La zolfara - The Sulphur Mine

Otto sono i minatori Ammazzati a Gessolungo Ora piangono, i signori E gli portano dei fiori Hanno fatto in paradiso Un corteo lungo lungo Da quel trono dove assiso Gesù Cristo gli ha sorriso Sparala prima la mina Mezz'ora si guadagna Me n'infischio se rischio Che di sangue poi si bagna! Tu prepara la bara Minatore di zolfara Hanno fatto un gran corteo Con i quattro evangelisti: Tutti quanti li hanno visti Con San Marco e San Matteo Con San Luca e San Giovanni E i compagni che da prima Lavorando nella mina Sono morti in questi anni Sparala prima la mina Mezz'ora si guadagna Me n'infischio se rischio Che di sangue poi si bagna! Tu prepara la bara Minatore di zolfara Dopo la dimostrazione Gesù cristo li ha chiamati Zolfara Trebonella, tre morti Zolfara Tominelli, 23 feriti Zolfara Trabia-Tallarita Otto morti, dieci feriti Zolfara Gessolungo Otto morti, 64 feriti Gesù cristo li ha chiamati Con la sua benedizione Li ha raccolti fra i beati Poi levando poco poco La sua mano giustiziera Con un fulmine di fuoco Ha distrutto la miniera La zolfara © 1958 Michele Straniero, Franco Amodei By the late 1800s, Sicily was responsible for mining 75% of the world's sulphur. The mines were environmental disasters and hugely unsafe, with a typical lifespan of 30 years for sulphur miners. "La zolfara" was Cantacronache's revenge. The song was also included on Ornella Vanoni's debut album in 1961.

Eight were the miners murdered at Gessolungo. Now they’re crying, the masters, and they bring them some flowers. They made in heaven a long, long procession to that throne where, seated, Jesus Christ smiled upon them. Shoot first the mine, a half-hour is earned. I don’t care if I risk getting wet from blood! You, prepare the coffin, sulphur miner. They made a grand procession with the four evangelists: everyone saw them with St. Mark and St. Matthew, with St. Luke and St. John, and the companions that from earlier, working in the mine, died in these years. Shoot first the mine, a half-hour is saved. I don’t care if I risk getting wet from blood! You, prepare the coffin, sulphur miner. After the demonstration, Jesus Christ called them. Trebonella Sulphur Mine, three dead. Tominelli Sulphur Mine, 23 injured. Trabia-Tallarita Sulphur Mine, eight dead, ten injured. Gessolungo Sulphur Mine, eight dead, 64 injured. Jesus Christ called them. With his benediction he gathered them among the blessed, then raising little by little his hand, avenger, with a fiery thunderbolt he destroyed the mine. English translation © 2021 Dennis Criteser "Cantacronache 1" was the second 4-song Cantacronache EP released on the Italia Canta label in 1958. All the songs were sung by Pietro Buttarelli, three were composed by Sergio Liberovici and one by Michele Straniero, with lyrics written by various writers.