Il Sognatore

Peppino di Capri's song "Il Sognatore" delves into the life of a dreamer who uses his imagination to escape the harsh realities of life. The protagonist becomes a dreamer to feel less lonely and to forget the passage of time. He sells dreams for a living and sings songs he doesn't know, highlighting a life lived in the realm of fantasy rather than reality. The act of closing his eyes to photograph the world and see the depth of the sea in negative suggests a desire to perceive life differently, to find beauty and meaning in places others might overlook. The wrinkle on his face symbolizes a past pain, a permanent mark of his experiences, yet he remains a dreamer.

The song also touches on themes of lost love and fleeting freedom. The dreamer has lost himself among the stars and cheap loves, reaching the depths of freedom. People call him crazy or lucky because dreamers don't face disappointments. The mention of a significant other, possibly the first and only hypothesis of life, indicates a deep, unresolved relationship. The dreamer respects the rules of the game reluctantly, indicating a struggle between his dreams and the harshness of reality. Despite this, he continues to dream, leaving behind a poetic essence as he moves on.

In the final verses, the dreamer reflects on his destiny, or lack thereof. He acknowledges that he has no predetermined path and, like all dreamers, can step aside while the world continues to reject him. He imagines a future where dreamers are remembered as creatures of the past who thrived on emotions. Whether in a thousand years or two hours, he remains steadfast in his identity as a dreamer. The song concludes with a sense of departure, leaving behind poetry and questioning the importance of life, as he heads to a place where the sky meets the sea, embracing his solitude as a dreamer.