Italians at their best: proud, defiant, and skilled singers (and handsome ladies, as well!). This song is titled "Brigante se More" (We die as brigands). It celebrates the unsuccessful resistance of the Neapolitan guerrilla fighters who tried to contrast the Northern Armies in the 1860s. Sung in the Neapolitan dialect, it was written by Eugenio Bennato in modern times, but following the rhythm and the meaning of ancient songs. It is a sad song that tells of desperate people who died for their land. They were not heroes, many of them were true bandits, some may have been true patriots: wars are never one-sided stories. We remember them as part of the human struggle against immense forces that always crush the weak and reward the strong, no matter who is right and who is wrong.
Musically, this is perhaps a better version. Also this one. Less spectacular singers, though.
Pecchè sta musica s'ha da cagnà
Simme brigant' e facimme paura
E ca sch'uppetta vulimme cantà
E ca sch'uppetta vulimme cantà
Tutta la gente se l'ha da 'mparà
Nun ce ne fott' do' re Burbone
A terra è a nosta e nun s'ha da tuccà
(A terra è a nosta e nun s'ha da tuccà oh ah)
Se so' scetat' e mo stann' a luttà
Pure a Calabbria mo s' è arravutat'
E 'stu nemic' o facimm' tremmà
(E 'stu nemic' o facimm' tremmà ah ah ah)
Nun sape buon qual'è 'a verità
O ver' lup' ca magn' e creatur'
È o piemuntese c'avimm' 'a caccià
(È o piemuntese c'avimm' 'a caccià eh ah)
Se nu brigant' vulit' salvà
Nun u' cercat' scurdat'v' o nome
Chi ce fa a guerra nun tien' a pietà
(Chi ce fa a guerra nun tien' a pietà)
Ma fin' all'utm' avimm' a sparà
E se murim' menat' nu fior'
È 'na bestemmia pe' 'sta libertà
(È' na bestemmia pe' 'sta libertà)
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