Enrico Caruso sings Neapolitan song Mamma mia, che vó sapè. Recorded from original 78 shellac.

This is the first song Caruso recorded in Neapolitan, his native dialect. It is about a poor, homesick Italian immigrant.
Caruso made the song a hit in Amerika.
Later, during one of his stays in Naples, Caruso visited Emanuele Nutile, the impoverished and forgotten composer of "Mamma mia" and is said to have pressed 5,000 lire into his hand - a considerable sum of money in those days.

NEAPOLITAN LYRICS

Mamma Mia, Che Vò Sapé?

Quanno ‘a notte se ne scenne
p’abbruciá chist’uocchie stanche,
quann’io veglio e tu mme manche,
sento ‘a smánia ‘e te vasá

E te chiammo, e schiara juorno,
ma è pe’ ll’ate stu chiarore.
Tengo ‘a notte dint”o core
e nun pòzzo arrepusá.

Ah, nun mme fá murí!
Tu, che ne vuó’ da me?
Mamma mia mme vène a dí pecché
chesta smánia nun mme vò’ lassá.

Ah, nun mme fá murí!
Tu che ne vuó’ da me?
Mamma mia che vò sapé?
Mamma mia ch’ha da appurá?
Nun mme fido d”a vasá.

Ah! Ah!
Mamma mia ch’ha da appurá?
Ah! Ah!
Mamma mia ch’ha da appurá?
ENGLISH TRANSLATION

What Do You Want to Know, Mama?

When night falls
(and comes) to burn these weary eyes of mine
When I stay up and miss you
I feel the need to kiss you.

And I call for you, and (then) day becomes bright
But this brightness is for others (not for me)
I hold the night inside my heart
And I can’t repose

Ah, don’t make me die!
You, what do you want from me?
Mama asks me why
this longing can’t leave me (in peace)

Ah, Don’t make me die!
What do you want from me?
What do you want to know, Mama?
What do you want to clarify, Mama?
I don’t have the heart to kiss her

Ah! Ah!
What do you want to clarify, Mama?
Ah! Ah!
What do you want to clarify, Mama?

Видео Enrico Caruso sings Neapolitan song Mamma mia, che vó sapè. Recorded from original 78 shellac. канала Tom Frøkjær