Un Fiume Amaro

Iva Zanicchi's song 'Un Fiume Amaro' delves deep into the emotional turmoil of a love that brings more pain than joy. The title itself, which translates to 'A Bitter River,' sets the tone for the song's exploration of sorrow and heartache. The lyrics describe a profound sense of inner suffering, likened to a river of bitterness flowing within the singer. This metaphor of a river represents the continuous and overwhelming nature of her emotional pain, which is further intensified by the wounds inflicted by a lover's kiss.

The imagery of a long beach and an endless wave underscores the enduring nature of her anguish. The singer's tears fall upon her sin and pain, suggesting a sense of guilt or regret intertwined with her suffering. This adds a layer of complexity to the emotional landscape, indicating that the source of her pain is not just external but also internal. The repetition of the word 'long' emphasizes the seemingly unending duration of her torment, making it clear that this is not a fleeting moment of sadness but a prolonged state of despair.

The final stanza introduces the idea of isolation and the unknown. The singer laments that her lover does not understand the coldness and darkness she feels, symbolized by a night without the moon. This lack of understanding and empathy from her lover exacerbates her loneliness and despair. The uncertainty of when her pain will strike again adds to the sense of helplessness and vulnerability. Through these poignant lyrics, Zanicchi captures the essence of a love that is as painful as it is passionate, leaving the listener with a haunting sense of the singer's emotional struggle.