|
All'arba quanno spunta er sole d'oro Rivedo Roma bella da lontano Se sente cantà quarche rusignolo E nà campana sona piano piano Me sento n'armonia qui drento ar petto E tutt'allegro monto sur caretto. Roma fiorita e l'aria che tu manni è profumata Me sento qui ner petto nà ferita che m'aricorda Nina mia adorata E quanno er sole sur tramonto cala Senti quer venticello della sera Le stelle colla luna fanno a gara Pe risvejà er profumo de la tera Li sonarelli che c'hai sur caretto dicheno a Nannarè ecco Ninetto Fiore d'amore ce sò tre cose che je vojo bene Mi madre, Roma e tu nina der core, mi madre Roma e tu nina der cor Er carrattiere a vino - Romolo Balzani Romolo Balzani wrote many songs that became classics between 1926 and 1935, several of which won the San Giovanni Festival of Roman Song. |
At dawn when the golden sun breaks I look at beautiful Rome again from a distance. One hears some creeks singing and a bell chimes gently. I feel a harmony here inside my breast and all the world happy, on my cart. Flowery Rome and the air you send is perfumed. I feel here in my breast an injury that reminds me of Nina, my adored one. And when the sun falls at sunset you feel that little evening breeze, the stars with the moon compete to reveal the smell of the land. The tiny bells that you have on the cart say to Nannarè, behold, Ninetto. Love flower, there are three things that I love: my mother, Rome, and you Nina of my heart, my mother, Rome, and you, Nina of my heart. English translation © 2020 Dennis Criteser Gabriella Ferri was released in 1966, Ferri's first album as a solo artist. About half of the songs are classics from the canzone romana tradition, and the other half were written by Ferri. |
I began exploring Italian popular songs as part of learning Italian. Here are my translations for some of my favorite "canzoni" by Italian singers, songwriters, and bands whose work I admire. It's a work in progress that can serve as a curated introduction to Italian popular music, with an emphasis on the 1950s through the 1990s. If you speak Italian, send me a message if you see lyrics I've misunderstood.

