Per tutti tranne gli indiani (no quelli col turbante, i “pellerossa”), almeno per una breve fase della vita e più prima del Vietnam che dopo, l'”America” ha rappresentato un sogno.

Per molti di quelli con la “pelle rossa” la stessa “cosa” ha rappresentato un incubo, anche se poi qualche tribù si è messa a gestire casinò nelle riserve. Ora, non è il caso di venerdì mattina di aprire un trattato sull’americanismo.

Però in una concatenazione di pensieri sono arrivato al rapporto con questa terra (e in particolare con gli Estados Unidos de America, gli U.S.A., che continuano a chiamarsi così ignorando che anche Canada, Brasile, Messico e Argentina sono repubbliche federali e sono quindi altri “stati uniti d’america”).

Musicalmente parlando, eccovi tre brani che parlano di america da punti di vista diversi: gli immigranti visti dagli americani (penso democratici), gli americani visti dai canadesi, e gli emuli americani visti dai napoletani. Non ho mai visto West Side Story per intero, però rileggere i dialoghi e il testo della canzoncina è illuminante per qualsiasi italiano di oggi che abbia a che fare con persone che vengono da fuori dell’Italia.

Va bene, il discorso è un poco più complesso, ma si può aggiungere questo branobag come tassello di un discorso.

================================================================

Guess Who – American Woman

American woman gonna mess your mind – l’americana, ti farà uscire di testa..
American woman, she gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind

Say A, say M, say E
Say R, say I, C
Say A, N

American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind

American woman, stay away from me – oh americana, stamme luntano
American woman, mama let me be – oh americana, lasciami stare, bella
Don’t come hangin’ around my door – non stare qua intorno alla mia porta
I don’t wanna see your face no more – la tua faccia non la voglio vedere più

I got more important things to do – ho cose più importanti da fare
Than spend my time growin’ old with you – che passare il mio tempo a invecchiare con te
Now woman, I said stay away – donna, ti ho detto di stare lontano
American woman, listen what I say – oh americana, ascolta quello che ti dico

American woman, get away from me
American woman, mama let me be
Don’t come knockin’ around my door
Don’t wanna see your shadow no more

Colored lights can hypnotize – le lucine colorate possono ipnotizzare
Sparkle someone else’s eyes – o confondere gli occhi di qualcun altro
Now woman, I said get away – ora, donna, ho detto levati di torno
American woman, listen what I say

American woman, said get away
American woman, listen what I say
Don’t come hangin’ around my door
Don’t wanna see your face no more
I don’t need your war machines
I don’t need your ghetto scenes

Colored lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else’s eyes
Now woman, get away from me
American woman, mama let me be

Go, gotta get away, gotta get away – via, devo andare via
Now go, go, go, I’m gonna leave you, woman – ora via, ti devo lasciare, donna
Gonna leave you, woman
Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye

You’re no good for me – te non sei buona per me
I’m no good for you – io non sono buono per te
Gonna look you right in the eye – ti guarderò dritto negli occhi
Tell you what I’m gonna do – e ti dirò quello che farò

You know I’m gonna leave –
You know I’m gonna go
You know I’m gonna leave
You know I’m gonna go, woman

I’m gonna leave you, woman
Goodbye, American woman

====================================

Tonino Carosone – Tu vuo’ fa’ l’americano

Puorte o cazone cu ‘nu stemma arreto
‘na cuppulella cu ‘a visiera alzata.
Passe scampanianno pe’ Tuleto
camme a ‘nu guappo pe’ te fa guardà!

Tu vuò fa l’ americano!
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t’ ho fa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda
ma se bevi whisky and soda
po’ te sente ‘e disturbà.

Tu abballe ‘o roccorol
tu giochi al basebal ‘
ma ‘e solde pe’ Camel
chi te li dà? …
La borsetta di mammà!

Tu vuò fa l’ americano
mmericano! mmericano!
ma si nato in Italy!
siente a mme
non ce sta’ niente a ffa
o kay, napolitan!
Tu vuò fa l’ american!
Tu vuò fa l’ american!

Comme te po’ capì chi te vò bene
si tu le parle ‘mmiezzo americano?
Quando se fa l ‘ammore sotto ‘a luna
come te vene ‘capa e di:”i love you!?”

Tu vuò fa l’ americano
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t’ho fa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda…

============================

America – West Side Story

Girls here are free to have fun. She is in America now.

Puerto Rico is in America now.

sometimes l don’t know which is thicker–

your skull or your accent.

– Let them wait.

– ls Maria all right?

– l should be so all right.

– lt will not happen again.

Pepe, lndio.

– After tonight, things will be settled.

– First settle your stomach.

Never mind my stomach.

Well, l mind your nose

and your head broken.

– Broken?

– Sure.

They use Maria for an excuse to start World War lll.

lt is more than that.

More than what? She was only dancing.

With an American who is really a Polack.

Says the spic.

You are not so cute.

– That Tony is.

– And he works.

A delivery boy.

– And what are you?

– An assistant.

And Chino makes half of what the Polack makes.

– The Polack is an American.

– Here comes the whole commercial.

Your mother’s a Pole. Your father’s a Swede.

But you were born here. That’s all that you need.

You are an American. But us?

Foreigners!

Lice. Cockroaches.

But it’s true.

When l think about how l thought

it would be for us here.

We came like children,

believing, trusting.

With our hearts open.

With our arms open.

You came with your mouth open.

You did, spic, and you’ll

go back in handcuffs.

l’m going back in a Cadillac.

– Air-conditioned.

– Built-in bar.

– Telephone.

– Television.

Compatible color.

lf you had all that here, why would you

want to go back to Puerto Rico?

Even if you didn’t have all that here,

why would you want to go back?

lt’s so good here?

lt’s so good there?

We had nothing.

Ah, we still have nothing,

only more expensive.

Anita Josephina…

– Beatriz del Carmen Margarita.

– lt’s plain Anita now.

– Et cetera.

– Leave me alone. At least l–

Once an immigrant,

always an immigrant.

Hey, look, instead of a shampoo,

she’s been brainwashed.

– Stop it.

– She’s given up Puerto Rico.

Now she’s queer for Uncle Sam.

Oh, no. That’s not true.

Puerto Rico, My heart’s devotion

Let it sink back ln the ocean

Always the hurricanes blowing

Always the population growing

And the money owing

And the sunlight streaming

And the natives steaming

l like the island Manhattan

l know you do.

Smoke on your pipe

And put that in

l like to be in America

Okay by me in America
Everything free in America

For a small fee in America

Buying on credit is so nice

One look at us and they charge twice

I have my own washing machine

What will you have though to keep clean

Skyscrapers bloom in America

Cadillacs zoom in America

lndustry boom in America

Twelve in a room in America

Lots of new housing with more space

Lots of doors slamming in our face

l’ll get a terrace apartment

Better get rid of your accent

Life can be bright in America

lf you can fight in America

Life is all right in America

lf you’re all white in America

La-la-la, la-la, America

Here you are free – and you have pride

Long as you stay – on your own side

Free to be anything – you choose

Free to wait tables – and shine shoes

Everywhere grime in America

Organized crime in America

Terrible time in America –

You forget I’m in America

l think l go back to San Juan

l know a boat you can get on – Bye-bye!

Everyone there will give big cheer

Everyone there will have moved here