{"id":9852,"date":"2015-08-17T17:33:59","date_gmt":"2015-08-17T15:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=9852"},"modified":"2015-08-17T17:33:59","modified_gmt":"2015-08-17T15:33:59","slug":"a-naughty-italian-folk-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/a-naughty-italian-folk-song\/","title":{"rendered":"A Naughty Italian Folk Song!"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the past four days, Serena and myself have been working for the Pro Loco di Pontremoli<\/strong> at Ponticello<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>in Lunigiana<\/strong>, where every year since 1994 la festa degli antichi mestieri<\/strong> is held. To find out more about this enchanting recreation of Italian village life at the beginning of the 20th century take a look at last year\u2019s articles: The Weaver,<\/a> Saturday Night in the Village<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I Mestieri Nel Borgo<\/strong> at Ponticello is my favourite local\u00a0festival. Taking place as it does in a small enclosed medieval village, with local folk of all ages helping to recreate the sights and sound of life as it was 100 years ago, it has a far more intimate and\u00a0genuine feeling than the usual overly professional pageants which\u00a0are put on mainly for the benefit of tourists. There\u2019s so\u00a0much going on in the little village that it\u2019s easy to miss some of the more spontaneous side events. On our way out of the village last night, for example, we were lucky enough to bump into a local group of friends and musician having a great time singing traditional canti<\/strong> (folk songs) in the street.<\/p>\n

Despite our tiredness after hours of working on il telaio<\/strong> (the loom), and with la creta<\/strong> (the clay)\u00a0we were caught up in the jovial atmosphere and drawn into the intimate circle. Many of the songs, as is often the case with\u00a0canti\u00a0popolari italiani<\/strong>, are full of sexual innuendos, and one in particular had us in stitches. I haven\u2019t been able to find a version on the internet that\u2019s sung in such a suggestive and lurid way as the one that we heard, so here\u2019s a short excerpt that I managed to capture on my very basic digital camera.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/Gwf2B6wVYy8<\/p>\n

At the end of the article is a link to the complete song performed by a professional folk group, although personally I far prefer the spontaneous, slightly raucous street singing of Ponticello.<\/p>\n

Here are the lyrics with my translation \u2026 buon divertimento!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lo Spazzacamin<\/strong><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

Su e gi\u00f9 per le contrade
\ndi qua e di l\u00e0 si sente
\nla\u00a0voce allegramente
\ndello spazzacamin.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

All around the quarters
\nfrom here and there you hear
\nthe happy voice
\nof the chimney sweep<\/span><\/p>\n

S\u2019affaccia alla finestra
\n\u2018na bella signorina,
\ncon voce graziosina
\nchiama lo spazzacamin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A lovely lass
\nlooks out of the window
\nwith a gracious voice
\nshe calls the chimney sweep<\/span><\/p>\n

Prima lo fa entrare
\ne poi lo fa sedere
\nd\u00e0 da mangiare e bere
\nallo spazzacamin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

First she lets him in
\nand then she sits him down
\nshe gives food and drink
\nto the chimney sweep<\/span><\/p>\n

E dopo aver mangiato
\nmangiato e ben bevuto
\ngli fa vedere il buco
\nil buco del camin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After having eaten
\neaten and drunk well
\nshe shows him the hole
\nthe hole of the chimney<\/span><\/p>\n

Mi spiace giovanotto
\nche il mio camino \u00e8 stretto
\npovero giovinetto
\ncome far\u00e0 a salir?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m sorry young man
\nthat my chimney is tight
\npoor young lad
\nhow will you manage to get up<\/span><\/p>\n

Non dubiti signora
\nson vecchio del mestiere
\nso fare il mio dovere
\ndello spazzacamin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t doubt me miss
\nI\u2019m an old hand at this
\nI know how to do my duty
\nas a chimney sweep<\/span><\/p>\n

E dopo quattro mesi
\nla luna va crescendo
\nla gente va dicendo
\n\u00e8 lo spazzacamin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And after four months
\nthe moon is growing
\nfolk go around saying
\nit\u2019s the chimney sweep<\/span><\/p>\n

E dopo nove mesi
\n\u00e8 nato un bel bambino
\nassomigliava tutto
\nallo spazzacamin.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And after nine months
\na lovely baby boy is born
\nit looked absolutely like
\nthe chimney sweep<\/span><\/p>\n