CANZONIERE GRECANICO SALENTINO

40 Quaranta
TIENIME TATA
(lyrics and music: M. Durante)

HOLD ME BACK DAD

tata nu basta chiui

quiddhu ca m'hai dittu
mpegnate suda e fatia
pueti avire tuttu

Dad its not enough anymore

What you told me
Do your best and work hard
You can have it all

tata nu cete chiui

spaziu pe li onesti
ruba, licca lu culu
ci uei bai a 'nanzi

Dad theres no more

space for honesty
steal, kiss arses
if you want to go far

ce addhu fare moi pe li sogni mei

What shall I do now with my dreams

e dimme tie ci sai

ci meju restu a quai
quandu me pija l'ansia de partire

tell me if you know

If its better to stay here
When I get the urge of leaving

tata me sentu lu
fuecu 'ntra lu piettu
ogghiu trou la strada mia
quistu lu momentu

Dad I feel the

fire inside my chest
I want to find my way
the time is now

tata lu ientu e poi

li tramonti lenti
pena ca nu more mai
terra d'emigranti

Dad the wind and then

the slow sunsets
Sorrow that never dies
Land of emigrants

ieu li sogni mei nu li lassu mai

I will never put my dreams aside

e dimme tie ci sai

ci meju restu a quai
quandu me pija l'ansia de partire x2

Tell me if you know

If its better to stay here
When I get the urge of leaving

e calau
lu sule calau
tienime tata
ca me nde sta bau

Set
The sun has set
hold me back Dad
Cause Im going away

RIROLLALLA
(traditional in griko /
arr.: M. Durante, G. Bianco, E. Licci, M. Morabito)

RIROLLALLA

rirollalla rirollalla
laralallero lallalla

rirollalla rirollalla
laralallero lallalla

oriamu pisulina mu ce galanta

ca panta pai cherumeni jelonta

My beautiful and gallant pisulina

Always making fun of me, laughing at me

rirollalla rirollalla
laralallero lallalla

rirollalla rirollalla
laralallero lallalla

emmiazzi to ngarofeddho sti kianta

puddhai tis primavera ipai petonta

Resembles a carnation flower

You keep flying away like in spring

Evo se kanon deka kronu panta

ce nde sozziamu mai se kanononta

For ten years Ive been watching you

rirollalla rirollalla
laralallero lallalla

rirollalla rirollalla
laralallero lallalla

SOLO ANDATA
(lyrics: Erri De Luca / music: D. Durante, M. Durante)

ONE WAY TICKET

Siamo gli innumerevoli, raddoppia ogni casella di scacchiera

lastrichiamo di corpi il vostro mare per camminarci sopra.

We, the uncountable doubling each checkerboard square

we pave your sea with bodies so many you could walk on it

Non potete contarci, se contati aumentiamo

figli dell'orizzonte che ci rovescia a sacco.

you cannot count us: if you try, we multiply,

we children of the horizon, washing us up, spilling us out.

Nessuna polizia pu farci prepotenza

pi di quanto gi siamo stati offesi.

No police can abuse us

more than what we've suffered already.

Faremo i servi, i figli che non fate,

le nostre vite saranno i vostri libri di avventura.

We'll serve as your servants the children you never had

our lives will be your adventure tales.

Portiamo Omero e Dante, il cieco e il pellegrino,

l'odore che perdeste, l'uguaglianza che avete sottomesso.

We carry Homer and Dante, the blind man and the pilgrim,
the smell that you've lost, the equality you've repressed.

Da qualunque distanza arriveremo, a milioni di passi

noi siamo i piedi e vi reggiamo il peso.

No matter the distance, millions of paces, we will come,

we are the feet and we carry your weight.

Spaliamo neve, pettiniamo prati,

battiamo tappeti, raccogliamo il pomodoro e l'insulto,

We shovel the snow, comb the lawns,

beat your rugs, collect your tomatoes and insults.

Noi siamo i piedi e conosciamo il suolo passo a passo.

noi siamo il rosso e il nero della terra,

We are the feet and we know every step of the ground,

we are the red and the black of the earth,

Un oltremare di sandali sfondati,

il polline e la polvere nel vento di stasera.

the overseas made of worn-out sandals,

that pollen and powder in the wind tonight.

Uno di noi, a nome di tutti, ha detto:

Non vi sbarazzerete di me.

One of us, in our name, has said:

"You cannot be rid of me.

Va bene, muoio,
ma in tre giorni resuscito e ritorno.

Yes, I'll die,

yet after three days I will rise again and return."

I LOVE ITALIA
(lyrics: verses by P. Faccini, chorus by M. Durante /
music: M. Durante)

I LOVE ITALIA

ma quant' bella Roma

out under the moon
ti fai la passeggiata
bellezza til you swoon
youre dreaming of Fellini
kissing at the fountain
just behind the scene
rubbish like a mountain

How beautiful is Rome

out under the moon
You go for a walk
Beauty til you swoon
youre dreaming of Fellini
kissing at the fountain
just behind the scene
rubbish like a mountain

SPAGHETTI PIZZA MANDOLINO

O MAMMA MIA I LOVE ITALIA

SPAGHETTI PIZZA MANDOLINO

O MAMMA MIA I LOVE ITALIA

Azzurro is the sky

Venere e Botticelli
pasta sempre al dente
filling up her belly
no money in my tasca
no jobs to go around
just like in novecento
the hungry leaving town

Blue is the sky

Venus and Botticelli
Pasta always al dente
filling up her belly
no money in my pocket
No jobs to go around
Just like in twentieth century
the hungry leaving town

SPAGHETTI PIZZA MANDOLINO

O MAMMA MIA I LOVE ITALIA

SPAGHETTI PIZZA MANDOLINO

O MAMMA MIA I LOVE ITALIA

Our country is all at sea

but we don't have a boat
the captain stole the ship
when he robbed the vote
Italy's a treasure
but all of us are broke
Monna Lisa's smiling
but we don't get the joke

Our country is all at sea

but we don't have a boat
the captain stole the ship
when he robbed the vote
Italy's a treasure
but all of us are broke
Monna Lisa's smiling
but we don't get the joke

turn to the east

turn to the west
turn to the one you love best
turn to the east
turn to the west
turn from the one you love less
run to the north
run to south
tanto la vita bella
we run until we dance
this tarantella

turn to the east

turn to the west
turn to the one you love best
turn to the east
turn to the west
turn from the one you love less
run to the north
run to south
Life is beautiful anyway
we run until we dance
this tarantella

SPAGHETTI PIZZA MANDOLINO

O MAMMA MIA I LOVE ITALIA

SPAGHETTI PIZZA MANDOLINO

O MAMMA MIA I LOVE ITALIA

NINNA NANNA
(traditional from Carpino (Fg) / arr.: M. Durante)

LULLABY

Oh ninn ninn ninna nann

stu figghj c v ddurm vo fa la nann

Oh Lullaby lullaby
This child wants to sleep, go to bye-byes

jann Madonn e janntlu pigghj

e purtl passiann a cust figghj

Come Madonna and take him with you

Take him for a walk this child

e sonn sonn, sonn ngannatr

tu vu ngann stu figghj bonfgghjol

Sleep sleep deceiving sleep

ou want to deceive this child, good child

e nenn ninn e nenn ninna bell

lu sonn nanz allocchj mo c n ven

And lullaby, lovely lullaby

The dream before your eyes now coming

e nenn ninn e nenn ninna nann

lu ben dlli figghj son li mamm

and lullaby lullaby

The good of the children are their mothers

e ninn ninn e quant t vogghj ben

s ben nun t vulss ij nun t cantss

and lullaby, how much I love you

If I did not love you, I wouldnt sing you

Oh ninn ninn ninna nann

stu figghj c v ddurm vo fa la nann

and lullaby lullaby

This child wants to sleep, go to bye-byes

TARANTA
(lyrics: M. Durante / music: L. Einaudi, M. Durante)

TARANTA

io tegnu nu tormentu intra lu piettu

ca me consuma e nu se ferma mai

I hold anguish in my chest

This is killing me and never stops

me tremula la terra sutta li peti

nu c mai fine pe lu miu cadire

The ground is trembling under my feet

Theres no stopping me falling

quiddhu ca mangiu nu tene sapore

pe mie nu c chiui luce ne culore

What I eat has no taste

for me there is no more light nor color

la gente sapia comu ti curare

ci lu tou male se chiama taranta

People knew how you had to cure yourself

If your ilness was called taranta

e osce ca li tempi hannu cangiati

ci ca po sentire lu miu dulore

And now that time have changed

Who can feel my pain

e ci me porta lacqua pe sanare

a ci chiedu la grazia pe guarire

Who brings me the water to cure

Who shall I ask to grant me recovery

nu sacciu ci taranta ca me tene

ma nu me lassa e me face mpaccire

I dont know if its taranta that got me

But it doesnt let me and makes me crazy

ci taranta nu me abbandunare
ci balli sulu nu te puei curare

If its taranta dont let me down

If you dance alone you cannot heal

ci e taranta lassala ballare

ci e malencunia cacciala fore

If its taranta let her dance

If its melancholy throw it out

MARA LACQUA
(traditional / arr.: Durante, G. Paglialunga, E. Licci, M. Mazzotta)

BITTER WATER

mara mara lacqua de la funtana mara mara

e ca se nu nera mara scia beva

Bitter the water of the fountain bitter

if it were not bitter Id drink it

mare doi le onde de lu mare lu mare doi

ca roba pe ndacquare tutti li toi

Sea two the waves of the sea two

enough to drown all your people

mara mara lacqua de la funtana mara mara

Bitter the water of the fountain bitter

NO TAP
(lyrics and music by D. Durante / arr.: M. Durante)

NO TAP

Vi racconto una storia

Una storia importante

Let me tell you a story

An important story

Di un tubo che passa grande, imponente cos esaltante

La gente si chiede un tubo si grande che cosa sara?
il tubo del gaz ah ah del mio gaz ah ah
una storia di gaz ah ah

Of a tube, large and impressive so exciting

People wonders what such a big tube is for?
This is the gaz tube ah ah, my gaz ah ah
This is a story about gaz ah ah

col mio tubo penetro

tutto il salento
me mangiu la costa me mangiu il salentu
per nu me basta
perch questa la porta la porta dingresso del mio gas ah ah
je souis la tap, Im the tap, jo soy la tap, ich bin das tap

With my tube I penetrate

the whole Salento
I take over the coast I take over the Salento
But its not enough
Because this is the door, the front door of my gaz
Je suis la tap, Im the tap, yo soy la tap, ich bin das tap

lu salentu e la puglia
li ho gi posseduti
mo voglio l'italia l'europa lu mundu
perche nun c' fundu ah ah
mo voglio l'italia l'europa lu mundu
perche nun c' fundu perch non c' fundu
per il mio gaz ah ah, mamma che gaz

The Salento and Puglia

Ive already had them
Now I want Italy, Europe, the world
Because there is no bottom
now I want Italy, Europe, the world
Because there is no bottom, because there is no bottom
for my gaz ah ah, whaooh what a gaz

NO TAP

NO TAP

Questa vera cultura

religione del gaz
E a tutti la impongo nessuno si oppone e sapete perch
Perch compro chi conta e su tutti venduti e devoti al mio gaz ah ah
la legge del gaz

This is true culture

Religion of the gaz
And I impose it, nobody objects and you know why
Because I bribe who matters, everybody bribed and devoted to my gaz
Gaz rules

Li senatori ah ah
Li deputati ah ah
li giornalisti li opinionisti mi sono devoti
io compro tv trasmissioni e riviste
non essere triste non essere triste cos la tap

Senators ah ah
deputies ah ah
Journalists, writers devoted
I buy TV shows and magazines
Dont be sad, dont be sad, thats the tap

comici attori ah ah
e soubrette alla moda ah ah
comici attori soubrette alla moda mi sono devoti
io compro concerti spettacoli e artisti
non essere triste non essere triste cos la tap

Comedians actors ah ah
And trendy soubrette ah ah
Comedians actors trendy soubrette devoted to me
I buy concerts, shows and artists
Dont be sad dont be sad, thats the tap

NO TAP

NO TAP

vi porto il lavoro
vi porto il futuro
vi porto il lavoro vi porto il futuro
un futuro sicuro
se tu ti pieghi se tu ti chini vedrai che sviluppo, lo sviluppo del mio gaz

Ill bring you jobs

Ill bring you the future
Ill bring you jobs the future
A secure future
If you bend, if you bow, youll see what a growth, the growth of my gaz

dibattete argomenti
stucchevoli e vecchi
di quello che fai di quello che dici
ieu me ne futtu
se tu non vuoi se tu protesti
ieu me ne futtu
perch su la tap

Debate topics
the sickly and elders
What you do and what you say
I dont give a shit
If you dont want if you protest
I dont give a shit
Because Im the tap

non chiedere aiuto

a santi o potenti
canuscu lu papa lu re tutti quanti
pe tie nun c' santi
non perdere tempo a dirmi di si
diventa devoto e subito attaccati attaccati al gaz
al mio gaz

Dont ask for help

to the saints or powerful men
I know the pope king everybody
No saints left for you
dont lose time to tell me its ok
Just become devoted and immeditately hold to to the gaz
to my gaz

ZICCATE
(lyrics: D. Durante /
music: M. Durante, Bianco, Licci, Morabito, Paglialunga)

HOLD ON

nonnuma
tuttu lu giurnu allu fore te sirsa
zappava chiantava cujiva e mangiava

My grand father
All day in the fields of his father
hoeing planting harvesting n eating

sirma
tuttu lu giurnu allu fore te sirsa
zappava chiantava cujiva e mangiava

My father
All day in the fields of his father
hoeing planting harvesting n eating

ieu
ieu invece allu fore te sirma
lu fotovoltaicu addhu chiantatu

me
But me in the fields of my father
I planted photovoltaics

nu zappu nu fatu e li sordi buscu

e se squagghiu la terra me nde futtu

I dont hoe, I dont work and I earn money

And if ruin the earth I dont care

ca poi la terra noscia nu be' pura

stae tutta china te spazzatura

And our earth is not pure

its full of garbage

e zun zun zu
nu se po' scire annanzi chiu
e se nu te dai da fare
le conseguenze le paghi tu

and zun zun zu

We cant go on like this
If you dont do anything
youll pay the consequences

stu sistema proprio perfettu

sia benedettu ci lha fattu

This system is just perfect

Bless who created it

limportante lu profittu
e de lu restu me nde futtu

The important thing is the profit

And the rest I dont give a shit

e zun zun zu
nu se po' scire annanzi chiu'
e se nu te dai da fare
le conseguenze le paghi tu

And zun zun zun

we cant go on like this
If you dont do anything
Youll pay the consequences

quiddhu ca li antichi n'ianu lassatu

senza vergogna lamu squagghiatu

What the ancients left us

Without any shame we ruined

mo ci tuttu quantu nvelenamu

li sordi tocca ni mangiamu

Now that we poison everything

The money we must eat

e zun zun zu
nu se po' scire annanzi chiu'
e se nu te dai da fare
le conseguenze le paghi tu

and zun zun zu

we cant go on like this
If you dont do anything
Youll pay the consequences

e ziccate ziccate ziccate ziccate ziccate ziccate qua

and hold on hold on hold on hold on here

PU E TO RODO TORIO
(lyrics.: traditional in griko / music: E. Licci)

WHERE IS THE BEAUTIFUL ROSE

pu e to rodo torio
to mirist tasteri
cin pu lustrons kanne
scimona kaloceri

Where is the beautiful rose

odorous the star
who used to bring light
winter and summer

pirte xasi to rodo-mmu

tasteri spittar
cevo ftexuddhi mina
mavro ce skotin

She left, my rose got lost

the shining star
And I was left miserable
sad and lonely

oti kan skotgnase

tipoti en ei pleo xari
arte pu e mmvri tixi-mu
tlise na me pari

everything went dark

Nothing nice anymore
now that my black fate
wanted to make me lose it

IESSI FORE
(lyrics: D. Durante, M. Durante / music: M. Durante)

COME OUT

simu venuti cu li soni e canti

nu ni nde sciamu ci prima nu senti

We came with sounds and songs

Were not going till you hear them

nu poi sperare pe la bona sorte

se chiuse teni sempre le toi porte

You cannot hope for good luck

when your doors are always closed

e nu poi stare sempre alla fenescia

perc la vita fore se menescia

you cant always look through the window

because life goes on outside

apri la porta e senti cu lu core

nu ni nde sciamu ci nu iessi fore

Open the door and feel with your heart

were not going if you dont come out

te passi lore culli cellulari

nu te isolare intra mondi virtuali

You spend hours on your mobile

Dont isolate yourself in virtual worlds

e le tastiere spicciala cu tocchi

perc la gente lhai uarda intra locchi

Stop typing on your keyboards

Cause people you must look in the eyes

apri la porta e senti cu lu core

nu ni nde sciamu ci nu iessi fore

Open the door and feel with your heart

Were not going if you dont come out

QUARANTA
(I. Brennan, G. Bianco, M. Durante, E. Licci, M. Mazzotta, M.
Morabito, G. Paglialunga, S. Perrone)

FORTY

RESPIRI
(M. Durante)

BREATHS

ci su fiate la notte ca me sveju

e te visciu ferma immobile
nu ci dormu chiui ca mene nu dubbiu
cittu cittu me nvicinu pe
sentire che
respiri

Sometimes at night I wake up

I look at you, youre not moving
I cant sleep anymore, a sudden doubt
quietly, I get closer to
see that you
breath

certi giurni stau chinu te pensieri

tuttu me pare difficile
tie me uardi e la facce me ncarizzi
nu te servenu parole mai
nellocchi toi
respiro

There are days I worry so much

Everything seems difficult
You look at me n lay your hand on my face
You never need any words
In your eyes
I breath

e de quandu nci sinti tie cu mie

ogni sogno raggiungibile
statte de coste a mie nu te nde scire
nu voju me perdu mancu unu de
tutti li toi
respiri
sentire che
respiri

Since you are with me

All my dreams are possible
Stand by me, dont go
I dont want to miss even one of
all your
breaths
feeling that you
breath