Rundinella - Swallow

Tutte ll'amice mieje sanno ca tuorne, ca sî partuta e no ca mm'hê lassato. So' già tre ghiuorne. Nisciuno 'nfin'a mo s'è 'mmagginato ca tu, crisciuta 'ncopp'ô core mio, mm'hê ditto addio. Vulanno pe cittá nove e stramane, tu no, nun può sapè che te ne vene ogge o dimane. E si nun truove maje chi te vo' bene quanto te ne vogl'io ll'amice 'o ssanno che faje vulanno? E torna rundinella, torna a 'stu nido mo ch'è primmavera. I' lasso 'a porta aperta quanno è 'a sera speranno 'e te truvà vicino a me. Torna. Ll'amice mieje sanno ca tuorne. Tutte se so' 'nfurmate e a tutte dico: "Dint'a 'sti juorne". Uno sultanto, era 'o cchiù buono amico, nun ll'aggio visto e nun c'è cchiù venuto, fosse partuto? E torna rundinella, torna a 'stu nido mo ch'è primmavera. I' lasso 'a porta aperta quanno è 'a sera speranno 'e te truvà vicino a me. 1918 - Gaetano Spagnolo (music), Rocco Galdieri (lyrics) As in "'E spingule francese," producer Mauro Pagani brings in the Senegalese griot Badara Seck to add vocal verses that can only be attempts to soothe the broken heart of the singer. If only we could know the African lyrics!

All my friends know you’re coming back, that you went off and not that you left me. I know it’s already three days. No one up until now imagined that you, raised on my heart, said goodbye to me. Flying around new and distant cities, you, no, you can’t know what comes to you today or tomorrow. And if you never find one who loves you as much as I love you, my friends know it, what are you doing flying? And come back, swallow, come back to this nest now that it’s spring. I leave the door open at night hoping to find you near to me. Come back. My friends know you’re coming back. All are informed and I tell them all: “Within a few days.” One only, he was my best friend, I haven’t seen him and he doesn’t come anymore, maybe he went off? And come back, swallow, come back to this nest now that it’s spring. I leave the door open at night hoping to find you near to me. 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 music 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.