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Tammurriata Nera
The song Tammurriata Nera is an anthem to resistance and to the fight against social injustice. Its story is rooted in the Naples of the 1960s, during a historical period marked by deep social and political tensions.
The song, written by E. A. Mario and set to music by maestro Vincenzo Russo, tells of the struggles of workers in Southern Italy, forced to live in conditions of extreme poverty and exploitation. The tammurriata is the rhythm of this struggle, carried forward with great passion and determination by the song's protagonists.
In particular, the lyrics tell the story of a woman who rises at dawn to go and work in the fields, defying hunger, cold and exhaustion. But the passion and strength that drive her are even greater than her fatigue, and so, as she beats the drum, the protagonist repeats her plea for justice like a mantra:
"Tammurriata nera, 'o siente' 'e mare, (Black tammurriata, do you hear the sea,)
'int'o core miezo, nun s'ha da jamme, (right in the middle of the heart, it mustn't go away,)
munno 'e llotta e munno 'e guerre, (a world of struggle and a world of wars,)
ma a vudè passà' 'a nuttata 'e stelle". (but to see the starry night pass by.)
The song has also been the subject of numerous reinterpretations and covers over the years, a testament to its great importance in the culture and history of Southern Italy. Even today, Tammurriata Nera stands as a symbol of pride and rebellion for all those who fight against the world's injustices, and as a wonderful act of cultural resistance.
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Neapolitan songs
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