Lyrics and translation Cesare Basile - Araziu Stranu

Araziu Stranu

A tia ti fici na chitarra nica
Ca su eri ranni ta faceva ranni
'Nsitai l'aranciu amaru cca muddica
Cordi di lenza e chiavi di fatica

Arrobba e ita su ti vo 'nsignari
Allesti cunti si non voi 'n patruni
Fatti lavina, cantunera e mari
E patri e matri e toccu di campani

U suli è prenu di strapunti e mbrogghi
M'atturra l'occhi e consa maravigghi
Vogghiu cantari a cannarozzu chinu
Curriti genti canta Araziu Stranu

Quannu di sangu curri la vanedda
Cu si cuntenta mortu o carzaratu
Fimmini schetti pinnulara i stidda
Cu casca additta e cu casca trarutu

Dici ca mi sparanu na matina
Cu dici ca m'arricugghiu la terra
Ju tonnu a passu a notti di la Strina
E tonnu a cuntu di l'eterna guerra

Araziu Stranu

I made this small guitar
Since you were young it has grown with you
Remember the bitter orange tree
Linen strings and keys of labor

Get close and I will teach you
Tell stories if you don't want masters
Become a natural disaster, a prostitute and a mother
And father and mother, and the sound of bells

The sun is full of deceit and tricks
It blinds my eyes and hides wonders
I want to sing with a full throat
Run, people, sing Araziu Stranu

When blood runs in the alley
Who is content is either dead or imprisoned
Beautiful women are the stars of the sky
Who falls points, and who falls is betrayed

They say they will shoot me one morning
He says the earth will take me back
I will walk slowly on the night of the Befana
And slowly I will tell about the eternal war