Circle that opens circle that closes
lyrics  by Vinicio Capossela

Sausages, livers, guts on the grill
The torchlight dances
flames swinging on the back of the flaming church

Wine, market stands
Arid red earth
Earth of the south, earth of the south
Earth of the border
Earth of the end of the earth

And the continent doesn’t care
But not the wind
Mustafà comes from Africa
And blows the wind from Africa
And says to us, to hold me still

I have the dance of San Vito and there is no end
I have the dance of San Vito and there is no end

The misery of this night
Has blown away with the wind
Has blown away with the rum
Has blown away from where it was trapped
old and young nipped
By the tarantula, by the tarantula
By the tarantula

Circle that closes, circle that opens
Circle that tightens, circle that pushes
Circle that embraces then chases you away
Into the voodoo circle I hurl myself
And there I see life in that moment

Chase away chase away satan
Chase away the devil who infects you
Chase  away the evil inside you or it will never end

And the two of us dance the dance of the sword
Til the red sunset rips open
No one awaits me,
No one awaits me or suspects me
The surgeon has his eyes rolled back in his head
The priest doesn’t care
St Paul will not forgive

I have the dance of San Vito* and there is no end
I have the dance of San Vito and there is no end

This is the illness I’ve carried, I’ve borne for thirty years
Still I can’t remain in any one place
Roll roll roll the rock
Roll in place, roll downwards
The rolling stone gathers no moss
The rolling stone gathers no moss

Chase away chase away  satan
Chase away the devil who infects you
The knuckles are torn
The tremors begin, the tremors
Of the tarantula of the tarantula
Of the tarantula

* The dance of St. Vito is traditionally performed during popular fairs in Salento