DOVE TIA O VENTO
(Beppe Gambetta)

A nònna Giò a l'ea sola co-i sò figgi
o maio o l'ea partio sensa tornâ
barba Langin o l'ea un pescou da scheuggi
o Mingo o l'ea nasciuo pe navegâ
Cillin o l'ea emigrou doî anni primma
O voeiva ‘na bitega d'armassin
o mâ o se l'é piggiou no l'an ciù visto
a cascia a l'é tornâ co-i vestî boin

E o figgio o ghe dixea no ghe pensâ
à Zena cöse ti ghe veu tornâ
ô sò ti m'æ lasciou o lumme inta scâ
ma o mâ o l'é torna gròsso
e l'ægua a l'intra drento
no van ciù a-a Bocca van dove tia o vento

L'aivan scorrii e a guæra a l'ea finia
ma l'erba gramma a cresce in tutti i canti
a nasce inti fiagni, in sce l'erze, a l'é ‘na marottia
e son tornæ de luggio ean in tanti
anche o Balilla o l'é tornou, o l'é mòrto zoeno
gh'an tiou ch’o l'aiva in man un estintô
no emmo mai capio se o l'é servio
e comme l'erba gramma a torna sciù

E o figgio o ghe dixea no ghe pensâ
à Zena cöse ti ghe veu tornâ
ô sò ti m'æ lasciou o lumme inta scâ
ma o mâ o l'é torna gròsso
e l'ægua a l'intra drento
no van ciù a-a Bocca van dove tia o vento

Ancheu no se parlemmo ciù tra i gòtti
no se respia ciù (o) færo nè (o) carbon
ma pâ che sta çittæ a vegne zu à tòcchi
e no gh'é manco ciù a revoluçion
resta a bellessa ch'a te core ancon apreuvo
a te piggia e un giorno a te faià tornâ
bellessa che ti vëgni ancon ciù bella
bellessa a no peu dâte da mangiâ

E o figgio o ghe dixea no ghe pensâ
à Zena cöse ti ghe veu tornâ
ô sò ti m'æ lasciou o lumme inta scâ
ma o mâ o l'é torna gròsso
e l'ægua a l'intra drento
no van ciù a-a Bocca van dove tia o vento

Ma l'aegua a nu perdunna
e o mâ o l'é torna drento
no van ciù a-a Bocca van dove tia o vento

(English translation)

Grandma Giò was alone with her children
her husband had left and never returned
Uncle Langìn was a rock fisherman
Mingo was born to sail
Cillin had emigrated two years earlier
he wanted to own a hardware store
the sea took him, they never saw him again
the sea chest was returned with all his best clothes

And the son told him not to think about it
why do you want to go back to Genoa
I know you left the light on the staircase
but the sea is thick again
and the water enters
they no longer go to Boca they go where the wind blows

They sent them away and the war was over
but the bad grass grows in every corners
born in the rows, on the slopes, it is a disease
and they returned in July they were many
Balilla also came back and died young
he was shot while he was holding a fire extinguisher
we never knew if it was worth it
and how the bad grass would grow again

And the son told him not to think about it
why do you want to go back to Genoa
I know you left the light on the staircase
but the sea is thick again
and the water enters
they no longer go to Boca they go where the wind blows

Today we no longer talk and drink wine
we no longer breathe iron and coal
but it seems that this city falls to pieces
and the hope of revolution is gone
the beauty that pursues you persists
it will seize you and compell your return
beauty that becomes ever more beautiful
but beauty cannot feed you

And the son told him not to think about it
why do you want to go back to Genoa
I know you left the light on the staircase
but the sea is thick again
and the water enters
they no longer go to Boca they go where the wind blows

But the water does not forgive
and the sea enters
they no longer go to Boca they go where the wind blows