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La Calignèra  
(The Sweetheart) (The Girl Friend)
Nissart lyrics by Franck Pilatte, known as Nouncle Gibas, music by Hyacinthe Tarelli, known as Cinto Tarelli. Traditional from County of Nice.
| 1st verse |
O Madalin, o la mièu calignèra,
Aquesta nuech ai fach un bèu pantai :
Mé tu en brasseta anavi per carrièra
En regardant li gèn virà lou mai.
E de ti veire,
Mi pouodes crèire,
Audìi cadun cantà coum’un refren :
Que meravia,
Aquella fiha !
A d’uès plus vièu qu’un parèu de calèn ! | | Oh! Magdalen, oh! my pretty lover,
This night I had a dream:
With you, arm in arm, I was going through the streets
While looking people dancing the May.
And at your sight,
You can believe me,
I heard everybody singing as a chorus:
What a marvel,
This girl!
She got eyes sharper than a pair of oil lamps! |
Chorus |
Escoutas, jouventura,
L’allegre tirignoun
Que souon’en l’aria pura :
Madalin ! Madaloun ! (twice) | | Let listen, young people,
The merry chime
That rings in the pure air:
Magdalen! Magdalen! (twice) |
2nd verse |
En ti veèn sas bèn que lou couor sauta,
Lu tiéu chivus de l’or an la coulou
E li tiéu labra e li tiéu fresqui gauta
Soun de tresor que fan vergougna ai flou.
Courouna e dansa
An pas de chansa :
Coura li siès, degun li pensa plus...
Canta, cantaire !
Rima, rimaire !
Lou mès de mai e lou printèms siès tu ! | | When seeing you, let know that the heart jolts,
Your hair is gold-coloured
And your lips and your fresh cheeks
Are treasures that make the flowers ashamed.
Crown (1) and dance
Haven’t got a chance:
When you are there, everybody forget them...
Let sing, singer!
Let rhyme, rhymester!
The month of May and spring, it’s you! |
3rd verse |
O Madalena, estèla qu’embarluga,
En la miéu nuech venguères t’esplandì.
Au tiéu regart que manda de beluga,
Paure mesquin, noun pouodi qu’òubedi.
Bella bouscarla,
Se m’aimes, parla
E creserai, lou diéu precis, precis,
Que Dièu mi laisse
Veire renaisse
Douse fès l’an lou mai en paradis ! | | Oh! Magdalen, star that dazzles,
Within my night you came and spread out.
At your gaze that throws out sparks,
Poor unfortunate, I can only obey.
Pretty warbler,
If you love me, let speak
And I will believe, I say this precisely,
That God let me
See the month of May spring up again
Twelve times a year in paradise! |
1. The crown of the queen of May.
| Bibliography | | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 156-157. | | • | revue Armanac niçart, Nice, 1910, p. 26-27. | | • | revue Nice historique, Nice, n° 11, 1908, p. 192 ; n° 3, 1938, p. 75. |
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