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Texts of the Neapolitan songs

Quanta rrose!


Museca: Gaetano Lama,

Vierze: Libero Bovio.

Anno: 1935

How many roses!


Music: Gaetano Lama,

Lyrics: Libero Bovio.

Year: 1935


Ma quanta e quanta rrose aggio purtato
A chist'ammore ca me costa 'a vita!
Quanta penziere d'oro aggio sciupato
E quanta, quanta llacreme chiagnute!
Che suonno ch'è stato 'st'ammore!
Ma 'e suonne d'ammore che sò?

Sò rrose ca se sfronnano,
Penziere ca se perdono.
Sò llettere, sò llacreme
Ca io porto a te.
Sò palummelle e volano,
Chi sà, chi sà pecché.

Ma chi pò dì 'st'ammore comm'è nato
E chi nce pò spiegà pecché è fernuto?
Tu te sì fatta meza, io stò malato
E nce dicimmo "addio" ll'urdema vota.
Speranze cantate e perdute…
Ccanzone, speranze, che sò?

Sò rrose ca se sfronnano,
Penziere ca se perdono.
Sò llettere, sò llacreme
Ca io porto a te.
Sò palummelle e volano,
Chi sà pecché.

translated by Natalia Chernega


But how many, how many roses I've brought
To my love that costs me the life!
How many golden dreams I've spent
And now many, how many shed tears!
What a dream our love was!
But a dream of love, what is it?

It's roses that are falling away,
Thoughts that are disappearing.
It's letters, it's tears
That I send to you.
It's butterflies that are flying away,
Who knows, who knows why.

But who can tell how has begun our love
And who can explain why it's over?
You have become lean, I am ill
We say each other "goodbye" for the last time.
Gone and lost hopes…
Songs, hopes, what is it?

It's roses that are falling away,
Thoughts that are disappearing.
It's letters, it's tears
That I send to you.
It's butterflies that are flying away,
Who knows why.

translated by Natalia Chernega