“I’ve Gotta Get a Message To You”

“I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You” is a 1968 song by the Bee Gees. Released as a single it became UK No. 1, before being ousted by the Beatles’ Hey Jude.
The song is about a condemned man who is awaiting his execution
Robin Gibb, who wrote the lyrics together with his brothers Barry and Maurice, explained “This is about a prisoner on Death Row who only has a few hours to live. He wants the prison chaplain to pass on a final message to his wife. There’s a certain urgency about it.”
In the same interview he added “It was like acting, you see, we said, let’s pretend that somebody, his life is on the line, somebody’s going to the chair. What would be going through their mind? Let’s not make it doom and gloom but sort of an appeal to the person he loves. Because right now that’s all he cares about. Regardless of whether he’s done a bad thing, he is a human being, and he’s sending out this last message. There’s someone out there whom he loves.”

The preacher talked to me and he smiled
Said, “Come and walk with me
Come and walk one more mile
Now for once in your life you’re alone
But you ain’t got a dime
There’s no time for the phone”

I’ve just got to get a message to you
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on

I told him I’m in no hurry
But if I broke her heart
Then won’t you tell her I’m sorry
And for once in my life I’m alone
And I’ve got to let her know just in time before I go

I’ve just go to get a message to you
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on

Well I laughed but that didn’t hurt
And it’s only her love that keeps me wearing this dirt
Now I’m crying but deep down inside
Well I did it to him
Now it’s my turn to die

I’ve just got to get a message to you
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on
I’ve just got to get a message to her
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through, hold on

The meaning is sad, but the song is agreeably upbeat.
This convict would like to make a last phone call to his wife or girlfriend, but the prison chaplain tells him it is not possible. Therefore he begs the priest to pass a final message on to her .
The man declares that her love is the only thing keeping him alive, and refers to his body as something negative: dirt.
When he says “Well I did it to him, now it’s my turn to die” we realize that the reason he is about to be executed is for murdering a man, his wife’s lover.

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“Il cappellano mi ha parlato e ha sorriso
Ha detto “Vieni a camminare un po’ con me
Vieni, proseguiamo per un altro miglio
per una volta nella vita ora sei solo
non hai un centesimo
e non c’è tempo per trovare un telefono “

Ho solo questo messaggio per te:
resisti, resisti
Ancora un’ora e la mia vita sarà finita
Resisti, resisti

Gli ho detto che non avevo fretta
ma se le avevo spezzato il cuore
allora doveva dirle che mi dispiace
Per una volta nella vita ora sono solo
e devo farglielo sapere in tempo prima di andarmene

Ho solo questo messaggio per te
resisti, resisti
Ancora un’ora e la mia vita sarà finita
Resisti, resisti

Beh, ho riso ma questo non ha fatto del male
ed è solo il suo amore che mi fa mi fa sopportare la sporcizia che porto addosso
Ora sto piangendo ma dentro di me, nel profondo,
so che io l’ho fatto a lui
e ora tocca a me morire

Ho solo questo messaggio per lei:
resisti, resisti
Ancora un’ora e la mia vita sarà finita
Resisti, resisti
Ho solo questo messaggio per lei:
resisti, resisti
Ancora un’ora e la mia vita sarà finita”