It’s a bit of time that an idea is running in my mind. I’d like to open a discussion on the translations of TP&HB’s lyrics. There isn’t Italian sites on the web who offers good translations: I have found only horrible literal translations that don’t make a point of the contest or the song’s meaning. I don’t know if happen so also for others languages (like French or Spanish), but for Italian is like that. Infact, I've arrived on this board because I was looking for good translations of TP&HB’s lyrics. Tompetty.com and this board are the first site that appears when someone is looking for informations on TP&HB in the web.
So, I would propose to open a discussion on the problems of translation. For example, today I was listening “Southern accents” and I found myself to ask: “But how it is a southern accents?”. I don’t know… I know the difference between a southern and north accents in Italian language, but I’m not be able to appreciate it in American language. Someone can describe me?
My idea: this discussion can become a “laboratory”, in wich is possible to post the translations of TP&HB’s lyrics in different languages or ask something about the comprehension of the special words meaning (I don’t knew “Reseda”, for example ). Obviusly this thing can not much interest the English-speakers users of the board, but I think that above all the foreign visitors, like me, can find it pleasant and fun. Besides, the English-speakers users can help to improve the translations.
What do you think? Can it be a good or useful for the board?

Reseda is a city in the State of California. It's located in the San Fernando Valley, also known as "The Valley". It's on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

As for the Southern Accent - here's an example:

http://alt-usage-english.org/a..._arthur_11025_Hz.mp3

It's supposed to be a Georgia speaker with northern Florida influences.

Thank's: it's very kind of you, Refugee

I've found "Reseda" with google... the geography isn't my specialty

I try to post one translation: I'm not good but seem passable.

Love Is A Long Road / L’amore è una lunga strada

There was a girl I knew / C’era una ragazza che conoscevo
She said she cared about me / Diceva che mi voleva bene
She tried to make my world / Provava a costruire il mio mondo
The way she thought it should be / Nel modo in cui pensava dovesse essere
Yeah we were desperate then / Yeah eravamo disperati allora
To have each other to hold / Nel trattenerci a vicenda
But love is a long, long road / Ma l’amore è una lunga, lunga strada


There were so many times / Ci sono così tante volte
I would wake up at noon / Che vorrei svegliarmi a mezzogiorno
With my head spinning 'round / Con la testa che gira
I would wait for the moon / Vorrei aspettare la luna
And give her one more chance / E darle un’altra possibilità
To try and save my soul / Per provare a salvare la mia anima
But love is a long, long road / Ma l’amore è una lunga, lunga strada


Yeah it was hard to give up / Yeah è stato difficile arrendersi
Some things are hard to let go / Qualche volta le cose sono difficili da lasciar andare
Some things are never enough / Qualche volta le cose non sono mai abbastanza
I guess I only can hope / Vedo che posso solo sperare
For maybe one more chance / Di avere un’altra possibilità
To try and save my soul / Di cercare di salvare la mia anima

Dove in Italia siete individuato?

Il mio amico, Matt Laug, gioca i tamburi ogni estate in Italia.

Inoltre gioca i tamburi per Mike Campbell' fascia laterale di s.

Spiacente per la traduzione italiana terribile.

You're very nice to try writing in Italian language!

I live in Rome, the capital: is a beautiful and ancient city in the middle Italy. We've got many tourists here (also american) in this period.

In which contest play drums your friend?
Is not possible translate "play" with "giocare" when we spoke about musical instruments: "giocare" is a verb used for another things, like "play football". "Play" is a verb that has many meanings, but Italian is a language more strict. With drums is necessary use "suonare"

I'm afraid, but I haven't understood the third phrase

This is a great idea.

Some more European fans should be showing up soon.

I've never been to Reseda except on a freeway flying by the town to somewhere else. I'm glad Refugee has been there to let you know what that is about.

I was trying to say that Matt tours Italy with a band, will try and find out which one. He goes every summer.

He also plays drums in Mike Campbell's side band, and has also played in Slash's "Snake Pit" band.

Private Message me for more information. Or, click on the Mudcrutch Farm in my signature.

Thanks for helping me out with the verbs, very tricky fellows in any language.

Thank's, now is more clear for me

But why Reseda is in Free Fallin'? Exist a special reason?

Free fallin’ / In caduta libera

She's a good girl, loves her mama / Lei è una brava ragazza, ama la sua mamma
Loves Jesus and America too / Ama Gesù a anche l’America
She's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis / Lei è una brava ragazza, pazza per Elvis
Loves horses and her boyfriend too / Ama i cavalli e persino il suo ragazzo

It's a long day, livin' in Reseda / È un lungo giorno, vivendo a Reseda
There's a freeway, runnin' through the yard / Ci sono autostrade, che corrono per chilometri
And I'm a bad boy, 'cause I don't even miss her / E io sono un cattivo ragazzo, perché non le sono nemmeno mancato
I'm a bad boy for breakin' her heart / Sono un cattivo ragazzo per averle spezzato il cuore

And I'm free, free fallin' / Sono in caduta libera,
Yeah I'm free, free fallin' / yeah sono in caduta libera

All the vampires, walkin' through the valley / Tutti i vampiri, attraversano la vallata
Move west down, Ventura Boulevard./ Arrivano da ovest, Ventura Boulevard.
And all the bad boys, are standing in the shadows / E i cattivi ragazzi si tengono nell’ombra
All the good girls, are home with broken hearts / Tutte le brave ragazze sono a casa con i cuori spezzati

And I'm free, free fallin' / Sono in caduta libera,
Yeah I'm free, free fallin' / yeah sono in caduta libera

I wanna glide down, over Mulholland / Voglio planare su Mulholland Drive
I wanna write her name in the sky / Voglio scrivere il suo nome nel cielo
I wanna free fall out into nothin' / Voglio cadere libero, fuori nel nulla
Gonna leave this world for awhile / Voglio lasciare questo mondo per un po’

And I'm free, free fallin' / Sono in caduta libera,
Yeah I'm free, free fallin' / yeah sono in caduta libera

Here's an interview Tom did I guess 21 years ago. You may be able to translate the part about Free Fallin, since you were able to translate the song.

http://www.inthestudio.net/

What I remember hearing in the interview is:

It is a song about LA and those different places mentioned on the song were on the way to Mike Campbell's house where they were recording the song and the album.

Very nice

I think that we lost many things in translations

No doubt we all have. lol

So what do you think the song is about? (Everyone has something different, regardless of language).

quote:

Originally posted by FireflyElf:
So what do you think the song is about? (Everyone has something different, regardless of language).

I want to make it clear first that for me is possible only interpret from personal point of wiew the original though process.
Anyway, I think that Free Fallin' talks about young people's (and not only) need of leave behind a mentality tied up by the family way training or by the contest in wich have lived and learn to think with own brain. Not always are important bourgeois value (I'm explaining?).
Anyhow to think with own brain is risky and shadow's thick: is like to go in free fallin, without parachute. This is, however, a exciting way for freedom and growth.

^That's a very cool interpretation. I never saw it that way before, but I like it.

quote:

Originally posted by Refugee:
As for the Southern Accent - here's an example:

http://alt-usage-english.org/a..._arthur_11025_Hz.mp3

It's supposed to be a Georgia speaker with northern Florida influences.

Holy crap! That speaker sounds EXACTLY like my recorded voice. Which makes sense really, I am a Georgia speaker with northern Florida influences.


As for what a Southern Accent is, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that often a person with a southern accent is deemed to be a bit more down-to-earth or wholesome. Maybe they are a bit more calm or less likely to get stressed out by life. Often, a southern accent seems kind of lazy. It is not uncommon for words to get mispronounced or even shortened in the name of convenience. There are usually a lot of slang terms that originate in southern accents, and oftentimes this leads a person who has one to feel that their accent is something special to them that defines who they are.

quote:

Originally posted by jpharis53:
As for what a Southern Accent is, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that often a person with a southern accent is deemed to be a bit more down-to-earth or wholesome. Maybe they are a bit more calm or less likely to get stressed out by life. Often, a southern accent seems kind of lazy. It is not uncommon for words to get mispronounced or even shortened in the name of convenience. There are usually a lot of slang terms that originate in southern accents, and oftentimes this leads a person who has one to feel that their accent is something special to them that defines who they are.

This is very interesting and fun
Also in Italy is in part like this.

quote:

Originally posted by Tattersail:

quote:

Originally posted by jpharis53:
As for what a Southern Accent is, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that often a person with a southern accent is deemed to be a bit more down-to-earth or wholesome. Maybe they are a bit more calm or less likely to get stressed out by life. Often, a southern accent seems kind of lazy. It is not uncommon for words to get mispronounced or even shortened in the name of convenience. There are usually a lot of slang terms that originate in southern accents, and oftentimes this leads a person who has one to feel that their accent is something special to them that defines who they are.

This is very interesting and fun
Also in Italy is in part like this.

I have heard that. When I was studying French, my professor told me that there is a distinct difference between a northern French accent, and a southern French accent. Except that the northern French accent is typically more casual and down-to-earth.

Accents are great, and Tom Petty certainly has a distinctive accent. I think one of the reasons he is so popular is because of the fact that most of his songs originate from that Southern heritage, and in a lot of ways, that is what the song "Southern Accents" is trying to say.

I am not sure if you have heard of him, but Johnny Cash recorded an amazing cover of "Southern Accents" on one of his last albums. Johnny Cash had a southern accent that truly does that song justice. I suggest you take a listen!

quote:

Originally posted by jpharis53:
Accents are great, and Tom Petty certainly has a distinctive accent. I think one of the reasons he is so popular is because of the fact that most of his songs originate from that Southern heritage, and in a lot of ways, that is what the song "Southern Accents" is trying to say.

I am not sure if you have heard of him, but Johnny Cash recorded an amazing cover of "Southern Accents" on one of his last albums. Johnny Cash had a southern accent that truly does that song justice. I suggest you take a listen!

I've listened that cover, thank you for suggest
I will try to pay attention to seize Tom Petty's distinctive accent, like you say, but I think that can be difficult for me succeed to appreciate completely.

I've tried to translate "Down South", for remain in subject. I've found some trouble that I've signaled in red

Down South / Giù a Sud

Headed back down south / Di ritorno giù al sud
Gonna see my daddy's mistress / vedrò l'amante di mio padre
Gonna buy back her forgiveness / riscatterò il suo perdono
Pay off every witness / salderò il debito con ogni testimone

One more time down south / Ancora una volta giù a sud
Sell the family headstones / vendere la tomba di famiglia,
Drag a bag of dry bones / trascinare una sacca di aride ossa,
Make good on my bank loans / avere fortuna per il mio mutuo.

So if I come to your door / Così, se arrivo alla tua porta
Let me sleep on your floor / lasciami dormire sul tuo pavimento.
I'll give you all I have / Ti darò tutto ciò che ho
And a little more / e qualcosa in più.

Sleep late down south / Dormire fino a tardi giù al sud,
Look up my former mentors / cercare le mie guide di un tempo,
Leave off yankee winters / lasciare gli inverni del nord,
Be a landlord and a renter / essere un affittacamere e un noleggiatore

Create myself down south / Creare me stesso giù a sud
Impress all the women / Fare colpo sulle donne
Pretend I'm Samuel Clemens / Fingere di essere Samuel Clemens (1)
Wear seersucker and white linens / Indossare cotone e lino bianco

So if I come to your door / Così, se arrivo alla tua porta
Let me sleep on your floor / lasciami dormire sul tuo pavimento.
I'll give you all I have / Ti darò tutto ciò che ho
And a little more / e qualcosa in più.

Spanish moss down south / Crescione, giù al sud
Spirits cross the dead fields / Spiriti attraversano campi morti
Mosquitoes hit the windshield / Zanzare colpiscono il parabrezza
All document remain sealed / Tutti i documenti restano sigillati

So if I come to your door / Così, se arrivo alla tua porta
Let me sleep on your floor / lasciami dormire sul tuo pavimento.
I'll give you all I have / Ti darò tutto ciò che ho
And a little more / e qualcosa in più.
I'll give you all I have / Ti darò tutto ciò che ho

(1) Samuel Clemens è lo pseudonimo di Mark Twain ed era sua abitudine vestire elegantemente con abiti di lino o cotone bianchi.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tattersail,

I don't think la padrona is correct. In this case, a mistress is the woman that a married man cheats with on his wife. Does that make sense?

I think also seersucker is the other word confusing you? I doubt there is a translation for it. Seersucker is a type of fabric worn mostly by men in the south; it's frequently made into suits, which I think is what Tom is talking about here. It is made from cotton and has a very distinctive look. You can see the fabric here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seersucker. And a suit here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/s...ourheart/2700545121/.

It looks like it is amante but it maybe there is something before the amante?

Linen is usually a tablecloth or something like that. lol

I'd imagine it's more in reference to a Linen or nice cotton shirt. The seersucker is a type of material and type of suit.

I have no idea if in Italian you would would have to "define" what linen could mean.

I mean he is not wearing a suit with a tablecloth or napkins or sheets.

But you never know Seersucker is a suit of old so maybe he was in sheets like a ghost?

The initial four line are difficult: I think now that "amante" is much right, but I don't understand very well the logic with the two following lines. It seems like if he must settle something

For seersucker I think that the better thing is translate it whith "abito" in general, that is suite.

Thanks to both