Santa Lucia (A Song Of Naples)

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Santa Lucia (A Song Of Naples)

By Thomas Keyes
Mar. 15, 2005

One of the finest of traditional Italian songs is “Santa Lucia”. At the time that this song came into being, there was no Italy as we know it today. There was, however, a kingdom called "Naples and Sicily", where Santa Lucia, a Catholic saint, was revered, so there is a waterfront district in Naples called “Santa Lucia”, where of course small craft as well as ships were moored, and that explains the name of the song. Here’s a painting of the Catholic saint, Santa Lucia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Beccafumilucy.jpg

The song was collected and transcribed from the Neapolitan dialect (dialect of Naples) into standard Italian in 1849 by Teodoro Cottrau. How much older than that it may be is unclear to me. Anyway, I’ve never heard anyone singing any version except the Neapolitan version, which was sung by Caruso, Lanza, Pavarroti and others, so I haven’t tried to find the standard Italian lyrics. Here is a URL that has two instrumental versions of the song, along with the Neapolitan lyrics, as well as translations into German and Swedish, and a pretentious translation of some of the stanzas into English. My translation is more faithful to the original because I haven’t attempted to fit the words to the melody:

http://ingeb.org/songs/santaluc.html

Here is Caruso, singing part of the song: http://www.italiamerica.org/SantaLucia.htm

SANTA LUCIA (Neapolitan Lyrics)

Sul mare luccica l’astro d’argento.
Placida è l’onda. Prospero è il vento.
Sul mare luccica, l’astro d’argento.
Placida è l’onda. Prospero è il vento.
Venite all’agile, barchetta mia,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Venite all’agile, barchetta mia,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

Con questo zeffiro, così soave,
Oh, com’è bello star sulla nave!
Con questo zeffiro, così soave,
Oh, com’è bello star sulla nave!
Su passegieri! Venite via!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Su passegieri! Venite via!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!

In fra le tende, bandir la cena
In una sera così serena,
In fra le tende, bandir la cena
In una sera così serena,
Chi non dimanda, chi non desia.
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Chi non dimanda, chi non desia.
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

Mare si placida, vento si caro,
Scordar fa i triboli al marinaro,
Mare si placida, vento si caro,
Scordar fa i triboli al marinaro,
E va gridando con allegria,
“Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!”
E va gridando con allegria,
“Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!”

O dolce Napoli, o suol beato,
Ove sorridere volle il creato,
O dolce Napoli, o suol beato,
Ove sorridere volle il creato,
Tu sei impero dell’armonia,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Tu sei impero dell’armonia,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

Or che tardate? Bella è la sera.
Spira un’auretta fresca e leggiera.
Or che tardate? Bella è la sera.
Spira un’auretta fresca e leggiera.
Venite all’agile, barchetta mia,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Venite all’agile, barchetta mia,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

SANTA LUCIA (English translation)

Over the sea shines a silver star.
Placid is the wave. Fair is the wind.
Over the sea shines a silver star.
Placid is the wave. Fair is the wind.
Come to my swift little boat,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Come to my swift little boat,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

With this zephyr so gentle,
Oh, how fine it is to be on the ship!
With this zephyr so gentle,
Oh, how fine it is to be on the ship!
Get aboard, passengers! Come this way!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Get aboard, passengers! Come this way!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!

To eat supper among the sails
On an evening that’s so serene,
To eat supper among the sails
On an evening that’s so serene,
That doesn’t need anything, that doesn’t lack anything.
Santa Lucia. Santa Lucia.
That doesn’t need anything, that doesn’t lack anything.
Santa Lucia. Santa Lucia.

A sea so placid, a breeze so delightful,
Makes the mariner forget his troubles,
A sea so placid, a breeze so delightful,
Makes the mariner forget his troubles,
And he goes crying merrily,
“Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!”
And he goes crying merrily,
“Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!”

Oh, sweet Naples, oh, blessed soil,
Where Creation wanted to smile,
Oh, sweet Naples, oh blessed sun,
Where Creation wanted to smile,
You are the empire of harmony,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
You are the empire of harmony,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

Now why do you tarry? Fair is the evening.
It breathes a little breeze, fresh and light.
Now why do you tarry? Fair is the evening.
It breathes a little breeze, fresh and light.
Come to my swift little boat,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.
Come to my swift little boat,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia

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About the author Thomas Keyes: I have written two books: A SOJOURN IN ASIA (non-fiction) and A TALE OF UNG (fiction), neither published so far.

I have studied languages for years and traveled extensively on five continents.

Email: udikeyes@yahoo.com

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