He’s finished 2019 on a career high. And while others might need to slow things down, Mahmood doesn’t stop. And now, the Italian Eurovision star has dropped “Rapide” — the first cut from his upcoming sophomore record.
Mahmood – “Rapide”
“Rapide” sets a different tone compared to Mahmood’s previous singles “Barrio” and “Soldi“.
The track sees the reigning Sanremo champ touches upon different relationship aspects. He gets even with a past love. Lyrics like “I won’t fall into your rapids” or “now that I have nothing I’ll defend myself from the trust I didn’t and don’t have” underline his state of mind.
Mahmood also brings the subject of cheating and heartbreak across in his delicate vocal delivery. With the support of simple yet effective production, the chorus is where his voice stands out the most.
Several Italian expletives are interwoven throughout the lyrics, illustrating his frustrations.
“Rapide” is produced by Dardust and written by Mahmood himself, Dario Faini (as Dardust) and Francesco Catitti.
Mahmood has been working on his second studio album in the months since Eurovision 2019 last May. With his next European concert tour kicking off in April, the record could be dropping before that date.
While he’s not back at Sanremo this year, Mahmood isn’t completely out of the loop.
Rather than competing on his own, he’s written Elodie’s entry “Andromeda”.
Recently, Mahmood also co-penned songs for Eurovision alumni Francesca Michielin and Marco Mengoni.
What do you think of Mahmood’s new single? How does “Rapide” compare to his previous releases? Let us know in the comments below.
“Rapide” lyrics — Mahmood
Italian text
Puoi stare ore a chiedermi
di non andare fuori dal Love
o forse era un altro locale
sono un po’ strano
ti amo solo quando veniamo
Quindi perché mi sputtani in giro
dimmi cazzo ne sai di me
ora vado a divertirmi
è una cosa comune dormire con altre persone
Forse non ci sarò
il venerdì a Loreto se chiami non risponderò
mi ami dimmi di no
tra dire e fare ti prego non dire no
ora che non ho niente mi difenderò
dalla fiducia che non avevo e non ho
Dimmi cosa c’è
le vedo scendere
sono rapide
chiuse nell’iride
che scalerò
scalerò scalerai scalerò
come non lo so
dimmi te perché
mi hai fatto scendere
da una mercedes
prenderò un treno per che ne so
questa notte mi perdonerò
nelle tue rapide non cadrò
Cosa farai se alle spalle lascerai Milano
chi prenderà la stanza bianca al primo piano
non ci pensare, i ricordi peggio dell’Ade
Ripenso a quei pomeriggi al lago
fumando e cantando piano
mi chiedo se ritornerai
nonostante i miei mille guai
mi chiedo se ritornerai, ah
con il solito paio di Nike
Dimmi cosa c’è
le vedo scendere
sono rapide
chiuse nell’iride
che scalerò
scalerò scalerai scalerò
come non lo so
dimmi te perché
mi hai fatto scendere
da una mercedes
prenderò un treno per che ne so
questa notte mi perdonerò
nelle tue rapide non cadrò
Se ti chiedo di venire al mio compleanno mi dici che
sul mio ultimo messaggio c’hai messo sopra una lapide
quanti viaggi che ci mancavano
biglietti comprati all’ultimo
lasciati sopra a quel tavolo
ora credimi se non ho più la paura di dirti
che ho la macchina parcheggiata sotto casa non so di chi
non era niente lo giuro
ma come si può chiamare futuro
Dimmi cosa c’è
le vedo scendere
sono rapide
chiuse nell’iride
che scalerò
scalerò scalerai scalerò
come non lo so
dimmi te perché
mi hai fatto scendere
da una mercedes
prenderò un treno per che ne so
questa notte mi perdonerò
nelle tue rapide non cadrò
nelle tue rapide non cadrò
English translation
You can spend hours ask me now not to go
Outside the ‘Love’
Or maybe it was another bar
I’m a little weird
I only love you when we come
So why you go
Around talking shit about me?
Tell me what the fuck you know about me
I’m going to go have fun now
Maybe I won’t be there
Friday at ‘Loreto’
If you call I won’t pick up
Do you love me?
Please tell me you don’t
Cheating makes one laugh
Please don’t say “no”
Now that I don’t have a thing
I will defend myself
From the trust that
I didn’t have and I don’t have
Tell what’s up
I see them falling
They’re fast
Locked in the iris
That I will climb, I will climb
You will climb, I will climb
How, I don’t know
Tell me why
You made me get off a Mercedes
Take a train for where/what, I don’t know
Tonight I will forgive myself
I won’t fall into your rapids
What will you do
If you’ll leave Milan behind your back?
Who will take
The white room on the first floor?
Don’t you think about it
The memory is worst than the Hades
(Worst than the Hades)
I think back, to those afternoons at the lake
Smoking and singing softly
I ask myself if you’ll come back
Even despite my thousands troubles
I ask myself if you will come back, ah
With the same old pair of Nikes
Tell what’s up
I see them falling
They’re fast
Locked in the iris
That I will climb, I will climb
You will climb, I will climb
How, I don’t know
Tell me why
You made me get off a Mercedes
Take a train for where/what, I don’t know
Tonight I will forgive myself
I won’t fall into your rapids
If I ask you to come to my birthday you tell me that
You put a tombstone on my last text
How many travels that we still had to do
Tickets bought at the last moment
Left over that table
Now, believe me if I don’t have any fear left to tell you
That my car is parked outside somebody’s house
I don’t know who
It didn’t mean anything, I swear
But how can one call it future
Tell what’s up
I see them falling
They’re fast
Locked in the iris
That I will climb, I will climb
You will climb, I will climb
How, I don’t know
Tell me why
You made me get off a Mercedes
Take a train for where/what, I don’t know
Tonight I will forgive myself
I won’t fall into your rapids
I won’t fall into your rapids
A beautiful song nice beat and tone, the lyrics are very poetic and personal. he is a great talent different from other Italian singers. I look forward to his concert in Amsterdam, and already saw him in Amsterdam performing Soldi in the big Eurovision feast
Quindi perché mi sputtani in giro
dimmi cazzo ne sai di me
ora vado a divertirmi
è una cosa comune dormire con altre persone
Absolutely not well translated
Rapide means rapids, waterfalls…
He is the one who ‘betrayed’!
No, he isn’t
This song is PURELY AMAZING !!! Can’t wait for his new album <3
I agree!
This guy is pure gold. He writes good music and has a voice that’s not just instantly recognizable, but also fit songs with very different moods like a glove.
Nice! Mahmood.
Have you seen thart today Netta released no.2 intimate studio visit 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxHa_9g_-Ww
This is pure Mahmood ballad style!
In Italian Rapide means fast as adjective, but also overfall as noun.
In the chorus he sings that “overfall” are locked in the iris, it’s a metaphor for tears.
Italians in here, cazzo is not more d**k than s**t? Or at least I think there are different words for both.
So, I’m having a new album of Francesco and of Mahmood probably in weeks from each other…that’s awesome. I hope Ermal decides to join the party.
S*it has been translated for Sputtani word, and I think it’s ok 🙂
Ermal has been on a 2 years long break, he’s already stated that his next album will only come out at the end of 2020.
To answer your question, cazzo does indeed mean d**k but it’s commonly used as a swear word as the english f**k. The s**t in the translation is for the verb “sputtanare” which does mean “to talk s**t”.
Mahmood ‘s sound is emotional and damn, his voice! He’s amazing.
Mahmood did it again and served us another masterpiece, with Rapide.
With this autobiographic song, he opens his heart to all us and tells about his lovestory, that recently ended because he was betrayed by the person he was in love.
So emotional, personal and true, Mahmood, we love your heart and your art.
Damn, what an amazing piece of art this is. This man is incredibly talented.
I cried the first time I listened to this gem. And still cry. He would have won Sanremo again with this masterpiece. He is capable to write and sing amazing bops and heartbreaking ballads. His sound is so innovative and personal. What a talent.
king did it AGAIN
It sounds great! Quite pleasant to listen to. The lyrics are whole story!
Mahmood’s new single made me cry so much at first listen.
By far and away my favourite artist coming out of Eurovision 2019!
He is incredibly talented! And he has such pleasant voice combined with the popular Italian accent. He’ll go very far!