MILKY WAY

“Mine is the night, with all her stars.” - Edward Young

For Song Saturday, a song by Italian Singer/Songwriter Franco Battiato. A little reminiscent of a space opera, the lyrics suggest a science fiction scenario where interstellar travel has just become possible and humanity is beginning to colonise deep space. Although upbeat and hopeful, this song has a mixture of curious unease and a little melancholy as well. One is also intrigued with the poor captain of the third verse who will be exiled for unknown reasons…



Milky Way

We awoke even before dawn broke,
Ready to board an artificial satellite,
That would take us quickly
To the gates of Sirius
Where an experimental group
Was preparing itself for a long voyage.

We, from the neighbourhood of the Little Bear,
Are preparing to conquer interstellar space;
And we dress in light grey,
So as not to get lost.
We follow certain diagonal routes
In the Milky Way…

A captain of the central agency
Educated to exhaustion
Will quickly come to be exiled…
I prepared myself for the long voyage.
In which one may lose oneself.
We follow certain diagonal routes
In the Milky Way…