An Evening of
La Canzone Napoletana Classica
Featuring
Joe Caliva
(singer/guitarist)
​​​
​
The Plastic Club
247 South Camac Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:30 PM
Program
1. 'Na voce, 'na chitarra e 'o poco 'e luna (1954)
Music: Carlo Alberto Rossi / Lyrics: Ugo Calise
2. Te voglio bene assaje (1835)
Music: Filippo Campanella or Gaetano Donizetti / Lyrics: Raffaele Sacco
​
Music & Lyrics: Totò (Antonio De Curtis)
​
Music: Eduardo Di Capua / Lyrics: Vincenzo Russo
​
Music: Salvatore Mazzocco / Lyrics: Umberto Martucci
​
Music: Teodoro Cottrau / Lyrics: Michele Zezza
​​
Music: Ernesto De Curtis / Lyrics: Raffaele Sacco
​
Music: Rodolfo Falvo / Lyrics: Alfredo Falcone Fieni
​
9. Tu vuo' fa' l'americano (1956)
Music: Salvatore Cardillo / Lyrics: Riccardo Cordiferro
​
Music: Salve D'Esposito / Lyrics: Tito Manlio​
​​
Music: Eduardo Di Capua / Lyrics: Giovanni Capurro
Lyrics / Translations
'Na voce, 'na chitarra e 'o poco 'e luna
'Na voce, 'na chitarra e 'o ppoco 'e luna
E che vuò cchiù pe' fà 'na serenata?
Pe' suspirà d'ammore chianu chiano
Pparole ddoce pe' 'na 'nnammurata:
"Te voglio bbene, tanto tantu bbene!
Luntano 'a te nun pozzo cchiù campà".
'Na voce, 'na chitarra e 'o ppoco 'e luna
E comm'è ddoce chesta serenata!
'A vocca toja s'accosta cchiù vicina
E tu t'astrigne a mme cchiù appassiunata.
Cu 'na chitarra e 'nu felillo 'e voce
Cu' tte vicino canto e sò felice.
Ammore, nun pozzo cchiù scurdarme 'e te!​​
A voice, a guitar, and a little moonlight
A voice, a guitar, and a little moonlight
What more do you need to make a serenade?
To softly sigh with love,
Sweet words for a beloved:
"I love you, so very much!
I can’t live without you anymore."
A voice, a guitar, and a little moonlight,
How sweet this serenade is!
Your lips come closer,
And you hold me tightly and passionately.
With a guitar and a soft voice,
I sing beside you and I’m happy.
My love, I can never forget you!
Te voglio bbene assaje
​
Pecché quanno me vide
Te 'ngrife comm'a gatto?
Nennè, che t'aggio fatto
Ca no' me può vedè?
Io t'aggio amato tanto,
Si t'amo tu lo saje.
​
Io te voglio bbene assaje
E tu non pienze a me.
La notte tutte dormeno,
Ma io che bbuò durmì!
Penzanno â nenna mia,
Mme sento ascevolì.
Li quarte d'ora sonano
A uno, a ddoje, a tre.
Guardame 'nfaccia e vide
Comme song'arredutto:
Sicco, peliento e brutto,
Nennella mia, pe' tte!
Cusuto a filo duppio
Co tte me vedarraje.​
I Love You So Much
​
Why, when you see me,
Do you become furious like a cat?
Darling, what have I done to you
That you don't want to see me?
I loved you so much,
You know I still do.
I love you so much
But you don't think of me.
At night, everyone sleeps,
But I can't sleep at all!
Thinking of my beloved
I feel myself weakening.
The clock chimes
One, two, three.
Look at my face and see
How I've changed:
Thin, pale, and ugly,
All because of you, my dear!
Sewn up with a double thread,
You'll always find me tied to you.
Malafemmena
​
Si avisse fatto a 'n'ato
Chello c'hê fatto a mme,
'St'ommo t'avesse acciso
E vuò sapè pecché?
Pecché 'ncopp'a 'sta terra,
Ffemmene comm'a tte,
Nun ce hann' 'a stà pe' 'n'ommo
Onesto comm'a mme.
Femmena,
Tu sì 'na malafemmena!
Chist'uocchie hê fatto chiagnere
Llacreme 'e 'nfamità.
Femmena,
Sì tu peggio 'e 'na vipera.
M'hê 'ntussecato ll'anema,
Nun pozzo cchiù campà.
Femmena,
Sì doce comm' ô zzuccaro,
Però 'sta faccia d'angelo
Te serve pe' 'ngannà.
Femmena,
Tu sì 'a c ho chiù bella femmena!
Te voglio bbene e t'odio,
Nun te pozzo scurdà.
Te voglio ancora bbene,
Ma tu nun saje pecché.
Pecché ll'unico ammore
Sì stata tu pe' mme.
E tu, pe' 'nu capriccio,
Tutto hê distrutto, oje nè!
Ma Ddio nun t' 'o pperdona
Chello c'hê fatto a mme.
Wicked Woman
​
If you had done to another man
What you did to me,
That man would’ve killed you,
And do you want to know why?
Because in this world,,
Women like you
Shouldn’t be with an honest man
Like me.
Woman,
You’re a wicked woman!
These eyes of mine have cried
Bitter tears.
Woman,
You’re worse than a viper.
You’ve poisoned my soul,
I can’t live anymore.
Woman,
You’re as sweet as sugar,
But that angelic face of yours
Is only there to deceive.
Woman,
You are such a beautiful woman!
I love you and I hate you,
But I can't forget you.
I still love you,
But you don’t know why.
Because the only love
I’ve ever had was you.
And you, on a whim,
You've destroyed everything, oh, my dear!
But God won’t forgive you
For what you’ve done to me.
Maria, Marì
​
Arapete, fenesta,
Famme affaccià a Maria!
Ccà stongo 'mmiez' â via
Speruto d' 'a vedè.
Nun trovo 'n'ora 'e pace.
'A notte 'a faccio juorno,
Sempe pe' stà ccà attuorno,
Speranno 'e ce parlà.
Oje Marì, oje Marì,
Quanta suonno ca perdo pe' tte!
Famme addurmì
Abbracciato 'nu poco cu' tte!
Oje Marì, oje Marì,
Quanta suonno ca perdo pe' tte!
Famme addurmì,
Oje Marì, oje Marì!
'Mmiez'a 'stu ciardeniello
Nce ride 'a malvarosa.
'Nu lietto 'e ffronne 'e rosa
Aggio fatto pe' tte.
Viene, c' 'a notte è ddoce,
'O cielo ch'è 'nu manto!
Tu duorme e io te canto
'A nonna a fianco a te.
Maria, Marie
​​
Open the window,
Let me see Maria!
I’m here in the middle of the street,
Desperate to catch a glimpse of her.
I can't find a moment of peace.
I stay up all night
Always hanging around here,
Hoping to speak to her.
Oh, Maria, oh, Maria,
How much sleep I lose because of you!
Let me fall asleep,
Just for a little while, with you in my arms!
Oh Maria, oh Maria,
How much sleep I lose because of you!
Let me sleep,
Oh Maria, oh Maria!
In this little garden,
The geraniums smile.
I’ve made a bed of rose petals
Just for you.
Come, the night is sweet,
The sky is like a blanket!
You sleep, and I’ll sing
A lullaby by your side.
Reginella​​
​
Te sì fatta 'na vesta scullata,
'Nu cappiello cu 'e nastre e cu 'e rrose.
Stive 'mmiez' a tre o quatto sciantose
E parlave francese. È accussì?
​
Fuje ll'autriere ca t'aggio 'ncuntrata,
Fuje ll'autriere a Tuleto, 'gnorsì.
​
T'aggio vuluto bbene a tte!
Tu m'hê vuluto bbene a mme!
Mò nun ce amammo cchiù,
Ma ê vvote tu,
Distrattamente, pienze a me.
​
Reginè, quanno stive cu mmico,
Nun magnave ca pane e ccerase.
Nuje campavamo 'e vase, e che vase!
Tu cantave e chiagnive pe' mme.
​
E 'o cardillo cantava cu ttico:
"Reginella 'o vò bbene a 'stu rre!"
​
T'aggio vuluto bbene a tte!
Tu m'hê vuluto bbene a mme!
Mò nun ce amammo cchiù,
Ma ê vvote tu,
Distrattamente, parle 'e me.
​
Oje cardillo, a chi aspiette stasera?
Nun 'o vvide? Aggio aperta 'a cajola.
Reginella è vulata, e tu, vola!
Vola e canta, nun chiagnere ccà!
​
T'hê 'a truvà 'na padrona sincera
Ca è cchiù degna 'e sentirte 'e cantà.
​
T'aggio vuluto bbene a tte!
Tu m'hê vuluto bbene a mme!
Mò nun ce amammo cchiù,
Ma ê vvote tu,
Distrattamente, chiamme a me.
Regina
​​
You were wearing a low-cut dress,
And a hat with ribbons and roses.
You were with three or four glamorous ladies,
Speaking French. Isn’t that right?
​
It seems like just yesterday I first saw you,
Just the other day, on Toledo Street, my young lady.
​
I loved you so much!
And you loved me too!
Now, that love is gone,
But sometimes,
Without realizing it, you still think of me.
Regina, when you were with me,
You lived on nothing but bread and cherries.
We survived on kisses— oh what kisses!
You would sing and cry for me.
And your goldfinch would sing along with you:
"The ‘young queen’ loves her king!"
I loved you so much!
And you loved me too!
Now, that love is gone,
But sometimes,
Without realizing it, you still talk about me.
​
Oh goldfinch, who are you waiting for tonight?
Don’t you see? I’ve opened the cage.
Regina has flown away—and you, fly!
Fly and sing, don’t cry here anymore!
You’ll find a new, sincere mistress
Who deserves to hear you sing.
I loved you so much!
And you loved me too!
Now, that love is gone,
But sometimes,
Without realizing it, you still call me.
Santa Lucia
​​
Comme se fricceca la luna chiena!
Lo mare ride, ll'aria è serena!
Vuje che facite 'mmiez'a la via?
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
'Sto viento frisco fa risciatare.
Chi vò spassarse jenno pe' mare
È pronta e lesta la varca mia!
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
La tenna è posta pe' fà 'na cena
E quanno stace la panza chiena,
Non c'è la minema melanconia!
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Pozzo accostare la varca mia?
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Santa Lucia
​​
How brightly the full moon is shining!
The sea is laughing, the air is calm.
What are you doing out in the street?
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
​
This fresh breeze is so relaxing.
Whoever wants to have fun by the sea,
My little boat is ready and waiting!
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
​
The table is set for a fine dinner,
And when your belly is full,
Not a trace of melancholy remains!
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
​
May I moor my little boat here?
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Torna a Surriento!
​​
Vide 'o mare quant'è bello!
Spira tantu sentimento,
Comme tu: a chi tiene mente,
Ca scetato 'o faje sunnà.
Guarda, guà chistu ciardino!
Siente, siè 'sti sciure 'arancio!
'Nu prufumo accussì fino
Dint' ô core se ne va.
E tu dice: "Io parto, addio!"
T'alluntane da 'stu core.
Da 'sta terra de ll'ammore
Tiene 'o core 'e nun turnà?
Ma nun me lassà,
Nun darme 'stu turmiento!
Torna a Surriento,
Famme campà!
Vide 'o mare de Surriento!
Che tesore tene 'nfunno!
Chi ha girato tutt' 'o munno,
Nun ll'ha visto comm'a ccà!
Guarda attuorno, 'sti Ssirene
Ca te guardano 'ncantate
E te vonno tantu bbene,
Te vulessero vasà!
Come back to Sorrento!
​​
Look at the sea, how beautiful it is!
It stirs such deep feelings,
Just like you, who in your thoughts
Awaken dreams in those you love.
Look, look at this garden!
Smell the fragrance of these orange blossoms!
A scent so delicate
That it touches the heart.
And you say: "I'm leaving, goodbye!"
You’re moving away from my heart,
From this land of love,
Can your heart really not return?
But don't leave me,
Don't give me this torment!
Come back to Sorrento,
Let me live!
Look at the sea of Sorrento!
What treasures lie in its depths!
Anyone who has traveled the world
Has never seen anything like this!
Look around at the Sirens
Who gaze at you in wonder,
And love you so much,
They wish to kiss you!
Funiculì, funiculà!
​​​​
Aissera, Nanninè, mme ne sagliette,
Tu saje addò? Tu saje addò?
Addò 'sto core 'ngrato cchiù dispiette
Farme nun pò, farme nun pò.
​
Addò lo ffuoco coce, ma si fuje,
Te lassa stà, te lassa stà.
E nun te corre appriesso e nun te struje
Sulo a guardà, sulo a guardà.
Jammo, jammo,
'Ncoppa jammo, jà!
Jammo, jammo,
'Ncoppa jammo, jà!
Funiculì, funiculà,
Funiculì, funiculà!
'Ncoppa jammo, jà,
Funiculì, funiculà!
​
Se n'è sagliuta, oje nè, se n'è sagliuta
La capa già, la capa già.
È ghiuta, po' è tornata, po' è venuta,
Sta sempe ccà, sta sempe ccà.
La capa vota, vota attuorno,
Attuorno a te, attuorno a te.
Lo core canta sempe 'no taluorno:
Sposammo, oje nè, sposammo, oje nè!
Funicular, funicular!
​​​​​
Last night, Joanie, I climbed up high—
Do you know where? Do you know where?
To where this cold, unfeeling heart of mine
Can no longer hurt me, can no longer hurt me.
​
Where the fire burns, but if you run,
It lets you go, it lets you go.
And it won’t come after you or burn you
Just for looking, just for looking.
​
Let’s go, let’s go,
Let’s go up to the top!
Let’s go, let’s go,
All the way to the top!
Funiculì, funiculà!
Funiculì, funiculà!
Let’s go up to the top—
Funiculì, funiculà!
​
It went up, oh dear, it went up—
I lost my head, I lost my head!
It left, then came back, then went up again—
But somehow, it's always here.
​
My head spins round and round,
Around you, around you.
And my heart keeps singing one refrain:
Let’s get married, my dear, let’s get married!
Tu Vuo' Fa' L'americano
​​​​​
Puorte 'e calzune cu nu stemma arreto
Na cuppulella cu 'a visiera aizata
Passa scampanianno pe' Tuledo
Comm'a nu guappo, pe' te fa' guardà
​
Tu vuo' fa' l'american'
'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' rock'n'roll
Tu gioch' a baseball
Ma 'e sorde p'è Camel
Chi te li dà?
La borsetta di mammà
​
Tu vuo' fa' l'american'
'Mericano, mericano
Ma si' nato in Italy
Sient' a mme, nun ce sta niente 'a fa
Okay, napulitan
Tu vuo' fa' l'america'
Tu vuo' fa' l'america'
​
Comme te po' capi' chi te vo' bene
Si tu le parle miezo americano
Quanno se fa l'ammore sott' 'a luna
Comme te vene 'ncapa 'e di': "I love you!"
You wanna be an American
​​​​​​
Wearing pants with a designer patch on the back,
A cap with the visor flipped up,
Strutting down Toledo Street making a scene,
Acting like a tough guy just to get noticed.
​
You wanna be an American,
American, American,
But listen, what’s the point?
You wanna live in style,
But if you drink whiskey and soda,
You’re going to feel sick.
​
You dance to rock ’n’ roll,
You play baseball,
But the money for your Camel cigarettes,
Who’s going to give it to you?
Your mama’s purse.
​
You wanna be an American,
American, American,
But you were born in Italy.
Listen to me, there’s nothing you can do.
Okay, Neapolitan?
You wanna be an American,
You wanna be an American.
​
How can your lover understand you
If you talk half in American?
When you’re making love under the moonlight,
How could you think of blurting out, “I love you!”
Anema e Core
​​​​​
Nuje ca perdimmo 'a pace e 'o suonno,
Nun ce dicimmo, maje pecché?
Vvocche ca vase nun ne vonno,
Nun sò 'sti vvocche, oje nè.
Pure, te chiammo e nun rispunne
Pe' fà dispietto a mme.
Tenimmoce accussì, anema e core!
Nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' 'n'ora.
'Stu desiderio 'e te me fa paura:
Campà cu tte,
Sempe cu tte
Pe' nun murì.
Che ce dicimmo a ffà pparole amare,
Si 'o bbene pò campà cu 'nu respiro?
Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,
Tenimmoce accussì, anema e core!
Forse sarrà c' 'o chianto è ddoce,
Forse sarrà ca bene fa…
Quanno mme sento cchiù felice,
Nun è felicità…
Specie si ê vvote tu me dice,
Distratta, 'a verità.
Heart and Soul
​​​​​​
We have both lost peace and sleep,
But, we never say why, do we?
Lips that no longer want to kiss—
These aren’t the lips I know, my love.
Yet, I call out to you, and you don’t answer,
Just to spite me, it seems.
​
Let’s hold on to this, my heart and soul!
Let’s never part again, not even for an hour.
This longing for you—it scares me:
To live with you,
Always with you,
Not to die.
Why would we speak bitter words,
If love can survive on just a single breath.
If you also long for this love,
Let’s hold on to this, my heart and soul!
​
Maybe it’s because crying feels sweet,
Or maybe it’s that love has its own ways…
When I feel happiest,
It’s not true happiness…
Especially when, at times,
You distractedly tell me the truth.
O Sole Mio
​​​​​
Che bella cosa è 'na jurnata 'e sole,
'N'aria serena doppo 'na tempesta!
Pe' ll'aria fresca pare già 'na festa.
Che bella cosa è 'na jurnata 'e sole!
Ma 'n'atu sole
Cchiù bello, oje nè,
'O sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te!
'O sole, 'o sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te,
Sta 'nfronte a te!
Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne,
Me vene quase 'na malincunia;
Sott' â fenesta toja restarria
Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne.
My Sun
​​​​​
What a beautiful thing is a sunny day,
The serene air after the storm!
The fresh air is like a celebration.
What a beautiful thing is a sunny day!
But another sun,
Even more beautiful, oh dear,
My own sun
Shines from you!
The sun, my own sun,
Shines from you,
Shines from you!
When night comes and the sun sets,
A kind of melancholy comes over me;
I would stay beneath your window
When night comes and the sun sets.