☝️ Key Points
- The text is about a dancer who dances all night and continues in the morning.
- He is asked to dance on a board between two mountains and on the waves of the sea.
- It is emphasized that he should not stop dancing, as the years pass quickly and one after another end without returning.
- The dancer is encouraged to not be afraid and to dance in the light of a thousand cigarettes and a bright moon.
- It is said that the dancer should also dance for the violent and on the heart of a sick man who lacks love.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Balla Balla Ballerino" by
Lucio Dalla are about a dancer who dances all night long and continues in the morning. He is asked to dance on a board between two mountains and even to dance on the waves of the sea. It is said that someone will look for him when he dances on the waves.
It is said that the dancer should touch the sky with his hands and fly higher than planes. It is emphasized that he should not stop dancing, as the years pass quickly and one after another end without returning.
The text encourages the dancer to not be afraid, even when the night is cold and dark. He should not think about the gun that is pointed at him. Instead, he should dance in the light of a thousand cigarettes and a moon that illuminates him brightly.
It is said that the dancer should also dance for the violent ones, those who are quick with their hands and knives. It is pointed out that these people have been dead for a long time, even though they can still breathe. It is emphasized that the dancer should dance on the heart of a sick, deluded, and defeated man, who is without the love of someone who confuses the moon with the sun.
The text ends by asking an angel to climb onto the man's chest and tire himself out dancing to the rhythm of the engine and the great words of a love song. It is said that this is the mystery of how the man can still love without certainty, despite a sky of iron and plaster. It is emphasized how touching and tender this is.