)

And the wind is whispering to me

You won't stop

There's someone waiting for you

You know where you will go (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

And maybe what I'm looking for isn't even there (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

I’ll be looking for her or maybe for me

North south west east

And maybe what I'm looking for isn't even there (oh-oh-uoh)

North south west east

I’ll be looking for her or maybe for me (oh-oh-uoh)

Na-na-na-na na

Na-na-na-na-na-na na-na-na na (oh-oh-uoh)

Na-na-na-na na

Na-na-na-na-na-na na-na-na na (oh-oh-uoh)

Na-na-na-na na

Na-na-na-na-na-na na-na-na na (oh-oh-uoh)

...

[Italian]

Ma perché sei andata via

Mi son persa nella notte

Perché non m'hai detto che non eri mia

Non lo so

Sarà il vento o sarai tu

La voce che risponde ai miei perché, uoh-uoh-uoh

Dai galoppa più che puoi

Corri vai non ti fermare

Che di strada ce n'è ancora tanta sai

Sì, lo so

Vedo una cantina che

Mi potrà toglier sete e polvere (uoh-uoh-uoh)

Lancio qualche peso al cantinero

Che non parla mai

Accanto a me c'è un gringo, uno straniero

Mi chiede "Man, dove vai?" (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

E forse quel che cerco neanche c'è (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

Starò cercando lei o forse me

Tra deserto e prateria

Ma perché ti sei fermato

Ero stanco ed affamato, amica mia

Sì, lo so

Le capanne, una tribù

Dal basso lo stregone guarda in su, uoh-uoh-uoh

"Uomo bianco, vieni qui"

Stai attento non ci andare

"Posso leggerti il futuro se lo vuoi"

Di' di no

Gli sorrido, dico "Ok"

Nei sassolini osserva i fatti miei (uoh-uoh-uoh)

Viso pallido, ti sta ingannando

Non la troverai

Sono mesi che stai cavalcando

Dimmi dove andrai (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

E forse quel che cerco neanche c'è (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

Starò cercando lei o forse me

La città è in festa e tu

Finalmente sei arrivato

Hai lo sguardo scuro, non mi guardi più

Sì, lo so

Il caballero accanto a te

Perché ti sta abbracciando e guarda me, uoh-uoh-uoh

Accarezzo un po' la Colt

Dio ti prego non lo fare

Poi mi giro, guardo il cielo, dove andrò

Adiós, mi amor

Ballan tutti intorno a me

Sotto i colori delle lampade (uoh-uoh-uoh)

Ed il vento mi sta sussurrando

Non ti fermerai

C'è qualcuno che ti sta aspettando

Tu sai dove andrai (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

E forse quel che cerco neanche c'è (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

Starò cercando lei o forse me

Nord sud ovest est

E forse quel che cerco neanche c'è (oh-oh-uoh)

Nord sud ovest est

Starò cercando lei o forse me (oh-oh-uoh)

Na-na-na-na na

Na-na-na-na-na-na na-na-na na (oh-oh-uoh)

Na-na-na-na na

Na-na-na-na-na-na na-na-na na (oh-oh-uoh)

Na-na-na-na na

Na-na-na-na-na-na na-na-na na (oh-oh-uoh)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
perso /ˈpɛrso/ B1	adjective - lost verb - lost (past participle of perdere)
vento /ˈvɛnto/ A1	noun - wind
voce /ˈvoːtʃe/ A1	noun - voice
galoppa /ɡaˈlɔppa/ B1	verb - gallop
strada /ˈstraːda/ A1	noun - road, street
cantina /kanˈtiːna/ B1	noun - cellar, wine cellar
sete /ˈseːte/ A2	noun - thirst
polvere /ˈpolvere/ A2	noun - dust
peso /ˈpeːzo/ A2	noun - weight
cantinero /kantiˈneːro/ B2	noun - bartender (in a cantina)
gringo /ˈɡriŋɡo/ C1	noun - foreigner (often derogatory term for Americans in Latin America)
straniero /straˈnjɛːro/ A2	noun - foreigner
deserto /deˈzɛrto/ B1	noun - desert
prateria /prateˈria/ B2	noun - prairie, grassland
stanco /ˈstaŋko/ A2	adjective - tired
affamato /affaˈmaːto/ B1	adjective - hungry
capanna /kaˈpanna/ B1	noun - hut
tribù /triˈbu/ B1	noun - tribe
stregone /streˈɡoːne/ B2	noun - sorcerer, wizard
bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ A1	adjective - white

Key Grammar Structures

• Ma perché sei andata via

  ➔ Use of the present perfect tense in 'sei andata' to indicate a completed action relevant to the present.

  ➔ The phrase 'sei andata' combines 'sei' (you are) and 'andata' (gone), forming the present perfect to emphasize the completion of her action of leaving.

• E forse quel che cerco neanche c'è

  ➔ Use of 'neanche' (not even) to emphasize negation and incompleteness; present tense 'c'è' (there is) to state existence.

  ➔

• Starò cercando lei o forse me

  ➔ Use of the future tense 'starò' to indicate a planned or anticipated action; reflexive pronoun 'me' to indicate self-reference.

  ➔

• Vedo una cantina che Mi potrà toglier sete e polvere

  ➔ Use of 'potrà' (will be able to) indicating future ability or possibility; indirect object pronoun 'mi' (to me).

  ➔

• Gli sorrido, dico "Ok"

  ➔ Use of direct object 'gli' (to him/ her) with the verb 'sorrido' (I smile); present tense 'dico' (I say).

  ➔

• Gli stregone guarda in su

  ➔ Use of 'guarda' (he/she looks) in the present tense; 'in su' (up) as a prepositional phrase indicating direction.

  ➔

• C'è qualcuno che ti sta aspettando

  ➔ Use of 'c'è' (there is) to state existence; present continuous 'sta aspettando' (is waiting) to describe ongoing action.

  ➔