O cara la mia mama
This Neapolitan tune was popularized by Niccolò Paganini in his song "Carnival of Venice". Chopin also used it in "Souvenir de Paganini". The tune was also borrowed for the Austrian song "Mein Hut, er hat drei Ecken" (My Hat It Has Three Corners) that has many versions in many languages.
This song is in Lombard dialect.
O cara la mia mama
Oh, My Dear Mom
Folk Song
Folk Song
(Italian Dialect)
(English)
O cara la mia mama,
sì senza compassión
a lasciarmi qui in filanda
morir de la passion.
E se fudesse 'l caso
te tegnarìa a cà,
te mandarìa a scola
a imprend a lavurà.
Inscí perché sun povera
mi podi fà nient,
sta pura alegrament,
stu mund al finirà.
"Oh, my dear mom,
You are without compassion
If you leave me here at the spinning mill
To die of suffering."
"And if that were the case
I would keep you at home.
I'd send you to school
To learn to work."
"So because I am poor
I can't do anything."
"Stay happy,
This world will end."
Notes
In "La mia morosa cara. Canti popolari milanesi e Lombardi" (1980), Nanni Svampa dates the song to the 1880's or a little later.
Here is the song in standard Italian from Wikisource:
Oh, cara la mia mamma
sei senza compassione
se mi lasci qui alla filanda
a morire di sofferenza.
E se fosse il caso
ti terrei a casa,
ti manderei a scuola
a imparare a lavorare.
Così poiché son povera
non posso fare niente,
stai pure allegramente,
questo mondo finirà.
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares.
Image: Girls as Mill Workers by Lewis W. Hine, 1908 (LOC).
