«Rimmel» by Francesco De Gregori: Meaning & Lyrics

A love that is coming to an end—told not through grand lamentations, but through the imagery of a deck of cards and the last trace of smudged mascara. «Rimmel» by Francesco De Gregori is one of the most tender and, at the same time, most perceptive farewell songs in Italian music. In 1975, the song finally made the Roman cantautore a star. Here you’ll learn how the song came to be, what it’s about, and why it’s still considered a milestone today.

The Story Behind «Rimmel»

In the mid-1970s, Francesco De Gregori was in his early twenties and still an insider’s tip on the Roman folk scene centered around the legendary Folkstudio. That changed overnight with «Rimmel»: The album of the same name was released in early 1975 on RCA; De Gregori produced it together with his friend Lucio Dalla—and it became the best-selling Italian album of the year. With that, the title track «Rimmel» broke out of the inner circle of connoisseurs and became a song for everyone.

The song’s origins are a little anecdote in themselves: According to legend, De Gregori wrote the verses in a dressing room at the RAI television station while waiting to go on stage. He didn’t finish the chorus until about half a year later in a hotel room in Milan. From these fragments emerged a song that is still considered one of the masterpieces of Italian cantautorato.

The title, too, was chosen with care. «Rimmel» refers to mascara—and De Gregori has hinted several times that the album is about exposing „trucchi“: a word that in Italian means both „makeup“ and „tricks.“ So even the title plays on the double meaning of a beautiful exterior and what lies beneath it.

What is «Rimmel» about?

At its core, «Rimmel» tells the story of the end of a love affair—of a woman who has moved on and a man who stays behind to take stock. What makes it special is the tone: no self-pity, no grand accusations, but rather an almost sober, wide-awake melancholy. De Gregori doesn’t describe a scene; instead, he strings together images that stand on their own and yet all speak of the same loss.

Two motifs drive the song. There’s the card game, which turns love into a contest where someone bluffs and tricks; and there’s the mascara, which remains as a trace of the past—both a pretty facade and an illusion. It is from this tension between tenderness and disillusionment that the unique maturity emerges for which «Rimmel» is still loved today.

«Rimmel»: Lyrics & Meaning

The text was written by Francesco De Gregori and is protected by copyright. For this reason, we will not reproduce it line by line, but will instead explain the key images and their meanings.

The Beginning (What Remains). The song begins with one of his most famous ideas: something remains between the light and the dark sides—a metaphor for memory, which is made up of both beautiful and painful moments. De Gregori himself later described the verse as somewhat convoluted, yet it is precisely its mysterious candor that has made it immortal.

The card game (the four aces). Perhaps the most powerful passage turns love into a game at the card table. The image of four aces „of a single suit“ suggests that the hand was rigged from the start—that the other person is bluffing and wins with a steady hand, while the narrator realizes the rules too late. Here, love appears as a game in which people deceive one another without batting an eye.

The Rimmel (mascara). The “Rimmel” in the title represents what remains of beauty once the illusion has faded: a trace of makeup, pretty to look at but still only skin-deep. The song draws all its bittersweet power from this detail.

The striking spot (the photo at the end). At the end, the woman asks him to return an old photo to her—as if that were all that remains of their time together. This cool, unsentimental ending is typical of De Gregori: He forgoes any grand finale and lets the emptiness speak for itself.

All of this is underpinned by simple, elegantly understated music—acoustic guitar, subtle arrangements, and plenty of space for the lyrics. It is precisely this simplicity that makes «Rimmel» so compelling.

«Rimmel» Live: Francesco De Gregori

As much of a studio classic as it is, «Rimmel» also truly comes alive on stage. This live recording of «Rimmel» by Francesco De Gregori shows just how enduring the song has remained over the decades: The familiar, slightly raspy voice brings the imagery even closer, and the audience has long since been singing along to the famous lines. It’s a beautiful testament to why this song has lost none of its power in half a century.

Listen: Spotify · Apple Music

What Makes «Rimmel» Special

• A Breakthrough – With the album *Rimmel*, De Gregori became known to a wide audience in 1975; the record was the bestseller of the year and established him as one of the leading voices of the Italian cantautorato movement.
• An album full of classics – In addition to the title track, the album features other favorites by the Italian band, including «Buonanotte fiorellino» and «Pablo.».
• A Title That's a Wordplay – „rimmel“ refers to mascara, but there’s an underlying implication of exposing „trucchi“—that is, both makeup and tricks. The song’s title alone speaks to appearances and what lies beneath them.
• Told Again and Again – De Gregori himself re-recorded «Rimmel» in 2016 for his album «Vivavoce,» including a highly acclaimed version featuring Checco Zalone. The song’s 50th anniversary was celebrated with special concerts and tributes.

This makes «Rimmel» far more than just a 1975 hit—it’s a song that captures the end of a love affair in a few unforgettable images, all while sounding as light as a plucked guitar string. If you’re in the mood for more great tunes from the country, check out our profile of «Caruso» by Lucio Dalla – the friend with whom De Gregori produced «Rimmel» – or browse through our posts about Italian music.