Fabrizio De Andrè — Carlo Martello Ritorna Dalla Battaglia Di Poitiers song lyrics and translation

The page contains the lyrics and English translation of the song "Carlo Martello Ritorna Dalla Battaglia Di Poitiers" by Fabrizio De Andrè.

Lyrics

Re Carlo tornava dalla guerra
Lo accoglie la sua terra
Cingendolo d’allor
Al sol della calda primavera
Lampeggia l’armatura
Del sire vincitor
Il sangue del principe e del moro
Arrossano il cimiero
D’identico color
Ma piu' che del corpo le ferite
Da Carlo son sentite
Le bramosie d’amor
Se ansia di gloria e sete d’onore
Spegne la guerra al vincitore
Non ti concede un momento per fare l’amore
Chi poi impone alla sposa soave
Di castita' la cintura ahime' grave
In battaglia puo' correre il rischio di perder la chiave
Cosi' si lamenta il re cristiano
S’inchina intorno il grano
Gli son corona i fior
Lo specchio di chiara fontanella
Riflette fiero in sella
Dei mori il vincitor
Quand’ecco nell’acqua si compone
Mirabile visione
Il simbolo d’amor
Nel folto di lunghe trecce bionde
Il seno si confonde
Ignudo in pieno sol
«Mai non fu vista cosa piu' bella
Mai io non colsi siffatta pulzella»
Disse re Carlo scendendo veloce di sella
«Deh cavaliere non vi accostate
Gia' d’altri e' gaudio quel che cercate
Ad altra piu' facile fonte la sete calmate»
Sorpreso da un dire si' deciso
Sentendosi deriso
Re Carlo s’arresto'
Ma piu' dell’onor pote' il digiuno
Fremente l’elmo bruno
Il sire si levo'
Codesta era l’arma sua segreta
Da Carlo spesso usata
In gran difficolta'
Alla donna apparve un gran nasone
Un volto da caprone
Ma era Sua Maesta'
«Se voi non foste il mio sovrano»
Carlo si sfila il pesante spadone
«non cederei al disio di fuggirvi lontano»
«Ma poiche' siete il mio signore»
Carlo si toglie l’intero gabbione
«debbo concedermi spoglia d’ogni pudore»
Cavaliere lui era assai valente
Ed anche in quel frangente
D’onor si ricopri'
E giunto alla fin della tenzone
Incerto sull’arcione
Tento' di risalir
Veloce lo arpiona la pulzella
Repente una parcella
Presenta al suo signor
«Beh proprio perche' voi siete il sire
Fan cinquemila lire
E' un prezzo di favor»
«E' mai possibile, o porco di un cane
Che le avventure in codesto reame
Debban risolversi tutte con grandi puttane»
«Anche sul prezzo c’e' poi da ridire
Ben mi ricordo che pria di partire
V’eran tariffe inferiori alle tremila lire»
Cio' detto agi' da gran cialtrone
Con balzo da leone
In sella si lancio'
Frustando il cavallo come un ciuco
Tra i glicini e il sambuco
Il re si dileguo'
Re Carlo tornava dalla guerra
Lo accoglie la sua terra
Cingendolo d’allor
Al sol della calda primavera
Lampeggia l’armatura
Del sire vincitor.

Lyrics translation

King Charles returned from war
His land welcomes him
Girding it from then on
In the hot spring sun
Flashes armor
By sire vincitor
The blood of the prince and the moor
Blush the cimiero
Of the same colour
But more than the body's wounds
From Carlo are heard
The craving for love
If longing for glory and thirst for Honor
Extinguishes the war to the winner
Doesn't give you a moment to make love
Who then imposes on the bride soave
Chastity 'the belt alas' serious
In battle you can risk losing the key
So the Christian King complains
Bowing around the grain
The son crowns the flowers
The mirror of chiara fontanella
Reflects proudly riding
Of the moors the victor
When behold in the water is composed
Admirable vision
The symbol of love
In the thick of long blonde braids
Breast gets confused
Naked in full sun
"Never was anything more beautiful seen
I never caught such a girl»
Said King Charles going down fast of Saddle
"Deh Knight don't come near
And of others is joy what you seek
At another easier source the thirst quenched»
Surprised by a say yes ' decided
Feeling mocked
King Charles stopped.
But more than honor can fast
The Dark Helmet trembles
The sire rose
This was his secret weapon.
By Carlo often used
In great difficulty
To the woman appeared a big nose
A goat's face
But it was His Majesty.
"If you were not my ruler»
Charles parades his heavy swordsman
"I would not give in to the disium to flee far away»
"But because you are my Lord»
Carlo takes off the whole gabion
"I must allow myself to be stripped of all modesty»
Knight he was very brave
And even at that juncture
He covered himself with honor.
And the end of the tenzone
Uncertain about the arch
He tried to get up.
Fast harpiona the maid
Suddenly a plot
Introduce to your Mr.
"Well, because you are the sire
Fan five thousand pounds
It's a favor price»
"Is it ever possible, or a dog's pig
What adventures in this realm
They have to solve all with big whores»
"Even on the price there is' then to argue
Ben I remember that pria to leave
There were rates less than three thousand lire»
That said, You acted like a big shot.
With Lion's leap
In the saddle he threw himself
Whipping the horse like a ciuco
Between wisteria and elderberry
The King vanished.
King Charles returned from war
His land welcomes him
Girding it from then on
In the hot spring sun
Flashes armor
From sire vincitor.