Arriva il direttore [English translation]

‹Now I’ll take attendance: Savona?› «Here.»

‹Chiusano?› «Here.»

‹Giacobetti?› «May I go for a minute to…»

‹No, not now. During the break. Come on!› «Ooh!»

When we were little kids,

our nice teacher,

with the strictest discipline,

used to set us straight;

she had us toe the line

by yelling ‹Pay attention!› «’sir!»

‹Now you’ll march singing this song›.

‹One-two, one-two, mark time!›

Let’s put, let’s put our hands together:

here comes the director.

Let’s put, let’s put our hands together

for the worthy man.

Let’s throw tulips

and posies.

Let’s sing in chorus

«Hooray! Hooray!»,

and let’s give

a golden cup to the director.

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

Trrr «Hello?»

And finally, at twenty,

we said «It’s over!

Now life will bring us

days of happiness.» «Here you are!»

But soon we all

had to realize

that to go on

we have to be always singing.

«The… the director! The director!»

Let’s put, let’s put our hands together:

here comes the director.

Let’s put, let’s put our hands together

for the worthy man.

Let’s throw tulips

and posies.

Let’s sing in chorus

«Hooray! Hooray!»,

and let’s give

a golden cup to the director.

But when we complain,

we are not sincere:

maybe we secretly dream

of the role of director;

in the end, we would all like

to be acclaimed by the world,

and we would all like to hear

the song sung in chorus.

To the referee, we say1

«Here comes the director!»

And to the traffic warden

«Here comes the director!»

To professor Smith, we say

«Here comes the director!»

Tomorrow, any one of you

might be singing

«Let’s put, let’s put our hands together:

here comes… here comes… here comes the director!»

1. arbitro = referee; umpire; arbitrator.