Amerigo

"Amerigo" è l'ouverture dell'album, una riflessione sulle imprese del navigatore Amerigo Vespucci, che ha dato il nome all'America. Ho immaginato che Vespucci arrivasse nel Nuovo Mondo con grandi aspettative di poter convertire i nativi, solo per trovarsi completamente trasformato dalla purezza della terra e della gente.

Patti Smith dal libretto dell'album

We were going to see the world
In this land
We placed Baptismal fonts
And an infinite number were baptized
And they called us "Carabi"
Which means "Men of Great Wisdom"
Where are you going,
And are you going anywhere?
Where are you going
Send me a letter, if you go at all
Ahh, the salvation of souls,
But wisdom we had not
For these people had neither King nor Lord
And bowed to no one
And they had lived in their own liberty
Where are you going,
And are you going anywhere?
Going in circles
Going in circles, anywhere
I saw the new
The inconstant shifting of fortune
And now I write to you
Words that have not been written
Words from the New World
Tracing the circles
Moving across my eyes
Lying on a ship
And gazing at the western skies
Tracing lazy circles in the sky
Hey! Wake Up! Wake Up!
Where are you going,
And are you going anywhere?
Where are you going
Send me a letter, if you go at all
It's such a delight
To watch them dance
Be it sacrifice or romance
Free of all the things that we hold dear
Is that clear, Your Excellency?
And I guess it's time to go but
I gotta send you just a few more lines
From the New World
Tracing the circles
Moving across my eyes
Lying on a ship
And gazing at the western skies
Tracing lazy circles in the sky
Tracing lazy circles in the sky
Tracing lazy circles
And the sky opened
And we laid down our armor
And we danced
Naked as they
Baptized in the rain
Of the New World