Zingara

What “Zingara” means

This song is about someone asking a fortune teller to reveal the future of a love they cannot control. The speaker is anxious, vulnerable, and deeply attached to a person who may not return their feelings, so the emotional tone mixes hope with fear and resignation. A key theme is fatalism: the speaker is prepared for loss if destiny says so, but still begs for reassurance. The repeated appeal to the fortune teller shows a need for comfort more than for real knowledge.

About Iva Zanicchi

Iva Zanicchi is an Italian pop singer from Emilia-Romagna, known for her strong voice and for singing in the classic Italian melodrama/pop style. She became one of Italy’s best-known performers by winning the Sanremo Music Festival three times, including with "Non pensare a me" in 1967 and "Zingara" in 1969, and she also represented Italy at Eurovision in 1969.

"Zingara" was released in 1969 and won the Sanremo Music Festival that year, performed as a duet version by Iva Zanicchi and Bobby Solo. The song is about asking a gypsy woman to tell the singer’s fate, and its opening line, "Prendi questa mano, zingara," became especially famous in Italy. It is an important Italian popular song because it marked a major Sanremo victory and later became one of Zanicchi’s signature songs.

• “Prendi questa mano”

  Literally, “Take this hand.” It is a common imperative form you might use when asking someone to hold or examine your hand, though here it is addressed to a fortune teller. In everyday speech, you could use the verb to invite someone to take your hand or inspect it.

• “Dimmi pure”

  This means “go ahead and tell me” or “tell me freely.” It is an everyday expression used when you want someone to speak without hesitation or censorship.

• “Non m'appartiene”

  This means “it no longer belongs to me” or “is not mine anymore.” It is a formal/literary-sounding way to say something is no longer under your control or part of your life.

• “Lo perderò”

  This means “I will lose him/her/it.” It is a straightforward future tense form used in everyday Italian when talking about losing a person, object, or opportunity.

• “Si scioglierà”

  This means “it will melt” or more generally “it will vanish/disappear.” The verb sciogliersi is everyday language, and it is also used figuratively when something falls apart or goes away.

• “Dammi la speranza”

  This means “give me hope.” It is an everyday phrase used when you want reassurance or encouragement in a difficult situation.

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