Neapolitan songs - help with translation!

[Alena]

Hello, everybody. I'm a newbee here and I came across this site while searching for translations of songs. Unfortunately, it's rather hard to find anything; I've found some translations only on : The Mario! album: Lyrics and Translations - The Mario Lanza Forum | Google Groups
I don't speak italian, still, I could have found some courses, but it's not a way out, as I don't know where one can learn neapolitan dialect. So I hope that anybody here would be able to help with translation. if yes, I'll put here is 2 songtexts (I hope there're correct) of the songs sung, among others, by Franco Corelli and named "Pecchè?" and "Torna!" and will wait for your translation
Thanks in advance))))))))))

[Gala Placidia]

OK, JC, your expert advice is needed. Calling JC..... Where are you?

[juliancoll]

Bloomin' eck Gala - gimme half a chance!

I'm busy trying to translate it - but I need help with some of it - and Mamma is being obnoxious today, so I'll slowly struggle on alone.

Alena - (nice name by the way) - welcome to the forum - I'll be right back.

[Charles Phillips]

Originally Posted by Gala Placidia

Calling JC..... Where are you?

She's Behind You...............!

[juliancoll]

First of all, here are the lyrics and a link to Franco Corelli's version of "Pecchè?" (I assume you do know he isn't Neapolitan?) on Youtube so you can follow it. I'll continue trying to translate and post again shortly.

Oh, the pressure! The pressure!

"Pecchè?"

Canta ll'auciello dint''a casa antica
addó' primma cantave pure tu
E sento pure 'a voce 'e n'ata amica
ca mme cunziglia 'e nun te penzá cchiù!

Carmè'
Si aggio lassato a mamma mia pe' te,
si t'hê pigliato 'a primma giuventù
pecché, nun tuorne a me?

Mme pare ca è cagnata 'sta fenesta
'a dó' vuttaste 'o primmo sciore a me.
E n'ata rosa, 'a dint'a n'ata testa,
mo mme cunziglia 'e nun penzá cchiù a te

Carmè'
E passa 'a notte, passa 'o juorno, 'a sera
ma stu turmiento mio nun vò' passá
Passa pure 'sta luna che è sincera
si mme cunziglia sempe 'e te scurdá

Carmè'

YouTube - Franco Corelli "Pecchè ?" July...

[juliancoll]

I think this is about 95% correct. Phew!

A bird sings in the old house
where you once used to sing
And I hear the voice of another friend
who advises me to not think about you anymore

Carme'
Since I left my mother for you
you took away the prime of my youth
Why, wont you come back to me?

It seems to me this window has changed
from where you threw the first flower to me
It's another rose in another vase (?)
that advises me to not think anymore about you

Carme'
And the night passes, the day and evening also pass
but my torment does not want to pass
The moon also passes which is sincere
as it advises me always to forget about you

Carme'

Anyway Alena, the Neapolian dialect is not so easy and I only know of one online link where you can get a couple of basic lessons - but it is very outdated and wont be of much help with the pronounciation. I'll try to find the link for you if I can.

A question - why do you want to learn Neapolitan rather than Italian?

[Gala Placidia]

Perhaps it is just a personal interest on the language that Alena has. It is really a beautiful and melodious language. My only problem is that I have enough trouble with just plain Italian .... otherwise, I would have a go.

[juliancoll]

Go on Gala - you can do it - I'm sure, so give it a shot! You can translate the other song for Alena - here are the lyrics.

It'll be interesting to compare our versions and see the differences between two people translating the same thing.

I'll give it a go after dinner.

Torna a Surriento

Vide ‘o mare quant’è bello,
Spira tantu sentimento,
Comme tu a chi tiene mente,
Ca scetato ‘o faie sunnà.

Guarda, gua’, chistu ciardino;
Siente, sie’ sti sciure arance:
Nu profumo accussi fino
Dinto ‘o core se ne va…

E tu dice: "I’ parto, addio!"
T’alluntane da stu core…
Da sta terra de l’ammore…
Tiene ‘o core ‘e nun turnà?

Ma nun me lassà,
Nun darme stu turmiento!
Torna a Surriento,
famme campà!

Vide 'o mare de Surriento,
che tesoro tene nfunno:
chi ha girato tutto 'o munno
nun l'ha visto comm'a ccà.

Guarda attuorno sti Sserene,
ca te guardano 'ncantate,
e te vonno tantu bene...
Te vulessero vasà.

E tu dice: "I' parto, addio!"
T'alluntane da stu core
Da sta terra de l'ammore
Tiene 'o core 'e nun turnà?

Ma nun me lassà,
Nun darme stu turmiento!
Torna a Surriento,
Famme campà!

Torna a Surriento,
Famme campà!

[Gala Placidia]

Are you kidding? To translate poetry is one of the most difficult tasks you can think of.
Well, without using a dictionary or any language aid, this is as far as I can go:

Look at the sea , how beautiful it is
It inspires so many feelings,
(No idea)
(No idea)

Look at there, at this garden,
Feel the scent of oranges
Such a fine perfume
That goes straight to the heart (or quite close)

And you say "goodbye, I'm leaving,
You move away from this heart
From this land of love
That you will keep in your heart and never return to.

But don't leave
Do not torture me
Come back to Sorrento
(I have no idea.... it would be something like "make me happy or bring me back to life" as" campare "means to live... but just guessing)

Look at the Sorrento sea
what a treasure it is
That whoever is gone around the world
Has never seen anything like this.

Look around this calm (serene) (sky)
That casts a spell on you (that enchants you)
Who loves you so much
(no idea)

The other verses are a repetition and I have already made a fool of myself....
My apologies to all Neapolitans.

[Alena]

Wow!! You're so quick! thanks a lot!! in fact, well, yeah I'd like to learn the language a bit, but anyway I'm contented already that I'm able to understand some particular songs. As for Torna I ment "Torna!" not "Torna a Surriente"

Here are the lyrics as I found them, I don't know whether they are spelled correctly:

Te voglio n'ata vota int''a sti' braccia
chella ca si' nun torna c'aggia fa'
voglio chist'uocchie
voglio chesta faccia
addo' se vede ogni felicita'
vita d''a vita mia
dimme pe' quale via
t'aggia veni' a 'ncuntra'
torna
sta' casa aspetta a te
torna che smanie 'e te vede'
torna
torna
torna
ca si' ce tuorne tu
nun ce lassamme cchiu'
cu' ciente desiderie 'e malafreva
stu' specchio t'ha fernuta e ruvina'
quanno partiste st'anema chiagneva
pensanno addo' putive capita'
dimme chi te trattene
dimme qua' so' 'e catene
c'aggia veni' a spezza'
strumentale
torna
torna
torna
ca si' ce tuorne tu
nun ce lassamme cchiu'
torna
torna
torna
ca si' ce tuorne tu
nun ce lassamme cchiu'

Here's the youtube link^

You Tube