Jack Johnson

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TESTI

1. Better Together - 3:27 - (Jack Johnson)
2. Never Know - 3:32 - (Jack Johnson)
3. Banana Pancakes - 3:11 - (Jack Johnson)
4. Good People - 3:28 - (Jack Johnson)
5. No Other Way - 3:09 - (Jack Johnson)
6. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing - 3:03 - (G. Love)
7. Staple It Together - 3:16 - (Jack Johnson)
8. Situations - 1:17 - (Jack Johnson)
9. Crying Shame - 3:06 - (Jack Johnson)
10. If I Could - 2:25 - (Jack Johnson)
11. Breakdown - 3:32 - (Dan Nakamura, Jack Johnson e Paul Huston)
12. Belle - 1:43 (Jack Johnson)
13. Do You Remember - 2:24 - (Jack Johnson)
14. Constellations - 3:21 - (Jack Johnson)

Better Together

There is no combination of words I could put on the postcard
And no song that I could sing, but I can try because this is your heart and this is
Our dreams and they are made out of real things
Like a shoebox of photographs with sepia-toned loving
Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like
Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing, it's so much better when we're together

Mmm, so much better when we're together
Yeh, we'll look at the stars when we're together
Well it's so much better when we're together
Yeh, it's so much better when we're together

All of these moments just might find their way into my dreams tonight
But I know that they'll be gone when the morning light sings
Or brings new things for tomorrow night you see
They'll be gone too, to many things I have to do
But follow these dreams might find their way into my day to day scene
I'd be under the impression, I was somewhere in between
With only two, just me and you, not so many things we got to do
Or places we got to be, we'll sit beneath the mango tree now

Yeh, so much better when we're together
Mmm, we're somewhere in between together
Well, it's so much better when we're together
Yeh, so much better when we're together

I believe in memories because they look so,
So pretty when I sleep
And when I wake up you look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing
We're better together
We so much better when we're together
We so much better when we're together

Mini traduzione

Non c'è nessuna combinazione di parole che possa scrivere su una lettera
E nessuna canzone che possa can'tare, ma posso provare, perché  questo è il tuo cuore, e questi sono i nostri sogni
e sono fatti di cose reali
Come una scatola da scarpe piena di amate fotografie virate seppia
L'amore è la risposta, almeno per la maggior parte delle domande nel mio cuore, come ad esempio:
"Perché siamo qui? E dove andiamo? E come mai arrivare è così difficile?"
Non è sempre facile e la vita a volte può essere ingannevole
Ti dirò una cosa, va molto meglio se siamo assieme

Never Know

I hear this old story before
Where the people keep killing for the metaphors
Don't leave much up to the imagination,
So I, wanna give this imagery back
But I know it just ain't so easy like that
So, I turn the page and read the story again
And again and again
It sure seems the same, with a different name
We're breaking and rebuilding
And we're growing
Always guessing

Never knowing
Shocking but we're nothing
We're just moments
We're Clever but we're clueless
We're just human
Amusing but confusing
Were trying but where is this all leading
Never Know

It all happened so much faster
Than you could say disaster
Wanna take a time lapse
And look at it backwards
From the last one
And maybe thats just the answer
That we're after
But after all
We're just a bubble in a boiling pot
Just one breath in a chain of thought
The moments just combusting
Feel certain but we'll never never know
Just seems the same
Give it a diff. name
We're beggin and we're needing
And we're trying and we're breathing

Never knowing
Shocking but we're nothing
We're just moments
We're Clever but we're clueless
We're just human
Amusing but confusing
Helping, we're building
And we're growing
Never Know

Knock knock on the door to door
Tell ya that the metaphor is better than yours
And you can either sink or swim
Things are looking pretty grim
If you don't believe in what this one feeding
it's got no feeling
So I read it again
And again and again
Just seems the same
Too many different names
Our hearts are strong our heads are weak
We'll always be competing never knowing

Never knowing
Shocking but we're nothing
We're just moments
We're Clever but we're clueless
We're just human
Amusing but confusing
But the truth is
All we got is questions
We'll Never Know
Never Know
Never Know

Mini traduzione

L'ho sentita già questa vecchia storia
dove la gente continua a uccidere per le incomprensioni (1)
e a non lasciare molto spazio alla fantasia,
Così, voglio rifiutare questa immagine
Ma io so che non è così facile
Così, ho voltato pagina e ho letto la storia di nuovo
E ancora e ancora
Certo che sembra sempre la stessa, con un nome diverso
Siamo discontinuità e ricostruzione
E stiamo migliorando
(ma) sempre andando a indovinare

(1) "metafora" nel senso di una espressione usata per rappresentare una diversa idea o situazione (diz. MacMillan)

Banana Pancakes

Can't you see that it's just raining
Ain't no need to go outside...
But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you this
Song is meant to keep ya
From doing what you're supposed to
Like waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining
Ain't no need to go outside

But just maybe, laka ukulele
Mommy made a baby
Really don't mind the breakfast
'cause you're my little lady
Lady lady love me
'cause I love to lay here lazy
We could close the curtains
Pretend like there's no world outside

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining
Ain't no need to go outside
Ain't no need ain't no need Mmmm MMmmm
Can't you see can't you see
Rain all day
And I don't mind.

The telephone is singing
Ringing it's too early
Don't pick it up
We don't need to we got everything
We need right here
And everything we need is enough
Just so easy
When the whole world fit's inside of your arms
Don't really need to pay attention to the alarm
Wake up slow, yeah wake up slow
You hardly even notice
When I try to show you this
Song is meant to keep ya
From doing what your supposed to
Like waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining
Ain't no need to go outside
Ain't no need, ain't no need
Rain all day and I really really really don't mind
Can't you see can't you see,
You gotta wake up slow

Mini traduzione

Non vedi che (fuori) sta piovendo?
Non c'è alcun bisogno di uscire ...
Ma tesoro, ti accorgi a malapena
di quello che cerco di farti notare
Questa canzone ha lo scopo di impedirti di fare
quello che stai per fare
Come (ad esempio) svegliarsi troppo presto
Forse possiamo dormire ancora un po'
Ti farò dei pancake alla banana
facendo finta che siamo già nel fine settimana

Good People 

You win
It's your show, now
So what's it gonna be
'Cause people
Will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see?
Before we lose touch of
We thought this was low
It's bad getting worse so

Where'd all the good people go?
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the TV shows
Where'd all the good people go?
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

They got this and that and
With a rattle a tat
Testing one two,
Now what you gonna do?
Bad news, misused,
Got too much to lose
Gimme some truth
Now whose side are we on?
Whatever you say
Turn on the boob tube
I'm in the mood to obey
So lead me astray by the way, now

Where'd all the good people go?
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the TV shows
Where'd all the good people go?
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

Sitting round feeling far away
So far away but I can feel the debris
Can you feel it?
You interrupt me from a friendly conversation
To tell me how great it's all gonna be
You might notice some hesitation
'Cause it's important to you, it's not important to me
Way down by the edge of your reasons
It's beginning to show
And all I really wanna know is...

Where'd all the good people go?
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the TV shows
Where'd all the good people go?
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

They got this and that
With a rattle a tat
Testing one, two
Now what you gonna do?
Bad news, misused, give me some truth
You got too much to lose
Whose side are we on today, anyway?
OK, whatever you say.
Wrong and resolute but in the mood to obey
Station to station desensitizing the nation
Going, going, gone.

No Other Way

When your mind is a mess
So is mine
I can't sleep
Cause it hurts when I think
My thoughts aren't at peace
With the plans that we make
Chances we take
They're, not yours and not mine
There's waves that can break
All the words that we say
And the words that we mean
Words can fall short
Can't see the unseen
Cause the world is awake
For somebody's sake now, please close your eyes woman
Please get some sleep

And know that if I knew
All of the answers I would
Not hold them from you'd
Know all the things that i'd know
We told each other, there is no other way

Well too much silence can be misleading
You're drifting I can hear it in the way that your breathing
We don't really need to find reason
Cause out the same door that it came well it's leaving it's leaving
Leaving like a day that's done and part of a season
Resolve is just a concept that's as dead as the leaves
But at least we can sleep, it's all that we need
When we wake we will find
Our minds will be free to go to sleep

And know that if I knew
All of the answers I would
Not hold them from you'd
Know all the things that i'd know
We told each other, there is no other way

Mini traduzione

Quando la tua mente è un caos
lo è anche anche la mia
Non posso dormire
Perché mi fa male quando penso
I miei pensieri non sono in pace
Con i piani che fanno
Le sfide che affrontiamo
Non sono tue e neanche mie
Ci sono onde che possono rompersi
Tutte le parole che pronunciamo
E le parole che comprendiamo
parole possono perdersi
Non riesco a vedere l'invisibile
Perché il mondo è sveglio
Per il bene di tutti (1) ora, chiudi gli occhi, donna
cerca di dormire un po'

(1) In italiano non si usa l'espressione "per il bene di qualcuno"

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Now I was sitting waiting wishing
That you believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs
But Lord knows that this world is cruel
And I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning loving somebody don't make them love you

Must I always be waiting waiting on you?
Must I always be playing playing your fool?

I sing ya songs I dance a dance
I gave ya friends all a chance
Putting up with them wasn't worth never having you
And maybe you been through this before
But it's my first time
So please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you

I can't always be waiting waiting on you
I can't always be playing playing your fool

I keep playing your part
But it's not my scene
Won't this plot not twist?
I've had enough mystery.
Keep building me up, then shooting me down
Well I'm already down
Just wait a minute
Just sitting waiting
Just wait a minute
Just sitting waiting

Well if I was in your position
Id put down all my ammunition
I'd wondered why'd it taken me so long
But Lord knows that I'm not you
And If I was I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waiting on love ain't so easy to do

Must I always be waiting waiting on you?
Must I always be playing playing your fool?
No I can't always be waiting waiting on you
I can't always be playing playing your fool, foool

Note

(1) potrebbe essere anche tradotto con "stupido" ma sembra usato qui nel senso di pazzo consapevole, giullare.

Staple It Together

It's really
Too bad
He became a prisoner of his own past
He stabbed the moment in the back
With the round thumbtack
That held up the list of things he gotta do
it's really,
No good
He's moving on before he understood
He shot the future in the foot with every step he took
From the places that he's been cause he forgot to look

Better staple it together and call it bad weather
Staple it together and call it bad weather

Well I guess you could say
That he dont even know where to begin
Cause he looked both ways but he was so afraid
Digging deep into the ditch
With every chance he missed
And the mess he made
Cause hate is such a strong word
And every brick he laid
A mistake they say
That his walls are getting taller
His world is getting smaller

Better staple it together and call it bad weather
Staple it together and call it bad weather

It's really
Too bad
He became a prisoner of his own past
He stabbed a moment in the back
With the round thumbtack
That held up the list of things he gotta do
it's really,
No good
Hes moving on before he understood
He shot the future in the foot with every step he took
From the places that he's been cause he forgot to look

Better staple it together and call it bad weather
Staple it together and call it bad weather

If the weather is better
We should get together
Spend a little time and we can do whatever
And if we get together we'll be twice as clever
So, staple it together and call it bad weather, mm hmmm

Mini traduzione

E' davvero
troppo sbagliato
E 'diventato un prigioniero del proprio passato
Ha fissato sulla schiena
con una puntina da disegno
l'elenco delle cose che dovrebbe fare
davvero,
non va bene
Lui si muove prima di aver capito
Ha colpito il futuro col piede in ogni suo passo (1)
nei luoghi dove è stato, e che si è dimenticato di guardare

(staple it together = mettere insieme (i fogli con una pinzatrice)

(1) se a qualcuno viene in mente una traduzione migliore ce lo faccia sapere

Situations

Situation Number one
it's the one that's just begun
But evidently it's too late
Situation Number two
it's the only chance for you
It's controlled by denizens of hate
Situation Number three
It's the one that no one sees
All too often dismissed as fate
Situation Number four
The one that left you wanting more
Tantalized you with it's bait

Crying Shame

It's such a tired game
Will it ever stop
How will this all play out
Out of sight, out of mind

By now we should know
How to communicate instead of coming to blows
We're on a roll
And there ain't no stopping us now
We're burning under control
Isn't it strange how
We're all burning under the same sun
By now we say it's a war for peace
It's the same old game
But do we really want to play?
We could close our eyes it's still there
We could say it's us against them
We can try but nobody wins
Gravity has got a hold on us all
We try to put it out
But it's a growing flame
Using fear as fuel
Burning down our name
And it wont take too long
Cause words are burning same
And who we gunna blame now?

And oh, it's such a crying crying crying shame
It's such a crying crying crying shame
It's such a crying crying crying shame, shame, shame

By now
It's beginning to show
A number of people are numbers who aint coming home
I can close my eyes it's still there
Close my mind be alone
I can close my heart and not care
But gravity has got a hold on us all
It's a terrific price to pay
But in the true sense of the word
Are we using what we've learned?
In the true sense of the word
Are we losing what we were?
It's such a tired game
Will it ever stop?
Is not for me to say
And is it in our blood?
Or is it just our fate?
And how will this all play out
Out of sight, out of mind
And who we gunna blame?
On and on
It's such a crying crying crying shame
It's such a crying crying crying shame shame shame

Mini traduzione

E 'un gioco così ripetitivo
Si fermerà mai?
Come andrà a finire tutto questo?
Lontano dagli occhi, lontano dal cuore

(La canzone è una critica all'intervento USA in Iraq)

If I Could

Just in time
Papa cried, baby cried
Said "Your tears are like mine"
I heard some words
From a friend on the phone
That didn't sound so good
The doctor gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could

You know that I would now
If only I could
You know that I would now
If only I could

Down the middle drops one more
Grain of sand
They say that
New life makes losing life easier to understand
Words are kind
They helped ease the mind
I'll miss my old friend
And though you gotta go
We'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out
One comes in

You know that I would now
If only I could
You know that I would now
If only I could

Mini traduzione

Appena in tempo
il papà ha pianto, il bambino ha pianto
Ha detto: "Le tue lacrime sono le mie"
Ho sentito alcune parole
da un amico al telefono
che non suonavano così bene
Il dottore gli ha dato due settimane di vita
Io gli avrei dato (molto) di più se avessi potuto

Breakdown

I hope this old train breaks down
Then I could take a walk around
And, see what there is to see
And time is just a melody
All the people in the street
Walk as fast as their feet can take them
I just roll through town
And though my windows got a view
The frame I'm looking through
Seems to have no concern for now
So for now

I need this
Old train to breakdown
Oh please just
Let me please breakdown

This engine screams out loud
Centipede gonna crawl westbound
So I don't even make a sound
Cause it's gonna sting me when I leave this town
All the people in the street
That I'll never get to meet
If these tracks don't bend somehow
And I got no time
That I got to get to
Where I don't need to be
So I

I need this
Old train to breakdown
Oh please just
Let me please breakdown
I need this
Old train to breakdown
Oh please just
Let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Let me please break on down

But you can't stop nothing
If you got no control
Of the thoughts in your mind
That you kept in, you know
You don't know nothing
But you don't need to know
The wisdoms in the trees
Not the glass windows
You can't stop wishing
If you don't let go
But things that you find
And you lose, and you know
You keep on rolling
Put the moment on hold
The frames too bright
So put the blinds down low

I need this
Old train to breakdown
Oh please just
Let me please breakdown
I need this
Old train to breakdown
Oh please just
Let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now

Mini traduzione

Spero che questo vecchio treno si rompa
e che io possa fare così una passeggiata attorno
E vedere quello che c'è da vedere
E il tempo è solo una melodia
Tutte le persone in strada
Camminano veloce come i loro piedi possono portarli
Ho appena attraversato la città
E dal mio finestrino ho una visione
la cornice attraverso la quale sto guardando
Sembra non trasmettere preoccupazioni per ora
almeno per ora

Belle

Oi Lienda
Bella che fai?
Bonita, bonita que tal?
But belle
Je ne comprends pas français
So you'll have to speak to me
Some other way

Hello beautiful (Portugese)
Beautiful, what's are you doing? (Italian)
Beautiful, beautiful what's up? (Spanish)
But, beautiful, I don't understand French. (French)
So you'll have to speak to me some other way

Do you remember when we first met?
I sure do
It was some time
In early September
You were lazy about it
You made me wait around
I was so crazy about you
I didn't mind
So I was late for class
I locked my bike to yours
It wasn't hard to find
You painted flowers on

Guess that I was afraid
That if you rode away
You might not roll back
My direction real soon
Well I was crazy about you then
And now the craziest thing of all
Over 10 years have gone by
And you're still mine
We're locked in time
Let's rewind

Do you remember
When we first moved in together?
The piano took up the living room
You'd play me boogie woogie
I played you love songs
You'd say we're playing house
Now you still say we are
We built our get away
Up in a tree we found
We felt so far away
Though we were still in town
Now I remember watching
That old tree burn down
I took a picture that
I don't like to look at

Well all these times
They come and go
Alone don't seem so long
Over 10 years have gone by
We can't rewind
We're locked in time
But you're still mine

Do you remember?

Ti ricordi quando ci siamo incontrati la prima volta?
Io di sicuro sì
E' stato in qualche giorno
ai primi di settembre
Eri pigra su riguardo a questo
Mi hai fatto aspettare
Ero così pazzo di te
Non mi dispiaceva
Quindi arrivavo in ritardo in classe
Ho legato la mia bici alla tua
Non è stato difficile trovarla
tu l'hai dipinta a fiori
Indovina che avevo paura

Puoi immaginare che avevo paura
Che se tu fossi scappata via
non avresti potuto facilmente
ritrovare dove stavo andando
Beh, ero pazzo di te allora
E ora la cosa più pazza di tutte
dopo oltre 10 anni che sono passati
(è che) tu sei ancora mia
Siamo bloccati in quel tempo
ricominciamo

The light was leaving
In the west it was blue
The children's laughter sang
And skipping just like the stones they threw
Their voices echoed across the way
it's getting late

It was just another night
With a sunset
And a moonrise not so far behind
To give us just enough light
To lay down underneath the stars
Listen to papas translations
Of the stories across the sky
We drew our own constellations

The west winds often last too long
The wind may calm down
Nothing ever feels the same
Sheltered under the Kamani tree
Waiting for the passing rain
Clouds keep moving to uncover the scene
Stars above us chasing the day away
To find the stories that we sometimes need
Listen close enough
All else fades
Fades away

It was just another night
With a sunset
And a moonrise not so far behind
To give us just enough light
To lay down underneath the stars
Listen to all the translations
Of the stories across the sky
We drew our own constellations

La luce stava svanendo
verso ovest era (tutto) blu
le risate dei bambini erano come un canto
E rimbalzavano proprio come le pietre si tiravano
Le loro voci tornavano come un'eco dall'altra parte della strada
Si sta facendo tardi