Lyrics and translation Roberto Murolo - O piano 'e guerra

O piano 'e guerra

'Sta guerra 'a fernesch'io si me presento
Cu nu prugetto 'ncapo, nnanz"o re, nnanz"o re
Maistà, songo d"o tale reggimento
Teng' 'a pace mano a me, mano a me

Dice 'o re, "Si parle overo
N'hê, 'a dà cunto 'o Ministero
Hê ammentato quacc'arma nova?
Quacche povere? Quacche palla
Ch'addò arriva llà coglie e nchiova?
N'atu gasse p ' e ffà muri?
Quacche nave ca nun affanna
Ma, liggiera, va 'ncopp'a ll'onna?
Quacche mina ca fa nzurclì?"

Io, redenno, svelo 'o sigreto
Isso, allero, me fa, "Giesù
Acqua mmocca, guardate arreto
Carta bianca, guagliò, fa' tu"

Sola, vestute 'e sciur' 'e primmavera
Lucente cchiù d' 'o sole, bella, bè, bella, bè
Da Napule te parte p' 'a fruntiera
'Nprimma linea, 'nziem'a me, 'nziem'a me

Oi ccà l'ordine 'e battaglia
Ma 'o nemico già s'abbaglia
Se mpapin"e generale
Perd' 'a mmummera 'o culunnello
Piglia mmano nu cannucchiale
Sbaglia 'o piano pe' te guardà
Tu t'accuoste, ma cchiù suspira
L'artigliere, ca perde 'a mmira
E 'o cannone che buò sparà?

'E nemice, cu ll'uocchie 'a fore
Nun cumbatteno manco cchiù
Carta e penna, l'Imperatore
Firma 'a pace ca vuò fa' tu

Cielo, e che ce vò essere pe' Roma
Quanno s' 'e fatta 'a pace, gente, gè, gente, gè
Chiammata a ccorte, nenna, toma toma
Che superbia vò tenè, vò tenè
Chi lle dà 'na rosa 'e maggio
Chi se piglia nu passaggio

'O francese s'ammullechea
Lle fa segno l'americano
E l'inglese, ca se quartea
C' 'o binocolo 'a vò guardà
S'adenocchiano 'e marrucchine
Serbe, griece e montenegrine
N'africano s' 'a vò vasa

Giuvinò, mo me sò stancato
Lie dicesse cu nu sciassé
P' 'o Paese me so' prestato
Ma 'a guagliona me serve a me

The Piano of War

This war is over if I show up
With a project in mind, before the king, before the king
Your Majesty, I am from such and such regiment
I have peace by my side, by my side

The king says, "If you speak the truth
Go, give an account to the Ministry
Have you invented some new weapon?
Some gunpowder? Some bullets
That when they get there they'll hit and explode?
Another gas to make them die?
Some ship that doesn't struggle
But, light, sails on the waves?
Some mine that makes a rumble?"

I, laughing, reveal the secret
He, joyful, says to me, "Jesus
Water in your mouth, look behind you
Carte blanche, boy, do what you will"

Alone, dressed in spring flowers
Brighter than the sun, beautiful, be, beautiful, be
From Naples you leave for the front
On the front lines, with me, with me

Here is the order of battle
But the enemy is already dazzled
The general runs amuck
The colonel loses his mind
Takes a telescope in his hand
Mistakes the plan to look at you
You approach, but he sighs more
The artilleryman, who loses his aim
And the cannon that wants to fire?

The enemies, with their eyes outside
Don't even fight anymore
Paper and pen, the Emperor
Signs the peace that you want to make

Heaven, and what should there be for Rome
When peace is made, people, gè, people, gè
Called to court, my dear, come back, come back
What pride do you want to have, to have
Who will give her a May rose?
Who will take her for a ride?

The Frenchman smiles
The American makes a sign to him
And the Englishman, who is quartered
With binoculars he wants to look at her
The Moroccans kneel down
Serbs, Greeks and Montenegrins
An African wants to kiss her

Young lady, now I'm tired
Tell you with a slap
I lent myself to the Country
But the girl is mine