'O surdato 'nnammurato

"'O Surdato 'Nnamurato" (in English: "The Soldier in Love") is one of the most famous songs ever written in the Neapolitan language.

The words were written by Aniello Califano in 1915; the music was composed by Enrico Cannio. The song describes the sadness of a soldier who is fighting at the front during World War I, and who pines for his beloved.

Anna Magnani's performance of the song, in the film La sciantosa, is well known, as is the more modern version of Massimo Ranieri. Nini Grassia directed a film which took its name from the song in 1983.

Text

Staje luntana da stu core,

a te volo cu 'o penziero:

niente voglio e niente spero

ca tenerte sempe a fianco a me!

Si' sicura 'e chist'ammore

comm'i' so' sicuro 'e te...

Oje vita, oje vita mia...

oje core 'e chistu core...

si' stata 'o primmo ammore...

e 'o primmo e ll'ùrdemo sarraje pe' me!

Quanta notte nun te veco,

nun te sento 'int'a sti bbracce,

nun te vaso chesta faccia,

nun t'astregno forte 'mbraccio a me?!

Ma, scetánnome 'a sti suonne,

mme faje chiagnere pe' te...

Oje vita....

Scrive sempe e sta' cuntenta:

io nun penzo che a te sola...

Nu penziero mme cunzola,

ca tu pienze sulamente a me...

'A cchiù bella 'e tutte bbelle,

nun è maje cchiù bella 'e te!

Oje vita....

External links

• 'O surdato 'nnammurato at IMDb, 1983

• E-chords

• Italian translation