Le Nuvole

Fabrizio De André's song "Le Nuvole" ("The Clouds") is a poetic exploration of the transient nature of life, using clouds as a central metaphor. The lyrics describe the clouds' constant movement, their changing shapes, and their varying appearances, which can be both ominous and beautiful. This imagery serves as a reflection on the unpredictable and fleeting moments in life, emphasizing how circumstances can shift from dark and foreboding to light and whimsical in an instant.

The song begins by describing clouds that come and go, sometimes stopping to appear as dark as crows, casting a malevolent gaze. This can be interpreted as life's challenges and hardships that seem to linger and cast a shadow over our existence. The mention of children seeing shapes in the clouds highlights the innocence and imagination of youth, suggesting that perspective can alter how we perceive the same phenomena. While adults might see ominous signs, children find joy and creativity in the same clouds.

As the song progresses, De André notes that clouds can also signal their arrival with noise, causing the earth to tremble and animals to fall silent. This can be seen as a metaphor for the anticipation and anxiety that precede significant life events. The clouds' ability to obscure the sun and stars for days on end symbolizes periods of confusion and disorientation, where one might feel lost and disconnected from their surroundings. Ultimately, the song concludes with the idea that for every real cloud, there are a thousand fake ones, leaving us with a longing for rain—a metaphor for clarity, renewal, and the cleansing of life's uncertainties.

"Le Nuvole" is a profound meditation on the impermanence and unpredictability of life, encouraging listeners to embrace the ever-changing nature of their experiences and find beauty in the ephemeral.