La cattiva strada [English translation]

At the military parade

He spat in the eyes of a naïve soldier

And when he asked him ‘Why?’

He answered “This is nothing.

Now it’s time for me to go”.

And the naïve one followed,

Left his weapons behind and followed him

To walk down a bad road.

In the alleys behind the train station

He stole a Queen’s pay

And when she asked ‘How— ”

He answered “Maybe it’s better this way,

Now it’s like it was before,

Maybe it’s time for me to go”.

And the queen followed,

With all her sorrow she followed him

To walk down a bad road.

On a moonless night

He shifted the stars’ positions

And when the pilot crashed to the ground

He said “You died by your own mistake.

Anyway, I should be going now”.

And the pilot followed,

Left the stars behind and followed him

To walk down a bad road.

He poured one more drink

To an eighteen-year-old alcoholic

And while he watched

He told him “Friend, I bet you’re about to say

It’s time for me to go”.

The alcoholic understood,

He said nothing, and followed him

To walk down a bad road.

At a love trial

He kissed the jurors on the mouth

And to their shocked (blushing) faces

He said: “Now it’s more natural

Now it’s better, now it’s right, it’s just, it’s fair

That I should go”.

And the jurors followed

Gaping, they followed him

Down the bad road

Down the bad road

And when he vanished at last

To the yea-sayers

And the nay-sayers

He said, he warned: “It’s not good

To follow me around wherever I go.

But there’s a little love for everybody

And everybody has a love of their own

Here on the bad road.”

On the bad road.

• Artist:Fabrizio De André
• Album:La cattiva strada/Amico fragile (1974)