Songs on the Ripley Soundtrack

TU VUO' FA' LL'AMERICANO

                 Puorte 'e cazune cu nu stemma arreto...
                 Na cuppulella cu 'a visiera aizata...
                 Passe scampanianno pe' Tuleto,
                 comm'a nu guappo, pe' te f� guard�!...

                 Tu vuo' f� ll'americano,
                 'mericano, 'mericano...
                 Siente a me chi t''o ffa f�?
                 Tu vuoi vivere alla moda,
                 ma se bevi "Whisky and Soda",
                 po' te siente 'e disturb�...
                 Tu abballe 'o "Rock and Roll",
                 tu giochi a "Base Ball..."
                 Ma 'e solde p''e Ccamel,
                 chi te li d�?
                 La borsetta di mamm�!?

                 Tu vu�' f� ll'americano,
                 mericano, mericano,
                 ma si' nato in Italy!
                 Siente a me: Nun ce sta niente 'a f�...
                 Okay, Napolitan!
                 Tu vu�' f� ll'american!
                 Tu vu�' f� ll'american!

                                                                 II

                 Comme te p� cap� chi te v�' bene,
                 si tu lle parle miezo americano?
                 Quanno se fa ll'ammore sott''a luna,
                 comme te vene 'ncapa 'e d� "I love you"?

                 Tu vuo' f� ll'americano,
                 'mericano, 'mericano...
                 .......................

                                                     Nisa - Carosone

And, we have a translation of the song "Tu Buo'Fa'LL'Americano" - many thanks to the reader who wrote, as follows:

This is pretty tough to translate. It's in Neapolitan dialect, so some of the words won't apear in an Italian dictionary. And it's also slangy. And whoever transcribed the text wasn't a very good typist. But the rough sense is easy to capture: "You want to make like an American"
"You want to make like an American,
and want to live in the latest style,
but when you drink whiskey & soda it makes you sick.

You dance to rock & roll and play baseball,
sure, but when you need money for Camels,
where do you go? to Mamma's pocketbook.

So you want to make like an American,
but you were born in Italy.
Seems to me there's nothing to be done.
(OK, you're Neapolitan anyway.)"
That reference to being Neapolitan is an extra joke -- you're not even a regular Italian. The reference to Mamma's pocketbook says you can't afford to be American.
The second verse is more obscure but does mention that "you talk half-American, when you make love under the moon and at the high point say 'I love you.'"

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My Funny Valentine


By Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

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My funny valentine;
Sweet, comic valentine;
You make me smile with my heart.

Your looks are laughable;
Unphotographable;
Yet, you're my favorite work of art.

Is your figure - less than Greek?
Is your mouth - a little weak?
When you open it to speak, are you smart?

Don't change a hair for me;
Not if you care for me;
Stay, little valentine, stay!
Each day is valentine's day.



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lullaby for cai

from the silence from the night comes a distant lullabye cry, remember that first cry your brother standing by and loved both loved beloved sons of mine sing a lullabye mother is close by innocent eyes such innocent eyes envy stole your brother's life came home murdered peace of mind left you nightmares on the pillow sleep now soul, surrendering your sould the heart of you not whole for love but love what toll cast into the dark branded with the mark, of shame of Cain from the garden of God's light to a wilderness of night sleep now sleep now.

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