Tuesday, October 5, 2021

'A nova gelosia - The New Blinds

Fenesta co' 'sta nova gelosia
tutta lucente de centrella d’oro
tu m’annasconne Nennerella bella mia
lassamela vedè sinnò me moro

Fenesta co' 'sta nova gelosia
tutta lucente de centrella d’oro

Fenesta co' 'sta nova gelosia
tutta lucente de centrella d’oro
tu m’annasconne Nennerella bella mia
lassamela vedè sinnò me moro
lassamela vedè sinnò me moro



"'A nova gelosia" is a Neapolitan song from the 18th century by an unknown author. The second vocalist on this track is the Senegalese griot Badara Seck, who appears on several other songs with Ranieri.

Window with these new blinds,
all radiant with tacks of gold -
you hide from me my beautiful Nennarella.
Let me see her; if not, I will die.

Window with these new blinds,
all radiant with tacks of gold -

Window with these new blinds,
all radiant with tacks of gold -
you hide from me my beautiful Nennarella.
Let me see her; if not, I will die.
Let me see her; if not, I will die.

English translation © 2014 Dennis Criteser


Canzone napoletana piccola enciclopedia ("Neapolitan Song Tiny Encyclopedia") was published in 2015, collecting into six CDs 80 tracks of traditional Neapolitan songs that Massimo Ranieri recorded in collaboration with producer Mauro Pagani. The arrangements are fresh with a contemporary appeal and Ranieri's voice is, as always, passionate and full of life. Pagani is a multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of the influential progressive rock band PFM, and is also well-known for producing Creuza de mä, Fabrizio De André's 1983 world fusion masterpiece. The Neapolitan Song tradition dates back centuries, but the classic period began in the 1830s.