| English Version by Didier Agid and William Hinshaw
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LA BRUTTA NOMEA | THE BAD REPUTATION |
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N’i’ quartiere indove sto | 'Round here, with no exaggeration |
di perbene nomea nun ho. | I have a bad reputation. |
Che mi segga o che resti in piè | Stayin’ dum’ or trying my best |
passo pe’ ’un lo so icché. | They’d just want me under arrest |
Noia poi a me ’un mi par di danne, | Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone |
i Prozàcche tienti, mi fo le canne. | Going round in my own way all alone: |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | But those folks they sure don’t like me |
la pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see. |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | No, those folks they sure don’t like me |
io pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see.. |
E se tutti mi dican « Reo! » | They slander me most every day, |
I’muto so che ’un dirà beo. | Except the mutes needless to say! |
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N’i’ dumila de’ giubilei | When the Fourth Day comes in July, |
a Roma andetti a i’ praidde gay. | Inside'n my cosy bed I lie |
Se Mameli sento ’ntona’ | The music that struts by in time |
io Battan l’otto vo’cantà. | I disregard, it isn’t mine. |
Male poi a me ’un mi par di fanne | Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone |
se assolverò le altrui condanne. | With my disrespect towards the clarion sound. |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | But those folks they sure don’t like me |
la pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see. |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | No, those folks they sure don’t like me |
io pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see.. |
se la gente m’additerà | Everyone points a finger my way, |
i’ monco so che ’un lo farà. | Except the handless, needless to say! |
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A un bambino toccò scappar, | When a luckless thief does me pass |
gli dava dietro i’ padron d’i’ bar. | With a redneck on his ass, |
Feci apposta a allungare i’ piède, | I stick out a foot. Is it a sin, |
a strasciconi i’ barista andiede. | The redneck plows the earth with his chin? |
Quello zinganello, italiano o romme, | Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone |
s’era messo in tasca un par di gomme. | Givin’ a hand to poor men on the run. |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | But those folks they sure don’t like me |
la pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see. |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | No, those folks they sure don’t like me |
io pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see.. |
Se a corsa addosso mi si darà | All these types hurl themselves my way |
lo zopp’un si fa né ’n qua né ’n là. | Except the legless, needless to say! |
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Nun ci vol lo strolago pe’ | No need to be Jeremiah |
sape’ la fine che tocca a me: | To divine the fate for this pariah |
Trovo i nazi e, se son di più, | If they find a rope to suit their taste |
da un ponte a me mi volan giù. | They’ll pass it ‘round my neck with haste. |
Pe’ la strada mia ridotto in coma | Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone |
solo perché la nun portava a Roma. | Wandering on roads far away from old Rome, |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | But those folks they sure don’t like me |
la pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see. |
Perbenista ’un sopporti che | No, them folks they sure don’t like me |
io pensi differente a te. | I follow a different path, you see.. |
Da qui’ ponte, tu vòi, lo so, | They’ll see me sway from a dogwood, |
morto vedemmi … ma l’orbo no. | Except the blind, well understood! |