Gondolier

The singer addresses a gondolier and remembers a romantic moment shared with someone else. His song once seemed to belong to the couple, and their love felt destined to last. The mood then shifts from warm nostalgia to hurt and jealousy: the beloved may now be with another person, so the singer asks the gondolier not to sing their old song.

The gondolier’s song, called a “barcarole,” acts like a reminder of the couple’s past. Saying “it was written for life” suggests that their love once seemed certain and permanent, though this may be how the singer felt at the time rather than an objective truth. The Italian lines express love and devotion; alongside the French words, they make the remembered promise feel intimate and lyrical.

The final request, “don’t sing,” may mean that hearing the melody would make the singer relive a painful memory. It could also be a way of asking the gondolier not to connect the old song with the former lover’s new relationship. The lyrics do not explain why the couple separated or whether the singer hopes to reunite. What is clear is that the song has changed meaning: once a symbol of shared happiness, it now carries the ache of loss.