Guapparia - Swagger

Scetateve, guagliune 'e malavita Ca è 'ntussecosa assaje 'sta serenata! Io songo 'o 'nnammurato 'e Margarita Ch'è 'a femmena cchiù bella d' 'a 'Nfrascata Ll'aggio purtato 'o capo cuncertino Pe' 'o sfizio 'e mme sentì 'e cantà Mm'aggio bevuto 'nu bicchiere 'e vino Pecché stanotte 'a voglio 'ntussecà Scetateve, guagliune 'e malavita! È accumparuta 'a luna a ll'intrasatto Pe' lle dà 'o sfizio 'e mme vedè distrutto Pe' chello che 'sta femmena mm'ha fatto Vurria ch' 'a luna se vestesse 'e lutto Quanno se ne venette â parta mia Ero 'o cchiù guappo 'e dint'â Sanità Mo', ch'aggio perzo tutt' 'a guapparia Cacciatemmenne 'a dint' 'a suggità! Scetateve, guagliune 'e malavita! Sunate, giuvinò, vuttate 'e mmane! Nun v'abbelite, ca stò buono 'e voce! I' mme fido 'e cantà fino a dimane E metto 'ncroce a chi mm'ha miso 'ncroce Pecché nun va cchiù a tiempo 'o mandulino? Pecché 'a chitarra nun se fa sentì? Ma comme? Chiagne tutt' 'o cuncertino Addò ch'avess' 'a chiagnere sul'i' Chiagnono 'sti guagliune 'e malavita 1914 - Rodolfo Falvo (music), Libero Bovio (lyrics) According to an interesting Wikipedia article, the Guappo "subculture stereotypically consisted of a type of boisterous, flashy, swaggering, free-spirited, and violent yet dandy-like criminal, pimp, outlaw, and ruffian that nonetheless followed a somewhat chivalrous code of honor."

Arouse, gang boys who are quite plastered tonight! I’m Margarita’s boyfriend, she’s the prettiest girl on Shady Lane. I brought her the orchestra conductor for the pleasure of hearing me sing. I drank a glass of wine because tonight I wanna get her drunk. Arouse, gang boys! And all of a sudden the moon appears to give her the pleasure of seeing me destroyed, for what this girl did to me, I’d like the moon to dress in mourning. When she got together with me, I was the boldest in Sanità. Now that I’ve lost all my swagger, chase me out of the society! Arouse, gang boys! Play, young lads, get on with it! Don’t be disheartened, because I have a good voice. I can manage to sing until tomorrow and put on the cross whoever put me on the cross. Why does the mandolin no longer go in time? Why is the guitar not heard? But how come? The entire orchestra cries, while only I should cry. These gang boys are crying. English translation © 2023 Dennis Criteser oggi o dimane ("today or tomorrow"), published in 2001, is the first of a trilogy of albums Massimo Ranieri singing traditional Neapolitan songs, produced by 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. Ranieri and Pagani later produced a 6-CD box set Canzone napoletana piccola enciclopedia, published in 2015. Ranieri's live performances of these songs are a pleasure to see, showing off his dancing and theatrical skills.