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Hear samples
of lullabies in Italian, follow the words, sing along and understand in
English. You will find the audio samples below, with the lyrics. More
about Italian Lullabies
The Lullabies are now available for purchase |
Buy the lullabies CD |
Download digital lullabies from iTunes |
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Go to sleep, my Simone
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Buy on iTunes  |
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Nana bobò,
*
nana bobò,
all children are sleeping
and Guido isn’t.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, for one year,
health to your father and then wealth.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, cradle baby.
Your mother is not here, she has gone away
Nana bobò,
nana bobò,
all children are sleeping
and Guido isn’t. |
Nana bobò,
nana bobò,
tutti i bambini dormen
e Guido no.
E dormi, dormi, dormi per un anno,
La sanità a to padre poi il guadagno
E dormi, dormi, dormi, bambin de cuna.
To mama no la gh’è la a-sé andà via
Nana bobò,
nana bobò,
tutti i bambini dormen
e Guido no |
About
Nana Bobo’
This is a beautiful and very ancient lullaby of the Veneto lagoon.
Balkan and Byzantine influences are evident in the structure of
the song. The lullaby singer is wishing health and wealth to a beloved
child who doesn’t want to sleep. The mother is not present. This
lullaby has several more lines but they contain words in many dialects,
so only few verses will be presented here:
Nana is a word meaning ‘sleep’. Bobò is a term of endearment, with
no specific meaning.
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The shepherd cries
when it snows,
he doesn’t cry when he eats the‘Ricotta’*.
The shepherd cries when it rains,
he doesn’t cry when he eats the ‘Caciole’*
Hush a bye, my Simone,
You will learn your father’s art,
You will learn to use the cross-cut saw,
Hush a bye, my Simone.
Hush a bye, my sweetie,
Your dad has come,
he has brought a little hat for you,
Hush a bye, my sweetie.
Hush a bye, rag baby boy,
Until it will be half past twelve,
Until the bread in the oven will be ready,
Until it will be half past twelve,
Until the bread will be ready,
the damsels are in the square,
my baby is in his big bed,
and sleep, my Simone. |
Il pecoraio piange
quando fiocca,
non piange quando mangia la ricotta.
Il pecoraio piange quando piove
Non piange quando mangia le caciole
Fai la ninna mio Simone,
Imparerai l’arte del babbo,
Imparerai a tirar il segone,
Fai la ninna mio Simone.
Fai la ninna, citolo mio,
E’ venuto lo babbo tuo,
ha portato un cappellino,
Fai la ninna citolino.
Fai la ninna pupo de pezza,
Finché battera’ la mezza,
Finché è cotto il pane in forno,
Finché batte mezzogiorno.
Finché è fatta la focaccia,
Le donzelle stanno in piazza,
Il mio bimbo sta nel lettone,
E fai la ninna mio Simone. |
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About
Go to sleep, my Simone
Go to sleep, my Simone is an example of the Italian old folk lullabies
which depicts a feeling of the simple way of living in the old days.
This is a lullaby from Tuscany and shows an initial exuberant tone
followed by the sweeter pace of the cradle song. The mother is with
her baby boy and she envisions his future following the father’s
pattern in life and work. Other women are in the square talking
and walking pleasantly, but she is at home cooking the focaccia
bread and looking after her baby. The lullaby’s opening is exuberant
and loud and the text is apparently very remote from what is usually
a subject for a baby going to sleep. Then it takes a more calm and
deep tone.
*Caciotta: a soft cheese from Central Italy
*Ricotta: soft white unsalted cheese |
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Star,
little star
The night is approaching:
the flame is tottering,
The cow is in the cowshed.
The sheep and the lamb,
the cow with the calf,
The hen with its chicks,
The cat with its kittens;
and all are sleeping
In the mother’s heart!
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Stella
stellina
la notte si avvicina:
la fiamma traballa,
la mucca é nella stalla.
La pecora e l'agnello,
la vacca col vitello,
la chioccia coi pulcini,
la gatta coi gattini;
e tutti fan la nanna
nel cuore della mamma!
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About
Star, Little Star
There is no indication on when and where this lullaby was created.
It shows standard Italian and is one of the most popular cradle
songs, used all over Italy. When Italians aged seventy and over
have been asked if they have heard this song in their infancy, their
response has been positive. So, we believe that Stella Stellina
can be considered to be quite an old lullaby.
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Go
to bed-byes, little chicken legs,
Mum made a skirt for you,
She made it with the scallop border.
Go to bed-byes, little chicken legs.
Sleep, sleep, little chicken legs,
Mum made a skirt for you,
She made it with the scallop border.
Sleep, sleep, little chicken legs. |
Fate la nanna coscine di pollo,
la vostra mamma vi ha fatto un gonnello,
e ve l'ha fatto con lo smerlo in tondo,
fate la nanna coscine di pollo.
Dormi, dormi coscine di pollo,
che la mamma cuce il gonnello;
te lo cuce con tutto il contorno.
Dormi, dormi coscine di pollo
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About
Go to bed-byes, little chicken legs
Italian mothers know this lullaby, which is used regularly with
no text variations. The little chicken legs can easily be those
of little babies and the skirt refers to the time when many mothers
could dedicate their attention to activities such as producing pieces
of crochet for their babies.
This is a lullaby from Tuscany and naming a baby “little chicken
legs” is an example of the great sense of humour of people from
this region. Go to bed-byes, little chicken legs is very popular
all over Italy. |
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Hush a bye, little prince,
Hush a bye, little heart,
Sleep well in your cradle,
Your mum is here, close by.
Close your eyes, sleep for a long time
And you will see that everything is enchanting.
Red, green, blue and gold
Are more beautiful, my sweetheart.
Viola, harp and mandolin:
Everything is sound for my little baby boy
Hush a bye, little rose,
hush a bye, little doll
Sleep well in your cradle,
Your mum is here, close by.
Close your eyes, sleep for a long time
And you will see that everything is enchanting.
Red, green, blue and gold
Are more beautiful, my sweetheart.
Viola, harp and mandolin:
Everything is sound for my little baby boy |
Fai
la nanna principino,
Fai la nanna cuoricino,
Dormi bene nel lettino,
Che la mamma e’ qui vicino.
Chiudi gli occhi dormi tanto
E vedrai tutto e’ un incanto.
Rosso, verde, azzurro e oro
Son piu’ belli, mio tesoro.
Viola, arpa e mandolino:
Tutto e’ suono per il mio bambino
Fai la nanna rosellina,
Fai la nanna bambolina,
Dormi bene nel lettino,
Che la mamma e’ qui vicino.
Chiudi gli occhi dormi tanto
E vedrai tutto e’ un incanto.
Rosso, verde, azzurro e oro
Son piu’ belli, mio tesoro.
Viola, arpa e mandolino:
Tutto e’ suono per il mio bambino
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About
Lullaby of sounds and colours
This is a contemporary lullaby, just composed for the European Union
Lingua project “Languages from the Cradle”. It is in a standard
Italian and is dedicated to a baby boy and a baby girl who, while
sleeping, or half-sleeping with his/her parents, explore a dream
world made of beautiful colours and sounds.
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