The Italian 'AWSoP'

Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

(A Whiter Shade of Pale)

Sleeve of Dik Dik's 'Senza Luce'

Senza Luce was recorded in the 60s by Italian artists such as Fausto Leali and I Dik Dik – and in the second decade of the following century by a Bristol artist, Paul Potts

Click here for a literal rendering of most of the song into Italian

Thanks to Pierangelo Valenti for the illustration

Han spento già la luce

They've already turned the light off

Son rimasto solo io

There's only me left

E mi sento il mal di mare.

And I'm feeling seasick

Il bicchiere però è mio

But I've still got my glass

cameriere lascia stare

waiter, leave me alone

camminare io so

I can still walk okay

L'aria fredda sai mi sveglierà

You know the fresh air will wake me up

Oppure dormirò ...

Or else I'll go to sleep

Guardo lassù la notte

I look up at the night

Quanto spazio intorno a me

So much space around me

Sono solo nella strada

I'm alone in the street

O no no, qualcuno c'è

O no no, there is somebody there.

Non dire una parola

Don't say a word

Ti darò quello che vuoi

I'll give you what you're after

Tu non le somigli molto

You don't look much like her

Non sei come lei.

You are not like her

Però prendi la mia mano

Anyway, take my hand

e cammina insieme a me,

And walk along beside me

Il tuo viso adesso è bello

Now your face is pretty

tu sei bella come lei.

You're as beautiful as she is

Guardo lassù la notte

I look up at the night

Quanto spazio intorno a me

So much space around me

Sono solo nella strada

I'm alone in the street

Insieme a te, insieme a te

Together with you, together with you

(These new words for the Italian A Whiter Shade of Pale are by 'Mogol' (Giulio Rapetti), author of many texts for famous Italian singer Lucio Battisti: they were sent in by Antonio Costa Barbé and translated into English for Beyond the Pale by Amelia Wisloch: thanks!)