Sicilian Songs

A la vallelunghisa
(A tune of Vallelunga Pratameno)

Sicilian folk song

Giuseppe Di Stefano
(1921 - 2008)
sings

Vallelunga Pratameno is a town of the Province of Caltanissetta in Sicily.

The song tells about sufferings of love like in the Greek myth about Orpheus who goes to the underworld.

Jivi a lu 'nfernu e mai cci avissi jutu
E la Menadi unn'è la viria.

Idda mi rissi: – Cani scilliratu!
Chisti sù peni chi patu pi tia.

E iu ci rissi: – Nun m'avissi amatu,
Ci nn'è raru, ne cchiù megghiu di tia.

I went to the underworld and never went away
And where is the Maenad* I saw her.

She told me: – Odious dog!
This is the pain that I suffer because of you.

And I told her: – You had never loved me,
There are a few other ones, better than you.

* According to the greek myth the Maenads killed Orpheus.

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