Life in Midfield

There was a time when I was well into the melancholic rock of Luciano Ligabue. Not so much into him any more but, inspired by the posting on the excellent Any Major Dude With Half a Heart, and seeing that (thankfully) the tradition of having an official song hasn't yet reached Italy I've decided to do a post about his Una Vita Da Mediano (roughly translated Life as a Defensive Midfielder / Midfield Workhorse) song on the eve of Euro 2008.

The song is about all those who do the dirty work that doesn't get noticed but which is vital for others to shine. I like it partly because I feel like one myself and partly as my favourite players have always been that type.

Ligabue is, of course, one of the many famous Inter fans (although in his case the passion is genuine) and even puts in a mention to Gigi Oriali, the mediano in the Grande Inter side of the sixties and seventies. Un Vita Da Mediano was also the title of Ligabue's autobiography.

I'm sure that I can't do the song much credit but here's my attempt at translating the lyrics.

winning balls
born without good feet
working on your lungs
a life in midfield
with a fixed role
and to cover a certain area
and giving your all
always there
in the middle
as long as you've got you stay there
a life in midfield
one of those who don't score much
who the ball
must give to those
who can conclude
life in midfield
seeing that nature
didn't give you
neither the speed nor the finish
of the number ten what a pity
there
always there
in the middle
as long as you've got you stay there
stay there
always there
in the middle
as long as you've got
as long as you've got
stay there
life in midfield
as one who
gets burnt out quickly
because when you've given a lot
you've got to make way
workin like Oriali
years of work and hits
and maybe win the World Cup
there
always there
in the middle
there
always there
in the middle
as long as you've got you stay there
stay there
always there
in the middle
as long as you've got
as long as you've got
stay there

And here's the original text
recuperar palloni
nato senza i piedi buoni
lavorare sui polmoni
una vita da mediano
con dei compiti precisi
a coprire certe zone
a giocare generosi
sempre li'
li' nel mezzo
finche' ce n'hai stai li'
una vita da mediano
da chi segna sempre poco
che il pallone
devi darlo a chi
finalizza il gioco
una vita da mediano
che natura
non ti ha dato
ne' lo spunto della punta
ne' del dieci che peccato
li'
sempre li'
li' nel mezzo
finche' ce n'hai stai li'
stai li'
sempre li'
li' nel mezzo
finche' ce n'hai
finche' ce n'hai
stai li'
una vita da mediano
da uno che
si brucia presto
perche' quando hai dato troppo
devi andare e fare posto
una vita da mediano
lavorando come Oriali
anni di fatiche e botte
e vinci casomai i mondiali
li'
sempre li'
li' nel mezzo
finche' ce n'hai stai li'
stai li'
sempre li'
li' nel mezzo
finche' ce n'hai
finche' ce n'hai
stai li'

And, finally, here's the song itself:

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