Sir Nervin's Multilingual Music Library

08/11/2023

TAMMURIATA NERA
Sung by: Eugenio Bennato
Language: Neapolitan

"TAMMURIATA NERA"Sung by: Eugenio BennatoLanguage: Neapolitan (Napulitano)This traditional song tells about a woman who gives life to a black baby and everyb...

08/11/2023

LU YEHI
Sung by: Chava Alberstein
Language: Hebrew

LU YEHI (לו יהי)Sung by: Chava AlbersteinFrom her album: "לו יהי"This song was written by Naomi Shemer during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.This video is for la...

08/11/2023

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
EVERYONE ARE WELCOME TO MAKE A SONG REQUESTS!

Just send me these following:
• Song Title
• Name of Singer
• Language

• Lyrics
• Transliteration (if the song is in Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Korean, etc.)
• Translation (Required: English)

• YouTube/Spotify link of the song of your request.

You can send these on the following:
• Private message (either here in this page, or in my account)
• E-mail: [email protected]

Thank you!!!

02/11/2023

"SI MARITAU ROSA"
Sung by: Roberto Alagna

https://youtu.be/CcUBmBoQfMY?si=CGSgYcQW6zNvKNIv

A traditional love song known all over Sicily, with a waltz rhythm. It is also known as "Vinni la primavera". The author of the lyrics and music is unknown. The lyrics tell about the anguish of a girl, who, seeing friends getting married, regrets that she has not been able to find a husband, in a not so far-away past when marriage was the only aim in life for a young girl.

But in this version, the singer is a man and changed a bit the words. He imagines to be the father talking to his daughter who cannot find a fiancé.
The original song is sang by a woman who doesn’t find a husband (to be).
Some part of the lyrics is from the original version of this song.

"SI MARITAU ROSA"Singer: Roberto AlagnaFrom the album "The Sicilian"A traditional love song known all over Sicily, with a waltz rhythm. It is also known as "...

02/11/2023

ANNOUNCEMENT:
These songs will be reuploaded (in clear version):
• "Lu Stipendiu" by I Ciclopi, and
• "Si Maritau Rosa" by Mr. Roberto Alagna

Although these songs will be reuploaded, the first version of the videos will not be deleted.
Be advised!
Grazie.

~AMMINISTRATURI

01/11/2023

L'ACIDUZZU DI ME CUMMARI
Sung by: Sicily Folk Orchestra
From their Album: "Sicilian Songs"

https://youtu.be/9Wg3a05edX0?si=O05sfTMxzA_sQ_0N

The text of this song is an allegory that tells about a woman who is the lover of her best friend’s husband.
Even in Italian, “the bird” is a polite way to refer to the male ge***al.
In fact, this bird is without feathers and wings: it’s naked…
So, she’s talking about that, (actually, her godmom’s bird is her godmom’s husband.)

The song is part of the Sicilian traditional stornellos, the genre that uses allegories to tale about politics, s*x, blasphemy and every topic that could not be treated clearly.
Stornellos are part of the ancient Sicilian traditions, since allegory is the core of the Sicilian culture.

"L'ACIDDUZZU DI ME CUMMARI"Sung by: Sicily Folk OrchestraFrom their album: "Sicilian Songs"The text of this song is an allegory that tells about a woman who ...

01/11/2023

GUVERNU 'TALIANU
Sung by: Otello Profazio
From his Album: L'Italia Cantata dal Sud

https://youtu.be/7L1021D13Q8?si=9zt7hOMgA6osEkXb

This song is a criticism against the new born Unified Italy, whose taxation system was harder than the Spanish Borbons’.

"GUVERNU 'TALIANU"Sung by: Otello ProfazioLanguage: Calabrese SicilianThis song is a criticism against the new born Unified Italy, whose taxation system was ...

01/11/2023

MAMMA CICCU MI TOCCA
From the album: "Nostalgia di Sicilia"

https://youtu.be/XasJtkqFDpA?si=GOzF9_a9lbncOX4Q

This song talks about a girl and her mom who’s jealous and strict.
The girl loves a man named "Ciccu", but they can meet.

In the ancient times, the fiancés never meet alone and they never touch each other (I think, it is part of what we called "The Bethrothal Period".)
They only see each other by a distance during the public celebrations.
So, in this song, they have to look for a few seconds if the mother is watching away from them.
In these seconds they took advantage to get a caress or a little kiss, but, the mother notices that they are too close and then the daughter pretends to be bothered by him, maybe because she’s afraid that her mother won’t let her attend the next celebrations, so, she reports to her mother that he’s touching her.

In musical aspect, this song is in the "Mazurca" rhythm, it is typically in 3/4 (waltz) time signature, but, in Italy, it is played like a polka.

In linguistic aspect, the variant of Sicilian language used in this song is possibly either from Caltanisetta, Trapani, and/or Agrigento.

"MAMMA, CICCU MI TOCCA"Meaning: Mom, Ciccu Is Touching MeLanguage: SicilianThis song talks about a girl and her mom who’s jealous and strict.The girl loves a...