The city of Pulcinella

[fpb]

One of the most beautiful protest songs I have heard in a long time, and evidence that whatever else may be wrong and even in ruin in Naples, the power of song is still alive and undeniable.

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(Text and translation behind the cut)

t'accumpagno vico vico
sulo a tte ca si' 'n amico
e te porto pe' 'e quartiere
addo' 'o sole nun se vede
ma se vede tutto 'o riesto
e s'arapeno 'e ffeneste
e capisce comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' bella comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' bella comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella

I’ll show you around, alley to alley/ You alone, because you’re a friend/ So I’ll take you to this district/ Where you never see the sun/ But you see everything else/ and people stand at the windows/ And you’ll understand how beautiful/ is the city of Pulcinella./
CHORUS: how beautiful, how beautiful is the city of Pulcinella

me dispiace sulamente
ca l'orgoglio 'e chesta gente
se murtifica ogni juorno
pe' 'na manica 'e fetiente
che nun teneno cuscienza
e nun teneno rispetto
comme fanno a piglia' suonno
quann'e' 'a sera dint' 'o lietto
dint' 'o lietto dint' 'o lietto
quann'e' 'a sera dint' 'o lietto
dint' 'o lietto dint' 'o lietto
quann'e' 'a sera dint' 'o lietto

Now the one thing I regret/ Is these people’s self-respect/ is being crushed every day/ By a troop of stinking swine/ People with no conscience/ And people with no respect,/ And who knows how they can sleep/ when they go to bed at night
CHORUS: How they can, how they can sleep/ When they go to bed at night/

po' te porto a Margillina
sempe ca nun tiene fretta
verso 'e ccinche d' 'a matina
quann' 'o traffico 'o ppermette
cca' e' permesso tuttecose
no pecche' tiene 'o diritto
ma pecche' s'e' sempe fatto
o e' sultanto pe' dispietto
pe' dispietto pe' dispietto
e' sultanto pe' dispietto
pe' dispietto pe' dispietto
e' sultanto pe' dispietto

I’ll take you to Mergellina/ As long as you’re in no hurry/ Start about five in the morning/ When traffic allows you to move/ All sorts of things are allowed here/ Not because you have a right,/ But because it’s always been done/ Or just for the Hell of it.
CHORUS: For the Hell, for the Hell,/ Just for the Hell of it.

me dispiace sulamente
ca l'orgoglio 'e chesta gente
se murtifica ogni juorno
e nuje ce mettimmo scuorno
e nisciuno po' ffa' niente
ce zucammo 'a caramella
comm'e' ddoce e comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' ddoce e comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' ddoce e comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella

Now the one thing I regret/ Is these people’s self-respect/ is being crushed every day/ And we’ve nothing for it but scorn/ And nobody can do anything about it/ Just sit around, eat sweets,/ But she still is sweet and beautiful/ Is the city of Pulcinella
CHORUS: But she still is sweet and beautiful/ Is the city of Pulcinella/

io che songo musicante
e me sento furtunato
canto e ssono sono e canto
chesta bella serenata
pecche' so' nnammurato
pecche' forse ce so' nato
ma vedite comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' bella comm'e' bella /
a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' bella comm'e' bella /
a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' bella comm'e' bella
'a citta' 'e Pulecenella
comm'e' bella comm'e' bella /
a citta' 'e Pulecenella

I am a musician/ And I think I’m lucky/ Singing, playing, playing, singing/ This lovely serenade/ Because I’m in love with her/ Maybe because I was born in her/ But you must see how beautiful/ is the city of Pulcinella.
CHORUS; How beautiful, how beautiful/ Is the city of Pulcinella.