Figli di Annibale Posted by Geoff on Feb 28, 2013 in Culture
Figli di Annibale (Hannibal’s Children) is the name of a song by the Neapolitan group Amalmegretta, whose music is a mix of reggae, dub, Neapolitan songs and Arabic chants.
The song’s lyrics shouldn’t be viewed as factual, or as a history lesson, but rather as an allusion to Italy’s multi ethnic origins, which I’ll discuss in a future blog. Many of Amalmegretta’s songs are sung in the Napoletano dialect. In this song however, they use standard Italian which I’ve translated into English for you. Click on the photo below of singer Raiz to listen to Figli di Annibale by Amalmegretta
Africa Africa Africa …… ecc.
Annibale Annibale grande generale nero,
Annibale Annibale grande generale nero,
con una schiera di elefanti attraversasti le Alpi e ne uscisti tutto intero
a quei tempi gli europei non riuscivano a passarle neanche a piedi
ma tu Annibale Annibale grande generale nero
tu le passasti con un mare di elefanti
lo sapete quanto sono grandi e grossi e lenti gli elefanti?
lo sapete quanto sono grandi e grossi e lenti gli elefanti?
eppure Annibale gli fece attraversare le Alpi
con novantamila uomini africani
Annibale sconfisse i Romani
restò in Italia da padrone per quindici o vent’anni
ecco perché molti italiani hanno la pelle scura
ecco perché molti italiani hanno i capelli scuri
ecco perché molti italiani hanno gli occhi scuri
ecco perché molti italiani hanno la pelle scura
un po’ del sangue di Annibale è rimasto a tutti quanti nelle vene
un po’ del sangue di Annibale è rimasto a tutti quanti nelle vene
nessuno può dirmi stai dicendo una menzogna
no nessuno può dirmi stai dicendo una menzogna
se conosci la tua storia sai da dove viene
il colore del sangue che ti scorre nelle vene
se conosci la tua storia sai da dove viene
il colore del sangue che ti scorre nelle vene
Durante la guerra pochi afroamericani
riempirono l’Europa di bambini neri
cosa credete potessero mai fare in venti anni di dominio militare
un’armata di africani in Italia meridionale
un’armata di africani in Italia meridionale
ecco perché … ecco perché … ecco perché … ecco perché
noi siamo figli di Annibale
noi siamo tutti quanti figli di Annibale
capelli neri
figli di Annibale
la pelle scura
figli di Annibale
con gli occhi neri
figli di Annibale
meridionali
figli di Annibale
sangue mediterraneo
figli di Annibale
sangue mediterraneo
figli di Annibale
figli di Annibale
sangue di Africa …
Africa Africa Africa …… etc.
Hannibal Hannibal great black general
Hannibal Hannibal great black general
with a rank of elephants you crossed the Alps and came out of them intact
in those days the Europeans couldn’t even cross them by foot
but Hannibal Hannibal great black general
you passed through them with a tide of elephants
do you know how big and slow elephants are?
do you know how big and slow elephants are?
and yet Hannibal made them cross the Alps
with ninety thousand African men
Hannibal defeated the Romans
he was Italy’s master for fifteen or twenty years
that’s why lots of Italians have dark skin
that’s why lots of Italians have dark hair
that’s why lots of Italians have dark eyes
that’s why lots of Italians have dark skin
a bit of Hannibal’s blood has remained in everyone’s veins
a bit of Hannibal’s blood has remained in everyone’s veins
no one can tell me that I’m telling a lie
no, no one can tell me that I’m telling a lie
if you know your history you know where it comes from
the colour of the blood that runs in your veins
if you know your history you know where it comes from
the colour of the blood that runs in your veins
During the war a few afro-Americans
filled Europe with black children
what do you think that they could do in twenty years of military domination
an army of African in southern Italy
an army of African in southern Italy
that’s why … that’s why … that’s why … that’s why
we are Hannibal’s children
we’re all Hannibal’s children
black hair
Hannibal’s children
dark skin
Hannibal’s children
with dark eyes
Hannibal’s children
from the south
Hannibal’s children
Mediterranean blood
Hannibal’s children
Mediterranean blood
Hannibal’s children
Hannibal’s children
African blood …
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Comments:
Rosemarie Leonard:
Hi
I belong to an organisation dedicated to researching our shared Italian heritage, the Anglo Italian Family History Society. We are run entirely by volunteers like myself. Each quarter we provide a journal Italian Roots and I would like to feature Almamegretta and your translation of their song in the next edition in April.
Are you happy with this? I will credit you and Italian Language Blog with the translation.
Kind regards
Serena:
@Rosemarie Leonard Salve Rosemary, I’d be more than happy for you to use my translation of Figli di Annibale in your journal.
Saluti da Geoff Chamberlain
Serena:
@Serena Rosemary, there was a small grammatical error in my translation. If you use it could you please replace this section:
that’s why lot’s of Italians have dark skin
that’s why lot’s of Italians have dark hair
that’s why lot’s of Italians have dark eyes
that’s why lot’s of Italians have dark skin
with this:
that’s why lots of Italians have dark skin
that’s why lots of Italians have dark hair
that’s why lots of Italians have dark eyes
that’s why lots of Italians have dark skin
Thanks, Geoff
Edoardo:
Very interesting looking back to the origins of italians. Sounds sensible there is some cartaginese blood into italians veins although Scipio defeated Cartago at the end.
Any way I was told there were a lot of afro american descendantas in the south of italy after 2nd. war.
iLondra:
Bellissima questa canzone, la ascolto e la riascolto…che brividi!
Geoff:
@iLondra sono perfettamente d’accordo! 🙂