We’re listening to Levante’s “Pezzo di me,” featuring Max Gazzè, from her third and latest album, “Nel caos di stanze stupefacenti.”
(It can be a fitting song for Valentine’s Day.)
We first heard la bellissima/the super beautiful Italian songstress Levante croon on the J-Ax and Fedez (you’ll thank us later for this one, wink wink) track “Assenzio.”
We chose “Pezzo di me” because the intro hooked us and then each verse revealed a funny surprise… a relatable treat. The song puts us in a good mood, like what a carefree summer song would because the melody is fun, bouncy and catchy. But Levante’s voice has layers and she is not a one-trick pop pony. Her voice opens up the words and puts them on a musical plate for you to savor. Trust us, listen to our other favorites “Abbi cura di te” (“Abbi cura di te) and “Alfonso” (“Manuale Distruzione”) to get a taste of Levante.
At first we think it’s going to be a story of unrequited love lost because of the title “Pezzo di me,” which from the direct English translation is “Piece of me.” So you’d expect it to be all dramatic, like a piece of my soul was ripped from me when you left. Ha! But no! Levante is a trickster…
Levante pulls a Morrissey – a catchy song with great vocals but with lyrics that go against the sweet beat.
Sorry. But we naturally, without thinking, sang the chorus “Tu sei un pezzo di merda.” But our gut reaction was right. “Pezzo di me***” is actually the polite/PG 13 version of “pezzo di merda.” Translation: “piece of shit.”
How do we know? As the song progresses you hear the sarcasm and realize it’s not a sappy love song and she’s indeed telling her lover he’s a pezzo di merda.
“Un giorno qualunque mi ricorderò di dimenticarti dentro a un cestino. Tu sei un pezzo di me*** // One day I will remember to forget you in the trash. You are a piece of shit.”
Levante’s beautifully shot video pulls it all together and brings the sarcastic play on words to life.
Pezzo di me by Levante on VEVO.
In our humble opinion, the whole point of music is to move us. The language really doesn’t matter. We should feel and enjoy the melodies, harmonies and rhythms as they tell us a story. And, hopefully, you’ll learn some new words in another language.
Italian words to take away from this post:
la bellissima – adjective: The really super beautiful (female).
Tu sei un pezzo di me: You are a piece of me.
Tu sei un pezzo di merda: You are a piece of shit. (More useful we think.)