Sometimes life can be depressing.
Sometimes life can be distressing.
Sometimes life can be an upsetting lot of hard struggle and you feel helpless, lost and lonely.
We need an escape from the pain and heartache.
We need something that provides solace, hope and uplifting brightness.
We need a remedy thatll make us smile again.
Actually, they make us feel awesome and able to overcome all the villains and trials in our way.
Play one and itll do magic, believe it or not (erm, bibidi-bobidi-boo!).
They are the simple bare necessities that help you forget about your worries and your strife.
They are the motivational Hi Ho!
calls when youre a bit pitiful and have work to push on with.
What if you found yourself watching a Disney flick but the familiar lyrics were unexpectedly unfamiliar and alienating?
How would you feel about such a topsy turvy state of affairs, and could you cope?
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To provide some context and explanation, I have recently experienced this myself.
Earlier this year I jaunted off to Italy to teach English to school children and visit some friends.
This would turn out to be very important.
(In Zulu, that means Here comes a lion, father.
Oh yes, its a lion.)
Of course, this being an Italian dub the voice was different and the words werent the same.
I cried, and that means Its completely different!
The lyrics that Tim Rice wrote to accompany Elton Johns music were altered, quite significantly.
In my mind and soul, the Circle of Life image is a highly spiritual and holistic one.
and the witty wordplay was, likewise, lost to oblivion.
I didnt make it to the end ofThe Lion Kingbecause I was tired and opted for an early night.
Peace wouldnt come though, for the next evening the extended family came around and we all had pizza.
(Thats the nice part.
you might stop reading now and pretend that everyone ate pizza and lived happily ever if you want.
Instead of Let it go!
I heard Io lo so!
which means I know!
In the magical and sacred realm of the Disney musicals, this thought is even more disconcerting.
(Im using amateur uploads to YouTube and Google Translate for assistance.)
Truly, its a poetic and profound masterpiece.
In the Italian dub, its abysmal.
Im utterly appalled and am now using the despoiled magic carpet to dry my tears.
Go the Distance is one of Disneys great anthems/motivational mantras for all aspiring athletes and deities.
No Twelve Labours for you, son!
Thats a bit of a bad translation but otherwiseCe la posso fare(I can do it!)
Both are resolutely dull and diminish all the inherent epic-ness of the original.
while simultaneously adopting a cold attitude and shunning the world around her (thats bad!
Over to the Italian take, and Serena Autieris version sounds wonderful because Italian is a beautiful language.
Whereas the English lyrics relate to Elsas backstory and play with snow-related imagery the Italian dub is vaguer.
I feel, once again, that the meaningful magic is lost in translation a little.
Still, the fact that it doesnt have a chorus refrain phrase (Let It Gooooooo!)
is interesting, Elsa singing a different word that ends in o each time.
What the Cruella De Vil happened here?
