Comm si fatta rossa

A tarantella from the Lucania tradition

*"a la Mascagna" is a hairstyle with the hair all kept behind, and with grease, very fashionable in the early 1900's; the name derives from the musician Pietro Mascagni from Livorno, who used to have this hairstyle.

Ue', ue', ue', lassa mammata
e vien' ch' me!
Ue' com' si fatta rossa,
m' par' 'na cirasa.
T'aggia schiaffa' 'nu vas'
addov' piac' a me!

T'aggia schiaffa' 'nu vas'
addov' piac' a me.

Come on, leave your mother
and come with me!
wow, how red you have become,
you look like a cherry.
I must give you a kiss
where I like!

Ue' com' si fatta 'janga,
siembr' la nev' r' la mundagna;
li capidd' a la mascagna*
m'a'i fatt' 'nnammurà.
Li capidd' a la mascagna,
m'a'i fatt' 'nnammurà.

wow, how white you have become,
you look like snow on the mountain;
your hair in the Mascagni* style
made me fall in love.

Ue' Com' si' fatta neura,
sieimbr' lu fum' 'ila ciiminiera;
nunzemai m'fuss' miglier',
m' faciss' appaurà.
nunzemai m' fuss' mglier',
m' faciss' appaurà.

wow, how black you have become,
you look like the smoke out of a factory chimney;
I hope you will never be my wife,
or I'd be afraid.

>Ue com' si' fatta 'janga
m' par' 'na rcotta,
t'aggia' schiaffa', 'na botta
addov' rich' è!
T'aggia schiaffa' 'na botta
addov' rich' è!.

wow, how white you have become,
you look like a ricotta cheese,
I must give you a treat
where I say!

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