SERIA FANTÀSTIC (IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC)

Music and lyrics by Joan Manuel Serrat
Translation by Coby Lubliner

Seria fantàstic que anés equivocat i que el wàter no fos ocupat. Que fes un bon dia i que ens fes bon pes. Que sant Pere, pagant, no cantés. Seria fantàstic que res no fos urgent. No passar mai de llarg i servir per quelcom. Anar per la vida sense compliments anomenant les coses pel seu nom. Cobrar en espècies i sentir-se ben tractat i pixar-se de riure i fer volar coloms. Seria tot un detall, tot un símptoma d’urbanitat, que no perdessin sempre els mateixos i que heretessin els desheretats. Seria fantàstic que guanyés el millor i que la força no fos la raó. Que s’instal-lés al barri el paradís terrenal. Que la ciència fos neutral. Seria fantàstic no passar per l’embut. Que tot fos com és manat i ningú no manés. Que arribés el dia del sentit comú. Trobar-se com a casa a tot arreu. Poder badar sense córrer perill. Seria fantàstic que tots fóssim fills de Déu. Seria tot un detall i tot un gest, per la teva part, que coincidíssim, et deixessis convèncer i fossis tal com jo t’he imaginat.

It would be fantastic If I’d been simply wrong And if the toilet’s been free all along. If the day were nice and Things were rightly weighed. If the piper would not play, though paid. It would be fantastic If life were not so tense. If we were of some use and never just passed by. If we went through life and not paid compliments But called things by their name, or at least tried, And charged in kind and felt that we were treated well, And laughed until we peed and let our fancies fly. It would be such a nice thing, Such a symptom of a world that cares, If the same ones weren’t always the losers And if the disenherited got theirs. It would be fantastic If the best one would win And “might makes right” weren’t the only way in. If heaven on earth would come to Be right in the neighborhood. If science worked for the common good. It would be fantastic If wealth were not at play. If all were as it should be and no one marked the pace. If the time of common sense were here to stay. If we felt right at home in every place. If we could get distracted with no risk. Fantastic if God’s children were the whole human race. It would be such a nice thing And such a gesture showing you’re kind, If we connected, and you let me convince you And you were just as you’ve been in my mind.

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