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Donna Ti Voglio Cantare Posted by on Mar 8, 2018 in Uncategorized

Today’s the 8th of March, Festa della Donna (International Women’s Day), and to celebrate I’m going to translate a song called Donna Ti Voglio Cantare (Woman I Want To Sing About You), by Angelo Branduardi.

Angelo Branduardi is a popular folk singer and songwriter who draws inspiration from Medieval and Renaissance music. His wife, Luisa Zappa, writes most of the lyrics including those for this song.

Donna ti voglio cantare, released in 1979 on the album ‘Cogli la prima mela’, is based upon a melody, called Tourdion, by the French musician Pierre Attaingnant (1494-1551). Due to the style in which Branduardi sings, this isn’t an easy song to follow without the lyrics. Here they are in Italian with my English translation. You can listen to the song by clicking on the video below:

Donna Ti Voglio Cantare Woman I Want To Sing About You

Donna ti voglia cantare
donna la madre, donna la fine
donna sei roccia, donna sei sabbia
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman I want to sing about you
woman the mother, woman the end
woman you’re a rock, woman you’re sand
and sometimes you are cloud …

Donna sei acqua e sei fiamma
donna paura, donna allegria
donna saggezza, donna follia
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman you’re water and you’re fire
woman fear, woman happiness
woman wisdom, woman madness
and sometimes you are cloud …

Donna, donna sei l’ombra
donna sei nebbia, donna sei l’alba
donna, donna di pietra
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman, woman you’re the shadow
woman you’re fog, woman you’re the dawn
woman, woman of stone
and sometimes you are cloud …

Donna, donna l’amica
donna sei nave, donna sei terra
donna, donna sei l’aria
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman, woman the friend
woman you’re a ship, woman you’re earth
woman, woman you’re the air
and sometimes you are cloud …

Donna sei sete e vendemmia
donna sei polvere, donna sei pioggia
donna saggezza, donna follia
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman you’re thirst and harvest
woman you’re dust, woman you’re rain
woman wisdom, woman madness
and sometimes you are cloud …

Donna ti voglio cantare
donna sei luce, donna sei cenere
donna sei ansia, donna sei danza
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman I want to sing about you
woman you’re light, woman you’re ash
woman you’re worry, woman you’re dance
and sometimes you are cloud …

Donna, donna sorgente
donna sei erba, donna sei foglia
donna, donna sei pietra
e a volte nuvola sei …

Woman, woman spring
woman you’re grass, woman you’re leaf
woman, woman you’re stone
and sometimes you are cloud …

Buona Festa a tutte le donne!

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Comments:

  1. Sue Gollop:

    Just in time for my U3A class this afternoon
    We are also going to use your Italian Political Parties piece-please update us when they have sorted things out
    Thank you as always

    • Geoff:

      @Sue Gollop

      “please update us when they have sorted things out”

      … don’t hold your breath Sue … 😉

    • Serena:

      @Sue Gollop Sei la benvenuta, Sue!

  2. Rita Kostopoulos:

    Grazie mille per la bella canzone e per tutti I BLOGS
    Felice giorno a Serena,
    con affetto,
    Rita

  3. Joseph T. Madawela:

    beautiful and thank you

  4. Bruce Pearson:

    Brilliant. Thank you

  5. Susana Pasciullo:

    Bellissima canzone, grazie!!!


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