It sounds lovely when Bocelli sings it with oodles of Italian authenticity – but how does the song translate when it’s performed in English?β€˜Time to Say Goodbye’ was originally released as a single forΒ Andrea BocelliΒ in 1995, under the title β€˜Con te partirò’ (literally β€˜I’ll leave with you’).

A year later, soprano Sarah Brightman was added to the mix for a performance marking boxer Henry Maske’s final match. The duet version was recorded with an English title – and sure enough, it was a commercial success.The slight catch is that when you translate the phrase β€˜Con te partirò’ as β€˜Time to Say Goodbye’, the song sort of stops making any sense.Here’s the chorus in English:β€œTime to say goodbye / to countries I never / saw and shared with you / now, yes, I shall experience them / I’ll go with you / go on ships across seas / which, I know, / no, no, don’t exist anymore / It’s time to say goodbye.”