Song Meaning

Marco Mengoni's "Neruda" isn't just a song; it's a bittersweet, wine-soaked reverie on lost connection and the inadequacy of language to capture the intensity of human feeling. The repeated invocation of Pablo Neruda, the iconic Chilean poet of love and longing, serves as both aspiration and lament. Mengoni yearns for Neruda's lyrical prowess, the ability to transform fleeting moments into timeless verse. He sings, "Fossi capace come Pablo Neruda / Staremmo già ballando sulla luna" ("If I were as capable as Pablo Neruda / We would already be dancing on the moon"), a line dripping with romantic idealism and a self-aware acknowledgement of his own limitations. But it's precisely in this gap between aspiration and reality that the song finds its emotional core. He understands that the intoxicating effects of alcohol and festivity are a poor substitute for genuine emotional expression. The 'vino' at this 'festa', as he sings, is not helping him achieve the poetic heights he desires. The party is "nella testa" – it is all in his head. This suggests a struggle with internalizing emotions and processing them in a healthy way. The recurring motif of fleeting encounters – "chi passa come una stagione" ("who passes like a season") – underscores the transient nature of relationships and the pain of watching someone leave, described metaphorically as a disease that eventually goes away. The line "E tu che arrivi dritto al cuore e poi / E poi te ne vai via, via, via, via, via" ("And you who arrive straight to the heart and then / And then you go away, away, away, away, away") highlights the abruptness and heartache of love that vanishes as quickly as it appears. There is a raw vulnerability in admitting the difficulty of holding onto meaningful connections in a world of fleeting encounters. The phrase "alma desnuda" (naked soul) is repeated with Neruda’s name, revealing his or her own vulnerability and the desire for a deep, honest connection with the singer. Ultimately, "Neruda" explores the tension between the desire for profound connection and the frustrating limitations of communication. The song’s beauty lies in its honesty: Mengoni doesn’t pretend to possess Neruda’s poetic gifts. Instead, he uses the contrast to illuminate the universal struggle to articulate the complexities of love, loss, and the human condition. The musicality mirrors the lyrical content, creating an atmosphere of longing and nostalgia that resonates long after the final notes fade. The repetition of "Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta" acts as a sonic echo, a lingering reminder of the emotions that words alone cannot fully express. The song's meaning resides in the space between what is said and what remains unspoken, a testament to the enduring power of music to convey the nuances of the human heart.

Marco Mengoni - Pop, Pop Italiano

Neruda

3 Plays

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[Testo di "Neruda"] [Intro] Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta [Strofa 1] E quando mangio poi tramonta il sole Il vento dondola su un aquilone Tra milioni di persone, io scelgo ancora te E c'� chi arriva con una ragione Chi passa come una stagione Chi ti calpesta un poco il cuore e poi [Pre-Ritornello 1] E poi se ne va via, via, via, via, via Come una malattia, prima o poi se ne andr� via Odore di sangr�a per questa via (Sangr�a) Come una malattia, prima o poi se ne andr� via [Ritornello] Fossi capace come Pablo Neruda Staremmo gi� ballando sulla luna Ma il vino a questa festa, no, non aiuta Neru-Neruda, alma desnuda Ci fosse ancora tempo per una scusa Che questa ormai � una festa nella testa Le dita sulla p5lle, un'ombra confusa Neru-Neruda, alma d5snuda [Post-Ritornello] (Eh-eh-eh) [Strofa 2] E mentre guardo la televisione Tra volti vuoti di espressione Mi ricordo del tuo nome dentro una canzone E c'� chi arriva senza una ragione Chi passa come una stagione E tu che arrivi dritto al cuore e poi [Pre-Ritornello 2] E poi te ne vai via, via, via, via, via Come una malattia, prima o poi se ne andr� via [Ritornello] Fossi capace come Pablo Neruda Staremmo gi� ballando sulla luna Ma il vino a questa festa, no, non aiuta Neru-Neruda, alma desnuda Ci fosse ancora tempo per una scusa Che questa ormai � una festa nella testa Le dita sulla pelle, un'ombra confusa Neru-Neruda, alma desnuda [Post-Ritornello] (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) [Bridge] E allora andiamo via, via, via, via, via Come una malattia che prima o poi se ne andr� via [Ritornello] Fossi capace come Pablo Neruda Staremmo gi� ballando sulla luna Ma il vino a questa festa, no, non aiuta Neru-Neruda, alma desnuda Ci fosse ancora tempo per una scusa Che questa ormai � una festa nella testa Le dita sulla pelle, un'ombra confusa Neru-Neruda, alma desnuda (Eh!) [Post-Ritornello] (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) Eh-eh-eh (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) Eh-eh-eh (Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta) [Outro] Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta Ta-ta, ta-ra-ra-ta

Credits

Writers: Marco Mengoni
Edwyn Roberts
Giordano Colombo
E.D.D. (ITA)
Simon Says! (ITA)
VV

Neruda

Neruda

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Credits