'A tazza 'e cafè - A Cup of Coffee

Vurría sapé pecché si mme vedite Facite sempe 'a faccia amariggiata... Ma vuje, quanto cchiù brutta ve facite Cchiù bella, a ll'uocchie mieje, v'appresentate... I' mo nun saccio si ve n'accurgite! Ma cu sti mode, oje Bríggeta Tazza 'e café parite: Sotto tenite 'o zzuccaro E 'ncoppa, amara site... Ma i' tanto ch'aggi''a vutá E tanto ch'aggi''a girá... Ca 'o ddoce 'e sott''a tazza Fin'a 'mmocca mm'ha da arrivá!... Cchiù tiempo passa e cchiù v'arrefreddate 'mméce 'e ve riscaldá..."Caffè squisito!..." 'o bbello è ca, si pure ve gelate Site 'a delizia d''o ccafé granito... Facenno cuncurrenza â limunata... Ma cu sti mode, oje Bríggeta Tazza 'e café parite: Sotto tenite 'o zzuccaro E 'ncoppa, amara site... Ma i' tanto ch'aggi''a vutá E tanto ch'aggi''a girá... Ca 'o ddoce 'e sott''a tazza Fin'a 'mmocca mm'ha da arrivá!... Vuje site 'a mamma d''e rrepassatore?... E i', bellezza mia, figlio 'e cartaro!... Si vuje ve divertite a cagná core I' faccio 'e ccarte pe' senza denare... Bella pareglia fóssemo a fá 'ammore! Ma cu sti mode, oje Bríggeta Tazza 'e café parite: Sotto tenite 'o zzuccaro E 'ncoppa, amara site... Ma i' tanto ch'aggi''a vutá E tanto ch'aggi''a girá... Ca 'o ddoce 'e sott''a tazza Fin'a 'mmocca mm'ha da arrivá!... Lyric by Giuseppe Capaldo, music by Vittorio Fassone, 1918 Lyricist Giuseppe Capaldo was a former waiter who worked at Caffè Portoricco in the center of Naples. Many young men, Capaldo included, were charmed by the cafe's cashier, Bridget, moody and testy though she could be. Coffee, an essential ritual of life in Naples, plays a central role in a number of Neapolitan songs.

I’d like to know why when you see me, you always have an embittered face . . . But you, however much uglier you show yourself, the prettier to my eyes you appear . . . Now I don’t know if you realize! But with these ways, oh Bridget, you seem like a cup of coffee: at the bottom you have the sugar, and above, you’re bitter . . . But so much that I must pour, and so much that I must stir . . . so that the sweet at the bottom of the cup in my mouth it must arrive! The more time passes, the more you cool down, instead of heating up . . . “Exquisite coffee!” What’s great is that even if you freeze, you’re the treat of a coffee slush . . . in competition with the limonata . . . But with these ways, oh Bridget, you seem like a cup of coffee: at the bottom you have the sugar, and above, you’re bitter . . . But so much that I must pour, and so much that I must stir . . . so that the sweet at the bottom of the cup in my mouth it must arrive! Are you the mama of the jokers . . .? And me, my beautiful, son of a card player! If you’re having fun changing heart, I’ll foresee the future for the impoverished . . . Beautiful couple we will be making love! But with these ways, oh Bridget, you seem like a cup of coffee: at the bottom you have the sugar, and above, you’re bitter . . . But so much that I must pour, and so much that I must stir . . . so that the sweet at the bottom of the cup in my mouth it must arrive! English translation © 2023 Dennis Criteser The tradition of Neapolitan songs has its roots in the 13th century, and came into full bloom in the period from 1830-1950, when an annual song competition would honor the best song each year. Between 1963 and 1965, Roberto Murolo released a 12-album anthology of Neapolitan songs ranging from 1200 through the early 1960s. Volume 7 includes songs from 1916 to 1925.