| Bocca di Rosa - La versione inglese di Riccardo Venturi
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VUCCUZZA DI CIURI | ROSEMOUTH |
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Era chiamata Vuccuzza di Ciuri | They call'd her Rosemouth, |
faceva l’amuri, faceva l’amuri | She did put love, she did put love |
e lu faceva di tutti i maneri | They call'd her Rosemouth, |
di ‘ncapu, di sutta, davanti e darreri. | She did put love above all things. |
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Quannu scinniu a la stazioni | No sooner had she arrived |
Di un paesiddu cca vicinu | To the station of Sant'Ilario |
Si n’addunarunu vecchi e carusi | When ev'rybody realized at first sight |
Ca ugn’era un monicu ne un parrinu | She was no missionary at all. |
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C’e cu lu fa picchì cci siddia | Someone makes love out of boredom, |
C’e cu ‘nveci si cci ni preja | Someone chooses it for one's job; |
Vuccuzza di Ciuri ne l’unu ne l’autru | Neither of the two things for Rosemouth: |
Ppi didda l’amuri è na puisia. | She made love out of passion. |
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Ma la passioni unni ti fa ghiri | But, as you know, passion often leads |
A fari li cosi ca fannu piaciri | To gratifying one's own lust |
Senza capiri su ‘u disgraziatu | Without enquiring if he, who's lusted after |
E zitu, schettu o maritatu. | Is still free or a married man. |
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Ed accussì ca di oggi a dumani | So, hearken! With her deed and actions |
Vuccuzza di Ciuri unn’avi cchiu spassu, | Did Rosemouth arouse day by day |
mentri ca tutti ddi cani arraggiati | Grapes of wrath of the little puppies |
ci iettanu ‘u sali a chiuirci ‘u passu. | She kept on stealing their bones from. |
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Ma li cummari d’un paiseddu | But the wives of a small village |
Talianu ‘ntunnu e unn’hanu cchi fari | Aren't so cute, as you may suppose: |
E mentri ca perdunu a corda e lu sceccu | Up to that time their only reaction |
Su rusicanu sulu l’ossa cc’o sali. | Was hurling insults at Rosemouth. |
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Si sapi ca ‘a genti duna cunsigliu | You know that people give good advice |
Sintennusi cumu Dominneddiu | Feeling as Jesus Christ in the Temple, |
Grapunu a’a vucca ma all ’occurrenza, | You know that people give good advice |
un sanu diri mancu piu. | If they can't set a bad example. |
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Accussi ‘na vecchia schittusa e acita, | So, and old woman still unmarried, |
senza né figli e senza cchiù vogli, | Without children, without any lust, |
si pigliò ‘u culu a puzzuluna | Took the trouble, and, I'm sure, the pleasure |
e ghiva dittannu la so dottrina. | To give all 'em a right piece of advice: |
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Si la pigghiava ccu li cornuti, | So, she addressed with witty words |
dicennuci a tutti mali paroli: | All that bunch of deceived wives: |
cu rubba l’amuri avrà punizioni | "This love stealth shall be punished", |
di carrabbunera e guardi riali. | She said, "By the Police Force". |
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Currerru tutti a parlari ch’è guardi | And they all went to the Police Station |
Ci dissiru senza menzi paroli | And shouted without weighing their words: |
dda tappinara avi troppi clienti | "That bitch already got more clients |
Chiossà di chidda ca vinni pani | Than a farmer's cooperative." |
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E arrivarru quattru gendarmi | So four gendarmes, four gendarmes came |
Ccu li cappedda e ccu li pennacchi | With plumed hats, with plumed hats, |
Arrivarunu ‘ncapu e cavaddi | So four gendarmes, four gendarmes came |
ccu li pistoli e li scupetti | Well armed, with their plumed hats. |
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Ma puru i sbirri e i carrabbunera | You know policemen aren't renowned |
un fanu mai u propriu duviri, | For having tender heart, for sure; |
ma quannu si misiru l’alta uniformi | But that time they took her to the train |
l’accumpagnarunu alla stazioni. | Not so willingly, I assure. |
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Alla stazioni c’eranu tutti | All male villagers were there, including |
dai guardi riali o sagristanu | The Police Chief and the sexton, |
Alla stazioni c’eranu tutti | All male villagers were there |
Ccu l’occhi vagnati e ‘u cori in manu | With weeping eyes, bearing placards. |
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A salutari cu ppi tanticchia | To say goodbye and bon voyage |
Senza pritenniri e senza aviri | To Rosemouth, who for short time |
A salutari cu ppi du jorna | Without pretension, without pretension |
Purtò l’amuri ne ddu quarteri | Had brought love into that village. |
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C’era un cartellu ranni | Someone had written in black |
e l’occhi chini ‘i pena | On a yellow placard: |
dicivunu addiu Vuccuzza di Ciuri | "Goodbye, goodbye, Rosemouth! |
ccu ti si ni và la primavera. | Spring is leaving us with you." |
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Ma na notizia di sta purtata | But a piece of news like that |
Un’avi bisugnu di carta stampata | Needs no newspaper, as you may suppose: |
Cumu lu metri e lu pisari | Just like an arrow flung by a good bowman |
Fici lu giru di lu quartieri. | It spread so rapidly in the wind |
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Alla stazioni ca veni d’appressu | So, at the next station there were |
C’è chiossà genti di chidda ca lassu | Much more people than when she had left: |
C’e cu s’asciuca l’occhi di chiantu | One blows her a kiss, one throws flowers, |
Cu si prenota p’un mumentu. | One books her for a couple of hours. |
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E puru u parrinu ca murmuriava | Even the Priest, not disregarding |
Si dici mutu ‘na santa orazioni | Among burials and extreme unctions |
E sta Madonna china ‘i biddizzi | The short-lived pleasure of beauty, |
a voli accanto pp’a procissioni. | Wants her to follow the procession. |
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E cu la Vergini in prima fila | With Our Lady in the front row |
Vuccuzza di Ciuri manu ccu manu | And Rosemouth just behind |
Si porta appressu ppi lu paisi | The priest is walking through the village |
L’amuri sacru e chiddu buttanu! | With both profane and sacred love! |