Malarazza

  • Status: retired
  • Composition Credits: Domenico Modugno
  • Arrangement Credits: Banda Degli Ottoni a Scoppio
  • Last Played: Januar 4th, 2024

The Banda Degli Ottoni a Scoppio are happy to share their arrangement of Malarazza with us as a joint demo piece for our 2023 Strafiato Festival.

English

Ah, "Malarazza," a haunting poem from Sicily's past, echoing from the early 19th century or even before. Dario Fo*, that maestro of the stage, unearthed this gem in the 70s, breathing new life into its ancient words through his theater craft. Then came 1976, when Domenico Modugno who spun it into a song that still resonates today.

The lyrics are a poignant cry from the heart of a servant, weary and worn. He pours out his woes to Jesus, hung upon the cross, pleading for relief from his cruel master. It's a plea for justice, a call to topple the "malarazza" – the embodiment of oppression and suffering. But the response he receives is not one of divine intervention, but rather a call to action, a stirring summons to self-empowerment.

Jesus imparts a hard truth: justice is not a gift, but a prize to be seized. He challenges the servant, saying that liberation comes not from above, but from within and through one's own actions. "If you're not an idiot," he advises, "heed my words." Jesus reflects, with a hint of irony, that his own fate, nailed to the cross, might have been different had he followed the very counsel he now offers.

The song's message is a critique of the misuse of power and the exploitation of the underprivileged by the wealthy and powerful.

Malarazza deconstructed mala = bad, razza=race/breed

*Dario Fo was on friendly terms with the Ottoni a scoppio. When Fo received the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Ottoni spontaneously played in front of his house, they were also there at the funeral of Franca Rame, etc.

Deutsch

Ist ein uraltes sizilianisches Gedicht (spätestens frühes 19.Jhdt) Dario Fo* hats in den Frühen 70ern ausgegraben und in in eins seiner TheaterStücke eingebaut. 1976 hat dann Domenico Modugno ein Lied draus gmacht.

Der Text handelt von einem Knecht der sich beim angnagelten Jesus über seinen grausamen Herrn beklagt, und bittet ihn diese „malarazza“ für ihn zu vernichten. Jesus sagt ihm aber:

„Wer Gerechtigkeit haben will muss sie sich verschaffen.
Niemand wird’s für dich tun.
Wennst kein Trottel bist,
dann hör gut auf das was ich dir sag:
Ich wär nicht hier ans Kreuz genagelt,
wenn ich das getan hätte, was ich dir sage:
(Refrain:)
Du beschwerst dich, aber was lamentierst du?
Nimm einen Stecken und zeig die Zähne!“

Sizilianisch:
Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti?
Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti.
(ital: Prendi un bastone e tira fuori i denti)

Malarazza: male=schlecht, razza=Rasse, razza wird im italienischn nicht nur rassistisch verwendet sonder bezeichnet auch Art, Sorte, von Leuten. In dem Fall also: mieses Pack, Gsindel, Baggasch…

*Dario Fo war mit den Ottoni a scoppio freundschaftlich verbunden. Als der Fo den Literaturnobelpreis bekommen hat, haben die Ottoni spontan vor seinem Haus aufgspielt, aber auch beim Begräbnis von Franca Rame waren sie dabei usw.

Der Domenico Mondugno ist der, welcher 1958 dieses gsungen hat: https://youtu.be/8pdc8ovyAMY

Lyrics

We only sing the first verse.

Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti. Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti. Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti.

Un servo, tempu fa, dintra a na piazza, prigava Cristu in cruci e ci ricia: «Cristu, lu me padruni mi trapazza, mi tratta comu n’ cani pi la via. Si pigghja tuttu cu la sua manazza, mancu la vita mia dici ch’è mia. Distruggila, Gesù, sta malarazza! Distruggila, Gesù, fallu pi mia! Fallu pi mia!»

Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti. Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti.

E Cristu m’arrispunni dalla cruci: ‹Picchì, si so spizzati li to vrazza? Chi vuoli la giustizia, si la fazza. Nisciuno ormai chiù la farà pi tia. Si tu si n’omu e nun si testa pazza, ascolta beni sta sintenzia mia, ca iu ’nchiudatu in cruci nun saria s’avissi fattu ciò ca dicu a tia, ca iu ’nchiudatu in cruci nun saria.›

Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti. Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti. Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti. Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghja nu bastuni e tira fori li denti.

Arrangement Notes

  • One trumpet always does the pickup into the Ritornello

Sheet Music

We'd be happy to share our sheet music for this song! Just get in touch with us orchestra@streetnoise.at

Wir freun uns, wenn Du dich meldest!