Canadian Whiskers

...No non è un errore di scrittura: si parla proprio di gatti, anzi di un gatto in particolare. Un gatto che, come viene a ricordarci il suo nome, buddy - che di volta in volta potrebbe essere tradotto come amico, fratello, compagno - sta dalla nostra stessa parte della strada. E su quella strada cammina portandosi dietro una valigia, da poter aprire sotto un cielo stellato ogni volta che decida di fermarsi in qualche posto, magari la piccola città di minatori narrata in questa canzone, che provo a trascrivere qui con una dedica particolare a Franco.

STRIKE (Ry Cooder)
I got off the train one evening
in a little miners' town
I started walkin' up the main street
when the sun was goin' down
when I heard the boys were singin'
so I went to see what for
might just be a birthday party
and it might be room for just one more.

But they were miners and their families
they have left the mine that day
walked out for safe conditions
on strike for decent pay
and they sang about their struggle
and their spirit never fail
"keep your hand upon the dollar
and your eye upon the scale".

"Union miners stand together
heed no operator's tale
keep your hand upon the dollar
and your eye upon the scale".

All at once police came running
they came running everywhere,
they broke up the miners' meeting
and carried everyone to jail
but the miners kept on singing
and they sang the all night long
as the sun goes up in the morning
I have learned that miners' song.

Well the judge he asked the police captain
"what's that red cat doin' here?"
"get all the reds off the street, sir
was your orders loud and clear".
Now they turned me on the jailhouse backdoor
but I wouldn't leave my miner friends
I jumped out to the jailhouse window
and I sang that miner song again.

"Union miners stand together
heed no opeator's tale
keep your hand upon the dollar
and your eye upon the scale".