Ciribiribin
Henry Jerome and His Orchestra Lyrics


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When the moon hangs low in Napoli
There's a handsome gondolier
Every night he sings so happily
So his lady love can hear
In a manner oh gravissimo
He repeats his serenade,
And his heart beats so fortissimo
When she raises her Venetian shade

Ciribiribin, chiribiribin, ciribiribin

Ciribiribin, he waits for her each night beneath her balcony
Ciribiribin, he begs to hold her tight, but no, she won't agree
Ciribiribin, she throws a rose and blows a kiss from up above
Ciribiribin, ciribiribin, ciribiribin, they're so in love

(Orchestral Interlude)





Ciribiribin, ciribiribin, ciribiribin, they're so in love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Henry Jerome and His Orchestra's song Ciribiribin are a romantic tale of a gondolier's love for a lady in Napoli. The song sets the scene well for the listener by painting a picture of the beautiful city and a man who is besotted with his love. The gondolier sings every night with such spirit and joy, hoping that his lady will hear his serenade. The way he sings is described as "oh gravissimo," meaning very serious, and his heart beats so strongly (fortissimo) when he sees her Venetian shade raised. The lyrics convey that the gondolier's love for this woman is pure, and his dedication to her is unwavering.


Despite his best efforts to woo her, the lady remains coy and doesn't agree to his advances. Instead, she throws a rose and blows him a kiss from above. However, the last line of the chorus reveals that despite this, "they're so in love." It's a classic story of a man chasing after the one he loves and being persistent in his efforts, even if he doesn't always get the response he wants.


Line by Line Meaning

When the moon hangs low in Napoli
During the night in Napoli when the moon is low in the sky


There's a handsome gondolier
There is an attractive boatman who rows a gondola


Every night he sings so happily
Every night he sings with joy


So his lady love can hear
So that his beloved can hear him


In a manner oh gravissimo
Singing in a very serious manner


He repeats his serenade,
He sings the same song over and over again


And his heart beats so fortissimo
His heart beats very loudly


When she raises her Venetian shade
When she lifts up her window shade


Ciribiribin, he waits for her each night beneath her balcony
He waits for her every night under her balcony


Ciribiribin, he begs to hold her tight, but no, she won't agree
He pleads to hold her tightly but she refuses


Ciribiribin, she throws a rose and blows a kiss from up above
She throws a flower and blows a kiss to him from above


Ciribiribin, ciribiribin, ciribiribin, they're so in love
They are deeply in love with each other


Ciribiribin, ciribiribin, ciribiribin, they're so in love
They are deeply in love with each other




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: HOWARD E JOHNSON, ALBERTO PESTALOZZA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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