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Center of Gravity - Lyrics & Discussion


Elwendin

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Surprise surprise, here it is, suddenly available on I -Tunes and Spotify. 

 

Centro di Gravità is an old italian song from the early 80ies by Battiato. 

Mika and Battiato himself just released a new version in English: Centre of Gravity. 

 

I'm looking forward the lyrics (I'll try to listen to them in a while) as I've always loved this song. Like Sarà perchè ti amo (aka Talk about you), it belongs to my childhood and those childhood songs, you never forget. 

I think this version is very similar to the original version, no huge re-arrangement, and I'm happy with that. :yes:

 

I'm very curious to see if not italian people will like it. :unsure:

I think it's very catchy, but I have my reasons, not sure everybody agrees.

 

 

:Update:

 

Ok, some people had fun trying to figure out the lyrics. 

They don't make sense, as the italian ones didn't, and we are so not sure about what we wrote down, but join our quest and help us to improve them!

 

Narcissistic chansonniers fighting delusional poetry with the electric demons and spiritual (fuse/fugue/feuds???)
Smiling girls in ginza style bowing to the powder queen and her clever dandy
Stars are lighting renaissance, everything is making sense always finding enlightened impeccable data (??)
And now I'm losing control
Looking for a perpetual center of gravity that doesn't let me think about people in all the world that spins around me, nothing that matters more
Looking for a perpetual center of gravity so I don't have to think about people in all the world that spins around me over and over again
Mystical and majestic the air in Moscow cathedral, a cold winter day, I'm fading away
Alienating ??? are walking the city with vague strength to fulfill their mission and living agreement but they don't know what it's for
I'm just searching for a permanent center of gravity within an overdose of information in a world that spins around me, nothing that matters more
I'm just searching for a permanent center of gravity within an overdose of information in a world that spins around me over and over again
You are a woman in love, baby I need your love, I want your love over and over again
Edited by Elwendin
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Wait !

 

Is it Centre or Center???? 

 

I don't want the thread title to be wrong!!! 

 

 

It's Center, I have edited the title  :)

It makes no difference

 

Generally "centre" is English spelling and "center" is US spelling - but even that isn't always true :teehee:

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It makes no difference

 

Generally "centre" is English spelling and "center" is US spelling - but even that isn't always true :teehee:

 

I know, but I'm sure there's an official title. 

 

It's Center, I have edited the title  :)

 

Thanks!!!! :whew:

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I love this song!  :wub:  It feels so familiar that the original must have been played in my country as well. But definitely prefer hearing it with Mika's vocals and in English and that's probably okay? I mean I guess the new version was done to attract wider and more international audience for the song. 

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I like this song, it reminds me of my childhood, because in Ukraine Italian music was very popular at 80s. And very unusual for Mika, not his style at all. It's interesting to see him from different aspects. 

 

Exactly the same for Russia  :thumb_yello: I like the song  :yes:

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This is a nice surprise!! I like it! :D

But not really getting all the lyrics, has anyone figured them out?

I tried but I'm really unsure about them, so I prefer waiting for a native speaker. The song made me laugh though, it's so weird to listen to Mika singing it

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I've only found the lyric of the original song of Franco Battiato, with a translation in english.

 

 
Centro di gravità permanente

Una vecchia bretone
con un cappello e un ombrello di carta di riso e canna di bambù.
Capitani coraggiosi
furbi contrabbandieri macedoni.
Gesuiti euclidei
vestiti come dei bonzi per entrare a corte degli imperatori
della dinastia dei Ming.
Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
avrei bisogno di...

Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente

 

Per le strade di Pechino erano giorni di maggio
tra noi si scherzava a raccogliere ortiche.
Non sopporto i cori russi
i cannot stand the russian choruses
la musica finto rock la new wave italiana il free jazz punk inglese.
Neanche la nera africana.

Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente
avrei bisogno di...

Cerco un centro di gravità permanente
che non mi faccia mai cambiare idea sulle cose sulla gente

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Permanent center of gravity

An old Breton with an hat and an umbrella made of rice paper and bamboo
Brave captains, sly macedonian smuggers.
Euclidean jesuits dressed as bonzes to join the Imperial Courts of the Ming Dinasty.

I'm looking for a permanent center of gravity
that makes me never change my mind about things, about people
I need a...

I'm looking for a permanent center of gravity
that makes me never change my mind about things, about people
over and over again

 

In the streets of Beijing, it was May, we were playing picking up nettles.
I can't stand Russian choirs, fake rock music, Italian new wave, English free jazz punk, not even the black african

I'm looking for a permanent center of gravity
that makes me never change my mind about things, about people
I need a...

I'm looking for a permanent center of gravity
that makes me never change my mind about things, about people
over and over again

Edited by Marta.
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I tried but I'm really unsure about them, so I prefer waiting for a native speaker. The song made me laugh though, it's so weird to listen to Mika singing it

Haha do you think the Italians will like it?

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Haha do you think the Italians will like it?

 

For sure. 

Most italians like the original one and this is pretty much the same. 

Not sure how many would admit it tho, just like as in Sarà perchè ti amo, although Battiato is considered more artistic and intellectual than Ricchi e poveri. Battiato is cool, Ricchi e Poveri are lame (and everybody liked them, deep down :biggrin2:  )

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Haha do you think the Italians will like it?

I honestly don't know what to say. As Elwendin said, the song is identical to the Italian version so I think it could be appealing to those who already liked it, but as for younger people, I don't know. I found it funny because I know the original version (which I'm not a fan of, not my thing), but I'm not sure it'll be one of those Mika songs I play all the time, I can feel it's just a cover of something else and not really his style. So yeah... maybe it will divide opinions

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For sure. 

Most italians like the original one and this is pretty much the same. 

Not sure how many would admit it tho, just like as in Sarà perchè ti amo, although Battiato is considered more artistic and intellectual than Ricchi e poveri. Battiato is cool, Ricchi e Poveri are lame (and everybody liked them, deep down :biggrin2:  )

 

 

Don't know if deep or shallow.

I just know that after having changed my mind about Talk About You, everything can happen :naughty: .

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Once again Mika insults his UK fans and turns his back on his British origins by adopting American spelling :mf_rosetinted:

 

:wink2:

That would be great sarcasm if it weren't for the fact that he's American and not just pretending to be so to pander to an audience. :naughty:

 

Where can I hear this genius work of obscure 80s Italian music reinterpreted by Mika? I doubt I will find it on Canadian iTunes or Spotify. (Both of them paralyze my computer so I am not going to attempt it.)

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That would be great sarcasm if it weren't for the fact that he's American and not just pretending to be so to pander to an audience. :naughty:

 

Where can I hear this genius work of obscure 80s Italian music reinterpreted by Mika? I doubt I will find it on Canadian iTunes or Spotify. (Both of them paralyze my computer so I am not going to attempt it.)

 

http://mikaitaliaweb.altervista.org/2076-2/

Edited by yang
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