Testi di Victor Jara - Arlo Guthrie

Victor Jara (originale)

Victor Jara of Chile
Lived like a shooting star
He fought for the people of Chile
With his songs and his guitar
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Victor Jara was a peasant
Who worked from a few years old
He sat upon his father’s plow
And watched the earth unfold
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Now when the neighbors had a wedding
Or one of their children died
His mother sang all night for them
With Victor by her side
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
He grew up to be a fighter
Against the people’s wrongs
He listened to their grief and joy
And turned them into songs
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
He sang about the copper miners
And those who worked the land
He sang about the factory workers
And they knew he was their man
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
He campaigned for Allende
Working night and day
He sang, «take hold of your brother’s hand
The future begins today»
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Then the generals seized Chile
They arrested Victor then
They caged him in a stadium
With five thousand frightened men
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Victor stood in the stadium
His voice was brave and strong
And he sang for his fellow prisoners
'Til the guards cut short his song
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
They broke the bones in both his hands
They beat him on the head
They tore him with electric shocks
And then they shot him dead
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Victor Jara of Chile
Lived like a shooting star
And he fought for the people of Chile
With his songs and his guitar
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

(traduzione)

Victor Jara del Cile
Vissuto come una stella cadente
Ha combattuto per il popolo del Cile
Con le sue canzoni e la sua chitarra
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Victor Jara era un contadino
Che ha lavorato da pochi anni
Si sedette sull'aratro di suo padre
E guardai la terra dispiegarsi
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Ora quando i vicini hanno avuto un matrimonio
Oppure uno dei loro figli è morto
Sua madre ha cantato tutta la notte per loro
Con Victor al suo fianco
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
È cresciuto per diventare un combattente
Contro i torti della gente
Ha ascoltato il loro dolore e la loro gioia
E li ha trasformati in canzoni
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Ha cantato dei minatori di rame
E quelli che lavoravano la terra
Cantava degli operai
E sapevano che era il loro uomo
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Ha campagnato per Allende
Lavoro notte e giorno
Cantava, «prendi la mano di tuo fratello
Il futuro inizia oggi»
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Poi i generali si impadronirono del Cile
Allora hanno arrestato Victor
Lo hanno messo in gabbia in uno stadio
Con cinquemila uomini spaventati
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Victor era nello stadio
La sua voce era coraggiosa e forte
E ha cantato per i suoi compagni di prigionia
Finché le guardie non hanno interrotto la sua canzone
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Gli hanno rotto le ossa in entrambe le mani
Lo hanno picchiato in testa
Lo hanno strappato con scosse elettriche
E poi gli hanno sparato a morte
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Victor Jara del Cile
Vissuto come una stella cadente
E ha combattuto per il popolo del Cile
Con le sue canzoni e la sua chitarra
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti
Le sue mani erano gentili, le sue mani erano forti