John Brown
Bob DylanOriginal | Versione italiana di luca |
JOHN BROWN John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore. His mama sure was proud of him! He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all. His mama's face broke out all in a grin. "Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine, You make me proud to know you hold a gun. Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get, And we'll put them on the wall when you come home." As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout, Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood: "That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know." She made well sure her neighbors understood. She got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile As she showed them to the people from next door. And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun, And these things you called a good old-fashioned war. Oh! Good old-fashioned war! Then the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come. They ceased to come for about ten months or more. Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train. Your son's a-coming home from the war." She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around But she could not see her soldier son in sight. But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last, When she did she could hardly believe her eyes. Oh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off And he wore a metal brace around his waist. He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know, While she couldn't even recognize his face! Oh! Lord! Not even recognize his face. "Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done. How is it you come to be this way?" He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move And the mother had to turn her face away. "Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war You thought it was the best thing I could do? I was on the battleground, you were home . . . acting proud. You wasn't there standing in my shoes." "Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here? I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'. But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close And I saw that his face looked just like mine." Oh! Lord! Just like mine! "And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink, That I was just a puppet in a play. And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke, And a cannon ball blew my eyes away." As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand. But as he turned to go, he called his mother close And he dropped his medals down into her hand. | JOHN BROWN John Brown parti per la guerra Andando a combattere in un’altra terra Orgoglio di mamma nel vederlo in uniforme Marziale e dal viso privo di forme Oh figlio orgoglio mio Col fucile in spalla e accanto Dio Esegui gli ordini senza esitare E tante medaglie potrai indossare Il treno parti senza fermate Alla stazione tutti a udire quelle gridate “Mio figlio è un giovane soldato Tutti devono sapere cosa è diventato” Tante lettere arrivarono Che tutti i vicini guardarono Quel figlio era un vanto E scendeva giù un gioioso pianto Poi tutto si arrestò E nessuna notizia più arrivò Arrivò dopo tanta penitenza Quel figlio stava tornando dopo una lunga sofferenza Quello stesso treno a casa lo riportò Lei sorridente tra la folla lo aspettò Poi il sorriso si tramutò in pianto Nel vedere quel suo figlio privo d’incanto Il suo viso giovane e accattivante Si era trasformato in una maschera dolorante La sua mano che un tempo accarezzava fu mozzata E la sua voce era del tutto trasformata “eccomi mamma sono tornato da te Sei ancora orgogliosa di me? Ho combattuto una guerra che non capivo Mentre tu a casa attendevi il mio glorioso arrivo” “ho caricato il fucile contro il mio nemico L’ho ucciso con la stessa sofferenza di quando perdi un amico E vedendo il suo volto con la smorfia del dolore Non ho visto altro che me stesso in quell’orrore” In quella stazione vuota e desolata Lasciò sua madre lacrimante e disperata Poi si fermò e con dolore verso di lei si voltò E le tanto amate medaglie davanti a lei le buttò. |