Travelling first class costs a thousand lire
second class costs a hundred, third class is pain and fear
and the stench of sweat from the hatch
and the smell of stagnant water1.
Captain, sir, listen to me
I have my 1000 lire ready
I want to travel first class
on this splendid sea.
There's my daughter who's fifteen
and bought a hat in Paris
it would be very nice
if you invited us to dine with you tonight.
And with the orchestra playing in the background
those novel American rhythms
we'll say goodbye to Great Britain
with glasses in our hands
and with ice in our glasses
we'll give a clinking toast
to this truly world-class journey
to this giant moon.
But who said that travelling third class,
travelling third class is uncomfortable?
This berth looks like a queen-size bed
it's more comfortable than a hospital bed.
People have always called us hillbillies
but here we are treated like gentlemen
when it rains we can stay under cover
and when the weather's good we get out
on this sea, as black as oil,
to gaze at this metal moon
and when sirens go off
it almost sounds like a cockcrow,
it almost feels like the ice in our hearts
slowly, can melt
with the smoke of this steamer
in this holiday on the high seas.
And the propeller spins and spins and spins and spins
it spins and spins, come rain or snow,
for us, third-class boys
going to America to avoid dying.
The radio operator on his turret
- his long celestial fingers in the air -
was transmitting greetings and hopes
for this extraordinary cruise
and was receiving best wishes
in almost every language of the world
he was connecting Vienna with Chicago
in slightly less than a second.
And the first class girl
who was in love with her hat
when she saw him dancing at night
she immediately found him very handsome,
perhaps because of his steely gaze
that was so difficult to avoid,
she thought: "Maybe, with a bit of courage
before the arrival I'll make him kiss me."
And how beautiful is life tonight
between the urge of love and a father's rants
for us, first-class girls
going to America to get married,
for us, first-class girls
going to America to get married.
1. lit: the smell of a dead sea