Canzone e Caffe

Caffe Gambrinus (Once called Il Gran Caffe)

The Espresso Break: After Domenico Barbaja's death in 1841, the theater culture of Naples continued its illustrious reputation, as did coffee. In 1860, The Gran Caffe opened one block from the Teatro San Carlo. A cafe-chantant (or singing cafe) in the style of Parisian coffee houses, it hosted painters, writers, and famous actors of the day. The name changed in 1870 to Gambrinus and then hosted, among others, Oscar Wilde.  


As a singing cafe, Gambrinus and the rest of the city saw the rise of the Neapolitan canzone. Wandering street musicians or posteggiatori went from restaurant to restaurant serenading for tips. Mostly males singing solo and in dialect, they played on either a mandolin or guitar.  By 1918 coffee tradition in Naples had taken such hold of the city that Giuseppe Capaldo wrote A Tazze E Caffe with music added by Vittorio Fassone.  The song is so entertaining, it's worth posting the translation here:


Lyrics to 'A Tazza 'E Caffe :

Vurría sapé pecché si mme vedite,

facite sempe 'a faccia amariggiata...

Ma vuje, quanto cchiù brutta ve facite,

cchiù bella, a ll'uocchie mieje, v'appresentate...

I' mo nun saccio si ve n'accurgite!

Ma cu sti mode, oje Bríggeta,

tazza 'e café parite:

sotto tenite 'o zzuccaro,

e 'ncoppa, amara site...

Ma i' tanto ch'aggi''a vutá,

e tanto ch'aggi''a girá...

ca 'o ddoce 'e sott''a tazza,

fin'a 'mmocca mm'ha da arrivá!...

Cchiù tiempo passa e cchiù v'arrefreddate,

'mméce 'e ve riscaldá..."Caffè squisito!..."

'o bbello è ca, si pure ve gelate,

site 'a delizia d''o ccafé granito...

Facenno cuncurrenza â limunata...

Ma cu sti mode, oje Bríggeta,

tazza 'e café parite:

sotto tenite 'o zzuccaro,

e 'ncoppa, amara site...

Ma i' tanto ch'aggi''a vutá,

e tanto ch'aggi''a girá...

ca 'o ddoce 'e sott''a tazza,

fin'a 'mmocca mm'ha da arrivá!...

Vuje site 'a mamma d''e rrepassatore?...

E i', bellezza mia, figlio 'e cartaro!...

Si vuje ve divertite a cagná core,

i' faccio 'e ccarte pe' senza denare...

Bella pareglia fóssemo a fá 'ammore!

Ma cu sti mode, oje Bríggeta,

tazza 'e café parite:

sotto tenite 'o zzuccaro,

e 'ncoppa, amara site...

Ma i' tanto ch'aggi''a vutá,

e tanto ch'aggi''a girá...

ca 'o ddoce 'e sott''a tazza,

fin'a 'mmocca mm'ha da arrivá!..


Translation:

I’d like to know why, when you see me

You always look so disappointed

But even when you put on that bitter expression on your face

You still look so beautiful to my eyes

Yes, you look wonderful to my eyes

I’m not sure you realize that

But to me, Brigette

You are like a cup of coffee.

Sweet as sugar underneath,

And bitter on the surface.

So I'll stir and stir so much,

And stir and stir some more.

Till the sugar from the bottom of the cup, finally rises to the top for me.

Time goes and you get colder and colder

Rather than being ‘a good cup of coffee’

The fact is that even if you get as cold as ice

You would still be some delicious iced coffee

Even better than a simple lemon slush

But to me, Brigette

You are like a cup of coffee.

Sweet as sugar underneath,

And bitter on the surface.

So I'll stir and stir so much,

And stir and stir some more.

Till the sugar from the bottom of the cup, 

Finally rises to the top for me.

You are the mother of a teaser,

And I, darling, am the son of a fortune teller

If you have turn the lover's card,

I'll tell your fortune, free of charge,

What a nice couple we would make. 

Thanks to Tiziana Cirillo for a wonderful translation of the Neapolitan!

To hear the song, click here