In 1973, he met the talented Ghjuvan Paulu Poletti, one of the principal actors of the cultural movement of the Seventies in Corsica.
Shortly after that they formed a band of young people. This band, with inter alia, Ghjuvan Paulu Poletti and Petru Guelfucci will lead to the foundation of the well known (even today) Corsican group: Canta U Populu Corsu, crucible of the most known artists to date, this group will revive the nationalist flame within a whole generation…
After 15 years of success, Canta U Populu Corsu disappears. Canta was the group of the FLNC and one found all the sensitivities of the nationalist movement there. After the dissolution of Canta U Populu Corsu, Petru Guelfucci continues a solo career, recording albums such as Isula, Memoria and Corsica (The album's theme song, Corsica, was a great success, as well as another song: Catalinetta). Petru devotes his time also to his other group of polyphonies Voce di Corsica…
U lamentu di cursichella
Petru Guelfucci Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mamma di tanti figlioli,
Sarè prestu abbandunata
Si qualchi rimedi'un trovi,
Per tene vicinu a tè,
I to frutti vecchj e novi.
Tutti li to figliulacci,
Un hai più contu a facci,
Ne mancu speranz'alcuna,
Almenu che t'un ti servi
Di a pastoghja o di la funa.
Si ne vanu a lu stranieru,
Cume veri spatriati,
Di tè un hanu più penseru,
Ne di duv'elli sò nati,
Quelli valurosi Corsi,
Pè a Patria sacrificati.
Parlu di Napulione,
Quellu fieru Imperatore,
Curona di Nazione,
Omu di tantu valore,
Figliolu di Cursichella,
Chi l'hà fattu tantu onore.
Chi ne pinsarà Sampieru, De Paoli e Sambucucciu,
Videndu lu so Imperu,
Minacciatu dà per tuttu,
A ruvina è generale
E sparisce fondu e fruttu.
Un c'è più Corsi di sanna,
Chi so sgherzi di natura,
Di la so povera Mamma
Oghje un hanu più primura,
Ma la vergogna è per elli,
S'ella more di malcura.
Facciu un'ardente preghera
E la mandu a Santa Stella,
S'ellu ci fussi manera,
- Chi per avale è zitella -
D'allungà un pocu la vita
Di la nostra Cursichella.
Finiscu lu to lamentu,
Chi troppu male mi face,
Mi scappa guasi lu pientu,
Ne soffru eppo mi dispiace,
Chi tu marchj, O Cursichella,
Versu u ''Requiescant in Pace''...
The song "U lamentu di cursichella" by Petru Guelfucci is a mournful ode to the difficulties faced by the people of the small village of Cursichella. The first stanza describes how the village is unfortunate and how its mother has many children, who will soon depart from her if they do not find a solution to the problems they face. The singer pleads for a solution that would allow the villagers to remain close to their family and keep their old and new fruits together.
The second stanza talks about how all the children of Cursichella are leaving to find their fortune elsewhere, facing the stormy seas of life's challenges. The singer laments how there is no hope, and no counting in anything, except perhaps using the tools of farming or the noose. The people who leave to find their fortune in foreign lands are exiles and have much less concern for their homeland and their roots. The Corsican people who have died and sacrificed so much for their country are the true pillars of their nation.
The third stanza mentions Napoleon, the famous Corsican who became emperor of France. Even as he brought glory to Cursichella, his fame was marred by the decline of his empire and the loss of its fruits. There are no longer any true Corsicans, and nature no longer favors them. The poor mother, Cursichella, is left to wither and she is shamed by the actions of her children. The singer concludes by asking for a fervent prayer to be sent to Saint Stella, in the hopes of prolonging Cursichella's life for a little longer.
Line by Line Meaning
Cursichella sventurata,
Unfortunate Cursichella,
Mamma di tanti figlioli,
Mother of many children,
Sarè prestu abbandunata
Will soon be abandoned
Si qualchi rimedi'un trovi,
If a remedy is not found for her,
Per tene vicinu a tè,
To keep your old and new fruits close by
I to frutti vecchj e novi.
Your old and new fruits.
Tutti li to figliulacci,
All your little children,
Partenu a circà furtuna,
Went seeking fortune.
Un hai più contu a facci,
There's no more countenance,
Ne mancu speranz'alcuna,
Nor any hope at all,
Almenu che t'un ti servi
At least if you use
Di a pastoghja o di la funa.
The shepherd's crook or the rope.
Si ne vanu a lu stranieru,
If they go to a foreign land,
Cume veri spatriati,
Like true expatriates,
Di tè un hanu più penseru,
They will no longer think of you,
Ne di duv'elli sò nati,
Nor where they were born,
Quelli valurosi Corsi,
Those brave Corsicans,
Pè a Patria sacrificati.
Sacrificed for the country.
Parlu di Napulione,
Let's talk about Napoleon,
Quellu fieru Imperatore,
That proud Emperor,
Curona di Nazione,
Crown of the Nation,
Omu di tantu valore,
Man of great value,
Figliolu di Cursichella,
Son of Cursichella,
Chi l'hà fattu tantu onore.
Who brought her so much honor.
Chi ne pinsarà Sampieru, De Paoli e Sambucucciu,
Who will remember Sampiero, De Paoli and Sambucucciu,
Videndu lu so Imperu,
Seeing their empire,
Minacciatu dà per tuttu,
Threatened from all sides,
A ruvina è generale
General ruin,
E sparisce fondu e fruttu.
And disappear root and fruit.
Un c'è più Corsi di sanna,
There are no more sane Corsicans,
Chi so sgherzi di natura,
Who, by nature, are humorous,
Di la so povera Mamma
Of their poor mother,
Oghje un hanu più primura,
Today they have other priorities,
Ma la vergogna è per elli,
But the shame is theirs,
S'ella more di malcura.
If she dies in pain.
Facciu un'ardente preghera
I make an ardent prayer
E la mandu a Santa Stella,
And send it to Santa Stella,
S'ellu ci fussi manera,
If only there was a way,
- Chi per avale è zitella -
- Who is still unmarried -
D'allungà un pocu la vita
To lengthen a little the life
Di la nostra Cursichella.
Of our Cursichella.
Finiscu lu to lamentu,
I finish your lament,
Chi troppu male mi face,
Because it hurts me too much,
Mi scappa guasi lu pientu,
Tears almost escape me,
Ne soffru eppo mi dispiace,
I suffer from it and I am sorry,
Chi tu marchj, O Cursichella,
Goodbye, O Cursichella,
Versu u ''Requiescant in Pace''...
Towards the ''Rest in Peace''...
Contributed by Bella T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pascale Ch
riposa in pace, repose en paix l'artiste
Xact Xact
magnifique, merci petru
Pierre-Luc Simonetti
Xact Xact tu à raison mon grand
Senza Nome
Pace eterna
Pierre-Luc Simonetti
Una Bella Canson di petru guelfucci
Gianni Murrighili
Dugna olta chi t ascultu m avvicu cantu semu accltu viva mammacorsica viva gaddhuracorsicana