Serial killer

Mentre al riparo di un faggio Anelo alla felicità delle foglie Sfilano lontane carovane E il mio sogno è perfetto Ma l'esistenza mi attira Mi vedo riflesso sulle acque del lago Sogno pomeridiano di un fauno che si sveglia No non voglio farti del male Fratello mio, non credere Perché ho un coltello in mano E tu mi vedi quest'arma a tracolla E le bombe che pendono dal mio vestito Come bizzarri ornamenti Collane di scomparse tribù Non avere paura Perché porto il coltello tra i denti E agito il fucile come emblema virile Non avere paura della mia trentotto Che porto qui sul petto Di questo invece devi avere paura: Io sono un uomo come te Gli eucalipti crescono bene, quest'anno Peschi e tamarindi colorano le mie avide pupille Mi preparano un cuscino di erbe per nuovi sogni Per nuovi sogni Serial killer © 1996 Franco Battiato & Manlio Sgalambro In the first verse of "Serial killer" there are hints of Mallarme's Afternoon of a Faun and Virgil's The Eclogues. The penultimate verse probably references the Latin proverb "Homō hominī lupus," meaning "A man is a wolf to another man."

While sheltered by a beech tree I yearn for the happiness of the leaves. Distant caravans parade along, and my dream is perfect. But existence attracts me, I see myself reflected in the waters of the lake - afternoon dream of a faun that awakens. No, I don’t want to harm you. My brother, don’t believe because I have a knife in hand and you see me with this shoulder gun and the bombs that hang from my vest like bizarre ornaments, necklaces of vanished tribes. Don’t be afraid because I carry the knife between my teeth and I wave the rifle like a virile emblem. Don’t be afraid of my .38 that I carry here on my chest. Of this you should instead be fearful: I am a man like you. The eucalyptus trees grow well this year, peaches and tamarinds color my greedy pupils. They prepare me a cushion of grass for new dreams, for new dreams. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser L'imboscata (The Ambush) was released in 1996. It marked another change of direction for Battiato, returning to the world of rock and the electric guitar after his turn into classical music sonorities beginning in 1986. He also felt a desire to connect to a larger popular audience (the sales of his previous album were the lowest of all his pop albums going back to 1979; L'imboscata became the second best selling album of the year). The album cover is a painting by Antoine-Jean Gros - Napoleon at the Pyramids. Like the previous album, the lyrics were by the Sicilian philosopher Manlio Sgalambro, with Battiato's input on "Di passaggio" and "La cura." The album was dedicated to the writer Gesualdo Bufalino, a close friend of Battiato's.

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