[ [If you missed Lithobag #1, with the preface to this blog series, you can find it here. And if you don’t know Participatory Lithology: https://www.pibinko.org/participatorylithology/]

The next song was proposed in parallel by Elena from Casotto Pescatori (GR) and Carlo Simeoni from Rome. This is a total song, an icon from the soul/R’n’B planet, and many of you must have heard at least a little bit of it at least once. As yesterday’s Lithobag, it has a very long intro, but it is kind of smoother. As a presentation, I am picking one that I wrote for this song over seven years ago. I like re-reading it, and I hope you will like it too. As a coupled PELP sample, we have item A038 from Forestano’s collection, which could actually roll if you find the right slope.

originale del 27/9/12 – prima della vendemmia

…it’s not the same, but if this track was not inspired by “Papa was a Rolling Stone”, I will eat my hat, as Tex Willer used to say to Kit Carson.

Directly from Savona, defined by my friend Andrea the Italian city with the worst-dressed women (but he never said the worst women), here come Bobby Soul and Alessio Caorsi…..take it away!

It was the third of September | Era il tre di settembre
That day I’ll always remember, | quel giorno me lo ricorderò per sempre
Yes, I will | eh sì
‘Cause that was the day that my daddy died | perché fu il giorno che il mi’ babbo morì
I never got a chance to see him | non ho mai avuto modo di vederlo
Never heard nothin’ but bad things about him | e di lui ho sempre sentito dire ogni male
Mama, I’m depending on you | mamma, dipendo da te
To tell me the truth | per farmi dire la verità
Mama just hung her head and said, “Son,.. | la mamma abbassò la testa e disse: “Figliolo…

[Chorus:]
Papa was a rolling stone. | il babbo era una mina vagante
Wherever he laid his hat was his home. | dovunque appoggiasse il cappello, era casa sua
And when he died, all he left us was alone. | e quando è morto, ci ha lasciati tutti soli
Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
And when he died, all he left us was alone.”

Hey, mama! | Ehi mamma
Is it true what they say that papa never worked a day in his life? | ma è vero che babbo non ha mai lavorato nemmeno un giorno in tutta la vita?
And, mama, some bad talk goin’ round town sayin’ that papa had three outside children and another wife, | e, mamma, si sentono brutte voci in città, dicono che babbo aveva tre figlioli in giro, e un’altra moglie
And that ain’t right | e questo non va bene
Heard them talking papa doing some store front preachin’ | ho sentito che dicevano che babbo stata a predicare davanti ai negozi
Talked about saving souls and all the time leechin’ | parlava della salvezza delle anime, e si approfittava della benevolenza degli altri
Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord | era pieno di debiti e rubava nel nome del Signore
Mama just hung her head and said,

[Chorus]
“Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
And when he died, all he left us was alone.
Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
And when he died, all he left us was alone.”

Hey, mama, | Ehi mamma
I heard papa called himself a “Jack Of All Trades” | ho sentito che babbo si faceva chiamare un “tuttologo”
Tell me is that what sent papa to an early grave?| dimmi, è questo che ha fatto arrivare il babbo a una tomba prematura?
Folks say papa would beg, borrow, steal | la gente dice che babbo faceva l’elemosina, prendeva prestiti e rubava
To pay his bills | per pagare le bollette
Hey, mama, | ehi mamma
Folks say papa never was much on thinking| la gente dice che babbo non è stato mai un gran pensatore
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking | passava la maggior parte del tempo a rincorrere gonnelle e a bere
Mama, I’m depending on you
To tell me the truth
Mama looked up with a tear in her eye and said, “Son,.. | mamma guardo in su con una lacrima nell’occhio e disse..”Figlio…

[Chorus]
Papa was a rolling stone (well, well…)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone.”

[Chorus]
I said, “Papa was a rolling stone (yes, he was, my son)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
My daddy was (papa was a rolling stone), yes, he was
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone.”