You Want to Act American
Renato Carosone
This is a tricky translation; the original is more or less in Neapolitan dialect, which I don’t know much of. I hope some qualified readers will jump in to help out!
| Puorte ‘e cazune cu nu stemma arreto…na cuppulella cu ‘a visiera aizata… passa scampanianno pe’ Tuleto comm’a nuguappo, pe’ se fa’ guarda’…Tu vuo’ fa’ l’americano mericano, mericano… sient’a mme chi t’ ‘o ffa fa’?tu vuoi vivere alla moda, ma se bevi “whisky and soda” po’ te siente ‘e disturba’…Tu abball’ o’ rocchenroll tu giochi a baisiboll…ma e solde p’ e’ Ccamel chi te li da la borsetta di mamma Tu vuo’ fa’ l’americano mericano, mericano… ma si’ nato in Italy!sient’ a mme: nun ce sta niente ‘a fa’ ok, napulitan! tu vuo’ fa’ l’american tu vuo’ fa’ l’american!
Come te po’ capi’ chi te vo’ bbene si tu lle parle miezo americano? Tu vuo’ fa’ l’americano sient’a mme chi t’ ‘o ffa fa’? ma e solde p’ e’ Ccamel Tu vuo’ fa’ l’americano sient’ a mme: nun ce sta niente ‘a fa’ | You wear trousers with a logo on the back and a cap with the visor raised you walk jingling down the Tuleto like a Mafioso to get yourself looked atYou want to act American, American, American listen to me, who forces you to do it? You want to be fashionable but if you drink “whisky and soda”you will feel “a disturbance” [gastric] You dance rock ‘n’ roll you play baseball but the money for the Camels who gives it to you? Mamma’s purse. You want to act American, American, American, but you were born in Italy! Listen to me, there’s nothing to doOK, Neapolitan!
You want to act American, How can you understand that I care about you How are you capable of saying “I love you”? etc. |
Don’t miss the Sophia Loren version:
And then there’s this dance.
perhaps I can help you, I live near Naples 😉
cu nu stemma arreto = con uno stemma dietro = with a logo behind.
passa scampanianno pe’ Tuleto = passi scampanando per (via) Toledo = you walk jingling on Toledo (street). Via Toledo is the Naples’ Main Street.
nuguappo (nu guappo) = un bullo = a bully (literally the “guappo” is a gangster).
Come te po’ capi’ chi te vo’ bbene si tu lle parle miezo americano? = come può capirti chi ti vuole bene se tu le parli mezzo americano?= how can someone who loves you, understand you, if you speak to her half american? (i.e. half american and half neapolitan language).
Please note that “te” is the object of the verb “capi’(= capire = understand)” and “chi (te vo’ bbene)” is the subject of the auxiliary verb “po’(= può = can)”.
😉
I hope I have been of some help and enjoy the neapolitan songs!
Ciao dall’Italia!
Marco
here is a video with the complete lyrics…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23np2iwMQaE
thx for the idea!
I remember an English version of this being used on an advert (I think it was for jeans, not totally sure) a few years ago.
why they write uncomplete words?? it’s diffycult understand on that way. don’t you think??
Thanks for sharing the lyrics. Tante grazie 🙂
Pretty good translation, but “comme t vene ‘ncapp ‘e di’ “I love youâ€? Means more literally, “Come ti viene nella testa di dire ‘I love you’?”. Or how does it come to you to say I love you, or what makes you think to say I love you.
And, Comm t po’ capi’ chi te vo’ bbene?, means How can the one who loves you understand you.
I hope I helped.
Stà teve bbuon’!
Tu vuo’ fa’ l’americano
Literally: You want to be the American
Meaning: You’re an American wannabe
Come te po’ capi’ chi te vo’ bbene
si tu lle parle miezzo americano?
quanno se fa ll’ammore sott’ ‘a luna
comme te vene ‘ncapa ‘e di’ “I love you�
How can the one who loves you (your girl friend) understand you
If you speak to her in Half-american
When you make love under the moon (When there’s love to be made, under the moon)
How does it occur to you to say “I love you� ( Where do you get off saying “I love you�)
Marco…I learnt French with french songs….but in this case, although I love the song and all the canzoni napoletane…that is not italian but a dialect spoken in Napoli….