Lyr Req: Italian Song, Cicerenella

08 Apr 00 - 11:25 AM (#208866)
Subject: Italian Song, Cicerenella
From: Ferrara

In my dad's home town in Italy, this was sung to the tune of the Tarantella that is usually translated at "Lucky, Lucky, Lucky me, I'm a lucky son of a gun, I work 8 hours, I sleep 8 hours, that leaves 8 hours for fun."

Fedele offered to try to help with lyrics of Italian songs and I hope he can add a bit to what I know of this one. Cicerenella has been translated as "Citronella," not sure if that's right, and is the name of the heroine of this song.

Here are the two verses I know. There are in the Teorese dialect, a subdialect of Neapolitan.

Cicerenella teniva 'nu cane
Muzzicava li christiani
Muzzicava le donne bella
Chistu 'nu cane di Cicerenella.
Cicerenella teniva, teniva, teniva....
(do as many repetitions as you have breath for,
if you're showing off... )

Citronella had a dog,
it bit all the Christians (ie everybody in town)
It bit pretty women
That was Citronella's dog
Citronella she had a, she had a, she had a....

Cicerenella teniva 'nu mule
I' a' Napule sule, sule
Si caricava di Zingarella,
Chistu 'nu mule di Cicerenella.
Cicerenella teniva, teniva, teniva....

Citronella had a mule,
It went to Naples all by itself
It dressed up in ribbons like a gypsy woman
That was Citronella's mule
Citronella she had a, she had a, she had a....

Has anyone ever heard this version of the song? I know there were verses about a pig and a rooster, but they were too difficult to understand and learn since we were trying to make sense of some very unfamiliar sounds (as sung by my dad or my grandmother).

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08 Apr 00 - 01:35 PM (#208903)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Italian Song, Cicerenella
From: Fedele

I don't know this song directly, (it's a southern Italy song: I know mostly center and north italy songs, and mostly political) but I can remember I read it on one of my junior school books. I'm very very verybusy now, but I'll try to find that book. Sorry, you'll probably have to wait till about the 20th of april, but maybe I'll be useful. Cicerinella means "piccolo cece" = "little chick-pea". See you (not very) soon.

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19 Apr 00 - 04:15 PM (#214483)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Italian Song, Cicerenella
From: Fedele

Sorry sorry sorry, I can't find that book (I'll try again). But I realized that my neighbours in Pisa are from Southern Italy, and maybe they know the song. Unfortunately I won't see them until about May 2th. I promise to ask them.

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