A me me piace 'o blues - Me, I Like the Blues

A me me piace ‘o blues e tutt’e juorne aggio canta’ pecché so’ stato zitto e mo è ‘o mumento ‘e me sfuca’ sono volgare e so che nella vita suonerò pe’ chi tene ‘e complessi e nun ne vo’. A me me piace ‘o zucchero ca scenne dinto ‘o cafè e cu’ ‘na presa d’annice ma chi è meglio ‘e me tengo ‘a cazzimma e faccio tutto quello che mi va pecché so blues e nun voglio cagna’. Ma po’ nce resta ‘o mare e ‘a pacienza ‘e suppurta’ ‘a gente ca cammina miezo ‘a via pe’ sbraita’ i’ vengo appriesso a te pecché so nato cca’ sai che so’ niro, niro ma nun te pozzo lassa’. A me mi piace chi da ‘nfaccia senza ‘e se ferma’ chi è tuosto ma po’ s’arape pecché sape c’adda da’ aiza ‘o vraccio ‘e cchiù pe’ nun te fa ‘mbruglia’ e dalle ‘nfaccia senza te ferma’. A me me piace ‘o blues e tutt’e juorne aggio canta’ pecché m’abbruscia ‘o fronte ‘e ‘na manera aggio sfuca’ sono volgare e so che nella vita suonerò so blues astregne i diente e sono mo. Ma po’ nce resta ‘o mare e ‘a pacienza ‘e suppurta’ ‘a gente ca cammina miezo ‘a via pe’ sbraita’ i’ vengo appriesso a te pecché so nato cca’ sai che so’ niro, niro ma nun te pozzo lassa’. E sono mo, sono mo, sono mo… A me me piace 'o blues © 1980 Pino Daniele "A me me piace 'o blues" includes the Neapolitan word cazzimma, which is a kind of fuck-you attitude to all.

Me, I like the blues, and every day I have to sing because I was quiet and now is the moment to let it out. I’m vulgar and I know that in this life I will play for whoever has the bands and doesn’t want them. Me, I like sugar that descends in coffee, and with a pinch of anise, but who is better than I am? I have the cazzimma and I do everything I feel like because I am the blues and don’t want to change. But then we have the sea, and the patience to put up with the people who walk in the streets to shout. I come after you because I was born here. You know that I’m black, black, but I can’t leave you. Me, I like whoever attacks without stopping, whoever is hard and then opens up because they know of having to give. Raise your arms up even more to not get fooled and attack them without stopping. Me, I like the blues and every day I have to sing because my forehead is burning and in some way I have to let it out. I am vulgar and know that in life I will play. I am the blues, I grit my teeth and now I play. But then we have the sea, and the patience to put up with the people who walk in the streets to shout. I come after you because I was born here. You know that I’m black, black, but I can’t leave you. And I’m playing now, I’m playing now, I’m playing now. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser Nero a metà (Half Black) was released in 1980. Daniele said the title was tied to a musical concept but was also inspired by a book, Nero di Puglia, that tells the story of a man of color born in Southern Italy, not unlike Daniele's friend and musical cohort, saxophonist James Senese. The album was dedicated to singer Mario Musella, who had recently passed, another "son of the war," his father being an American soldier of Native American heritage. The album was quite successful and helped establish Daniele's multicultural sound as a unique and beloved part of the Italian musical landscape.