Pulecenella
Flag Counter

Neapolitan
instruments

The mandolin

Texts of the Neapolitan songs

Maggio, sì tu!


Museca: E.A. Mario,

Vierze: E.A. Mario.

Anno: 1913

May, it's you!


Music: E.A. Mario,

Lyrics: E.A. Mario.

Year: 1913


Maggio, sì tu
Ca 'st'aria doce vaje prufumanno!
Quanta ccanzone faje cantà a ddoje vvoce!
Quanta suspire io manno!
Me faje murmulià
Tutt' 'e ccanzone amate
Pecché tu viene e dice:
" 'E 'nnammurate hann' 'a cantà".

Hann' 'a cantà,
Ca pure 'Ammore
Passa e nun more.
E chi ha vuluto bbene,
Se sente dint' ê vvene
Cchiù ardente 'a giuventù;
Maggio, sì tu!

Maggio, sì tu
Ca me truvaste cu 'o core 'e gelo;
Ma quanta rrose attuorno mme purtaste
E quanta stelle 'ncielo!
Turnaje a suspirà
Pe' chi fuje tanta 'ngrata.
"Ah – lle dicette – t'aggio sempe amata
E pure mò".

E pure mò,
Tutt'è turnato
Comm'è passato.
Sento c' 'a voglio bbene;
'Stu ffuoco dint' ê vvene
È ffuoco 'e giuventù;
Maggio, sì tu!

Maggio, è pe' tte
Mme stò facenno cchiù mateniero.
Rrose e vviole a ll'alba stò cuglienno
Comm'a 'nu ciardeniere.
Tu me faje suspirà
'Mmiez' ê ciardine 'nfiore:
"Si tuttecosa torna,
Pure 'Ammore ha da turnà".

Ha da turnà,
Ll'aggio chiammato,
Ll'aggio aspettato.
E mò c' 'a voglio bbene,
Mme sento dint' ê vvene
Cchiù ardente 'a giuventù;
Maggio, sì tu!

translated by Natalia Chernega


May, it's you
Who perfume the air with fragrance!
How many songs you make sing with two voices!
How many sighs I make!
You make me croon
All my favorite songs
Because you come and say:
"The lovers have to sing".

They have to sing
Because love
Has come and doesn't die.
And he who is fallen in love
Feels stronger in the veins
The youth;
May, it's all you!

May, it's you
Who have met me with the cold heart;
But how many roses you've brought me
And how many stars in the sky!
I've sighed again
For her who was so ungrateful.
"Ah – I've told her – I loved you all the time
And now too".

And now too,
Everything has come back
The same way as it was over.
I feel I love her again,
This flame in my veins
Is the flame of youth age;
May, it's all you!

May, it's because of you
I've begun to wake up at daybreak.
Roses and violets I pick at dawn
Like a gardener.
You make me sigh
In this garden in bloom:
"If everything is coming back,
Love must also come back".

It must come back,
I was calling it,
I was waiting for it.
And now that I love her again
I feel stronger in my veins
The youth;
May, it's all you!

translated by Natalia Chernega