I say i' sto ccà - I Say I Am Here

I say i' sto ccà Me 'mbriaco e c'aggia fa' Me gira 'a capa ma voglio parla' I say i' sto ccà 'a tristezza se ne va 'o vino scenne ma poi finirà Mi muoverò Toccando quello che non ho Sorriderò Piangendo forse un po' Ma faccio da me I' me 'mbriaco pe nun ve vedè' Ma so che sbaglierò Me sento 'a guerra il resto non lo so I say i' sto ccà E'a paura se ne va E si m'addormo 'nterra nun me scetà' I say i' sto ccà' Ogni tanto s'adda fa' E tutto sto burdello ca ce sta Mi muoverò Toccando quello che non ho Sorriderò Piangendo forse un po' Ma faccio da me I' me 'mbriaco pe nun ve vedè' Ma so che sbaglierò Me sento 'a guerra il resto non lo so I say i' sto ccà © 1980 Pino Daniele

I say I am here, I’m getting drunk and what should I do? My head is spinning but I want to talk. I say I am here, the sadness is going away. The wine goes down but then it will end, I’m gonna move. Touching what I don’t have, I will smile, maybe crying a little, but I’ll do it myself. I’m getting drunk to not see, but I know I’ll be wrong. I feel great, never mind the rest. I say I am here, and the fear is going away. And if I fall asleep on the ground, don’t wake me up. I say I am here, every once in a while it must be done. And all this chaos that there is, I’m gonna move. Touching what I don’t have, I will smile, maybe crying a little, but I’ll do it myself I’m getting drunk to not see, but I know I’ll be wrong. I feel great, never mind the rest. 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.