Prendeva il treno

Song Meaning

Gigi Lamera, a man from Baggio, meets a woman at the assembly line. She stands out, "all white," and challenges his humble bicycle commute. To impress her, Gigi invents a new persona: a train commuter, a "gran signor." This initial deception sets the stage for a poignant tale of aspiration and quiet desperation. The central tension builds around Gigi's escalating efforts to maintain this facade. He doubles down on his lie, even "ostentatiously display[ing] an Upìm tie." The lyrics suggest his motivation shifts from mere social climbing to a profound, if misguided, romantic pursuit. His grand gesture of offering "fiori come omaggio" — flowers he himself made — reveals a deep yearning to be seen as worthy of her attention. Perhaps the most striking craft element is the tragic irony of his dismissal. Gigi is fired for "cutting flowers from the sheet metal" at the factory. This image is incredibly potent, transforming the harsh industrial setting into a source of fragile beauty, born from his desperate love. The repeated phrase "Prendeva il treno" evolves from a superficial pretense to a symbol of his enduring, self-sacrificing devotion, now driven by "quel grande, assurdo amor." Ultimately, these lyrics are effective because they paint a vivid picture of a man trapped by his own tender deception. Gigi continues to take the train, feigning work, unable to tell his family the truth. The final lines, where he "piange e ride" for his "absurd love," capture the bittersweet essence of his predicament — a man simultaneously broken and sustained by a love so irrational, it compels him to endure a lonely, silent suffering.