When Enzo Jannacci and Renato Pozzetto Turned Mundane Life Into Chart Gold
This ironic and surreal song, written by Enzo Jannacci and Renato Pozzetto, is at the same time philosophical, since it plays on the contrast between everyday trivialities and the great truth of the refrain: “Life, life, life is beautiful, it’s beautiful.”
The piece is taken from the eighth single by the duo Cochi e Renato, released in October 1974, and contains “E gira il mondo” and “E la vita la vita”, which served as the closing theme of the TV show Canzonissima, hosted by Raffaella Carrà, with Cochi e Renato themselves taking part as protagonists of a recurring sketch in each episode.
The surreal character of the song was amplified by the sketches performed by the two artists in the theme sequence: sketches that were not didactic at all, but rather heightened the sense of estrangement.
This is the second single released by Cochi e Renato with the Derby record label, owned by CGD and distributed by Messaggerie Musicali; both songs were arranged by Enzo Jannacci, who was also entrusted with conducting the orchestra, while production was handled by Achille Manzotti.
Between 1974 and 1975 the single achieved great success, rising to the top of the charts in December 1974, reaching 3rd place by the end of the month and, at 13th place overall, ranking among the best-selling singles of 1974. At the end of the broadcast of Canzonissima, on January 4th, 1975, it reached first place in the charts, remaining there steadily throughout the month of January.
Claudio Baglioni, in his 1997 album Anime in gioco, sang “E la vita, la vita” together with Enzo Jannacci. A new version of the song was performed by Cochi e Renato in their post-reunion 2007 album Finché c’è la salute, released by the Sugar record label. In 2016 Biggo and Mandelli performed “E la vita, la vita” during the cover night. At the final evening of the 2019 Sanremo Festival, a pre-recorded clip was broadcast on the red carpet showing Lo Stato Sociale singing “E la vita, la vita” together with Renato Pozzetto.
Lyrics:
C’è, c’è chi soffre soltanto d’amore
chi continua a sbagliare il rigore
c’è chi un giorno invece ha sofferto
e allora ha detto “io parto
ma dove vado se parto
sempre ammesso che parto”.
Ciao!
A chi sbaglia a fare le strissie (Ciao!)
a chi invece avvelena le bissie
uno tira soltanto di destro
l’altro invece ci ha avuto un sinistro
e c’è sempre qualcuno che parte
ma dove arriva se parte.
E, la vita la vita
e la vita l’è bella, l’è bella
basta avere l’ombrella, l’ombrella
ti ripara la testa,
sembra un giorno di festa.
E, la vita la vita
e la vita l’è strana, l’è strana
basta una persona, persona
che si monta la testa,
è finita la festa.
C’è c’è chi un giorno ha fatto furore
e non ha ancora cambiato colore
c’è chi mangia troppa minestra
chi è costretto a saltar la finestra
e, c’è sempre lì quello che parte
ma dove arriva se parte.
Ciao!
A chi sente soltanto la radio
e poi sbaglia ad andare allo stadio
c’è chi in fondo al suo cuore ha una pena
c’è chi invece ci ha un altro problema
e c’è sempre lì quello che parte
ma dove arriva se parte.
E, la vita la vita
e la vita l’è bella, l’è bella
basta avere un’ombrella, l’ombrella
ti ripara la testa, sembra un giorno di festa.
E, la vita la vita
e la vita l’è bella, l’è bella
basta avere l’ombrella, l’ombrella
ti ripara la testa,
sembra un giorno di festa.
E, la vita la vita
e la vita l’è strana, l’è strana
basta una persona, persona
che si monta la testa, è finita la festa.
Lyrics
Some just suffer only from love,
Some keep missing the penalty goal,
Someone one a day suffered
and then once said “I am leaving,
but where do I go if I leave,
always assuming that I leave.”
Bye!
To those who mess up drawing stripes (Bye!)
to those who poison snakes instead (Bye!)
one kicks only with the right foot,
another once got hurt with a left,
and there’s always someone who leaves,
but where does he arrive if he leaves?
And, life, life,
and life is beautiful, it’s beautiful,
all you need is an umbrella, umbrella,
it covers your head,
It feels like a holiday.
And, life, life,
and life is strange, it’s strange,
all it takes is one person, one person,
who gets carried away,
and the party is over.
There are those who once caused a sensation,
and have not yet changed their color,
there are those who eat too much soup,
those who are forced to jump out the window,
and there’s always someone who leaves,
but where does he arrive if he leaves?
Bye!
To those who only listen to the radio,
and then make mistakes going to the stadium,
there are those who deep down in their heart have sorrow,
there are those who instead have another problem,
and there’s always someone who leaves,
but where does he arrive if he leaves?
And, life, life,
and life is beautiful, it’s beautiful,
just have an umbrella, an umbrella,
it covers your head,
It feels like a holiday.
And, life, life,
and life is beautiful, it’s beautiful,
just have an umbrella, an umbrella,
it covers your head,
It feels like a holiday.
And, life, life,
and life is strange, it’s strange,
all it takes is one person, one person,
who gets carried away,
and the party is over.
Source: Wikipedia
Weird Italy, Guide to Unusual & Amazing Places to see in Italy. Italy’s news in English: Art, History & Facts