Nomadi

Franco Battiato's song 'Nomadi' delves into the timeless quest for peace and tranquility amidst the chaos and monotony of life. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of nomads and wanderers who traverse various landscapes, from the foggy northern regions to the bustling centers of civilization, in search of a serene corner. This journey is not just physical but also metaphorical, representing the human desire to find inner peace and meaning in a world filled with dualities and contradictions.

The song's imagery of 'chiari scuri' (light and dark) and the 'monotonia dei giorni che passano' (monotony of passing days) highlights the contrast between the mundane and the profound. Battiato speaks to the 'camminatore' (walker) who seeks peace at twilight, suggesting that this peace can only be found at the end of one's journey. This journey is marked by the 'transito dell'apparente dualità' (transit of apparent duality), where the rain of September awakens the emptiness of the room and the laments of solitude prolong. The sense of being a stranger, feeling no emotional ties, underscores the existential theme of isolation and the search for belonging.

The song also touches on the idea of leaving the cities and waiting for an awakening, a metaphor for escaping the superficiality of urban life to find deeper truths. The 'viandanti' (wayfarers) seek hospitality in sunlit villages and the vastness of the lowlands, finding rest on the pillows of the earth. The 'forestiero' (foreigner) searching for the unfathomable dimension will find it outside the city, at the end of the road. This suggests that true understanding and peace lie beyond the confines of conventional society, in the unexplored and the unknown.