Mirrina

Ah, ccà! Mirrina reggiti a lu ventu E fatti lu violu cantu cantu A nomu di lu Santu Sacramentu Lu Patri, Figliu, e lu Spiritu Santu Lu Patri, Figliu, e lu Spiritu Santu Taglia la spiga 'ncentu voti 'ncentu E mentri ca tu giri iu cacciu e cantu Ah ccà! Mirrina, ca 'nta 'stu furmentu Lu suli d'oru cci jittau lu mantu Lu suli d'oru cci jittau lu mantu Ora ca l’aria fu vutata para Prestu ca po' v'asciuca la sudura Curremu ca lu suli ca nn'affara Di quannu agghiorna 'nsinu a quannu scura Di quannu agghiorna 'nsinu a quannu scura Amuri tu lu sai, 'sta vita è amara E sai comu la siti nni turtura Si scontri a Nina cu la so quartara Dicci ca Turi so mori d’arsura Amuri tu lu sai 'sta vita è amara E sai comu la siti nni turtura Si scontri a Nina cu la so quartara Dicci ca Turi so mori d’arsura Traditional

Ah, here! Mirrina, hold on in the wind and beat the threshing ground round and round in the name of Saint Sacramento, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Cut the ear a hundred times, a hundred, and while you circle, I’ll urge you and sing. Ah, here! Mirrina who in this grain the golden sun has thrown its mantle, the golden sun has thrown its mantle. Now that the grain is turned over, let’s do it fast to dry our sweat off, let’s hurry up that the sun burns us from daytime until darkness, from daytime until darkness. Love, you know it, this life is bitter and you know how thirst tortures us. If you meet Nina with her water jug, tell her that her Turi is dying of thirst. Love, you know it, this life is bitter and you know how thirst tortures us. If you meet Nina with her water jug, tell her that her Turi is dying of thirst. English translation © 2023 Dennis Criteser Amore, tu lo sai, l'amore è amara (My Love, You Know, Love Is Bitter) was Balistreri's second album, released in 1972. The album was the first in a series on the Cetra label that presented traditional folkloric songs from various regions in Italy.