MADDALENA ( C.Satariano 1931, trad. chant) Maddalena, Maddalena wiċċ taz-zokkra, wiċċ il-hena, jiena ġejt appost għalik fittex oħroġ ħa' ngawdik. Xitla sbejħa ġo l-ġnien għandi kemm ilma ġarrejt għalik meta ġejt biex il-frott tagħmel u ħaddiehor qed igawdik. ** Maddalena, Maddalena Of sweet and joyful manner, I have come here just for you, So please come out so i can enjoy you. Oh beautiful plant, that I have in my garden So much water I have carried for you yet when you came to bear the fruits Alas, someone else is enjoying you.

LANĊA (Lyrics: Trad) Lanċa ġejja w oħra sejra Minn tas-Sliema għall-Marsamxett Il-kaptan bil-pipa f'ħalqu Jidderieġi l-bastiment. Għamillu karta Għamillu karta Għamillu karta Għal tax-xjuħ. Sewwa sewwa f'nofs ta' baħar Il-kaptan ħassu ħazin Ma kellux min idur miegħu Daru miegħu l-baħrin. Għamillu karta Għamillu karta Għamillu karta Għal tax-xjuħ. ** One ferry coming, another is going from Sliema to Marsamxett. With a pipe in his mouth, the captain Is steering the vessel. Write him off Write him off Just write him off To an old people’s home. All but when, amidst the seas The captain felt unwell With nobody to see to him The sailors had to do. Write him off Write him off Just write him off To an old people’s home.

IL-MARA U X-XITAN (Lyrics: C.Satariano - HMV 1931) U il-mara l-aħwa ħuti Hi gwaj mill-akbar nett Ma' nsib xejn differenza Minn Brejbes ghadd-dublett . Insibhom ħaga waħda It-tnejn ta' xibka fina, it-tnejn Sabiex nintilfu Is-semm jitfgħu ġo finha. Insibhom ħaga waħda It-tnejn ta' xibka fina, it-tnejn Sabiex nintilfu Is-semm jitfgħu ġo fina. It-tnejn qishom miftehma U xogħolhom wieħed biss Sabiex jitilfu l-bniedem Jitfgħuh fi' kbir abbiss. Il-mara w ix-xitan Il-mara w ix-xitan Il-mara dejjem kienet Il-gwaj tagħna l-irġiel Mhux darba', tnejn lir-raġel Ġgħalietu jsir qattiel. Il-mara w x-xitan. ** The woman, my dear friends Is calamity of the worst kind, I see in fact no difference, between the devil and the skirt. They are one and the same, I find To ensnare us in their web, Only to intoxicate us, and inject us with their malice. Both are agreed, and their work is but one, for man to lose his mind, To hurl him into the abyss.. The woman and the devil. The woman always has been a trouble for us men, Many a time, the reason she was, that man would turn to kill. The woman and the devil.

VALLETTA (Lyrics: N. Bugeja) Wara sena fuq il-baħar Rajt mill-bogħod id-dell tas-swar Ħsibt li taħthom tistennieni Hemm imħabba tarmi n-nar. Rajt id-dwal tal-belt Valletta Mingħalijja sibt is-sliem Imma l-imħabba daħqet bijja Flok il-bidu sibt it-tmiem. Inżilt magħha Strada Stretta Kulħadd jgħidli kemm hi fuq tagħha Żewġ baħrin fill-belt Valletta F'kemm trodd salib għalijja ġew. Valletta fittixtek fin-namur Valletta timlili qalbi bid-dulur Ħanini ara kemm tajtni nkwiet Xtaqt inħobb imma spiċċajna b'ħafna ġlied. Il-baħrin telquli biha In-nies ħarġet fuq il-bankina Jiena mort naqbeż għalijha Imma qlajt daqqa ta' mus. Valletta fittixtek fin-namur Valletta timlili qalbi bid-dulur Ħanini ara kemm tajtni nkwiet Xtaqt inħobb imma spiċċajna b'ħafna ġlied. Il-baħrin telquli biha In-nies ħarġet fuq il-bankina Jiena mort naqbeż għalijha Imma qlajt daqqa ta' mus. Ilbierah Valletta għamiltni ferħan Imma llum taħt is-swar waħdi u xurban Valletta għan-namur iżjed ma niġix Ħlief noħlom f'imħabbti llejla m'hinix. Valletta Valletta ** After a year roaming the seas, From afar the walls I saw, Where I thought I’d find you waiting, Yearning with a burning love. The city lights of Valletta I saw, And thought that I’d I found peace, But it seems that love deceived me Not a beginning, but my end I met. Heading down to Strait Street, All were keen to pry and comment, Alas two sailors from the city, Were headed straight for me. Valletta, I came to you for love Valletta, yet you fill me with sorrow Oh my dear, what a mess you got me in, I was looking for love, but ended in struggle. Away with my girl, the seamen ran Out on the kerb for all to see But as I tried to win her back One of them returned a stab. Yesterday, Valletta, you gave me joy, But today beneath your walls, all drunk and alone. Valletta, I won’t come looking for love. Tonight I can only dream, of my beloved. Valletta, Valletta

X’SER NGĦANNU? (Lyrics: F. Baldacchino il-Budaj) X'sejrin ngħannu ja ħabib F'dil-qagħda tal-mument Ngħannu t-tnejn flimkien Il-bikja tal-lament. Għax l-uġiegħ qiegħed jiżdied Bil-gwerer u l-imwiet X'ngħannu kif l-għana jnin X'ser jibqa' tal-Maltin. Tridx ngħannu lill-mara wkoll Titgħarwen mill-ilbies Ngħannu dwar il-karim Maqtul ġo qalb in-nies. X'sejrin ngħannulhom lin-nies Kif ifurulhom il-kwies X'ngħannu lill-migdud L-imħabba fih qed tmut. Dawn il-kwiekeb x'ser ngħannulhom Kif is-sħab surthom jgħattulhom Lill-ibnek x'ser tgħannilu Mill-ġungla x'ser tixtrilu? Għidli x'ngħannu ghidli inti Għax inhoss li issa ġġennint Il-kwiekeb kemm sfaw ħosbiena B'dak l-għaġir faħxi tagħna l-bnedmin. X'sejrin ngħannu ja ħabib F'dil-qagħda tal-mument Ngħannu t-tnejn flimkien Il-bikja tal-lament. U meta l-għalmu jitbaxxa U l-kant u d-daqq jisfaxxa X'ser ngħannu int u jien Kif l-art tieqaf mid-dawrien? Għidli x'ngħannu għidli inti Għax inħoss li issa ġġennint Il-kwiekeb kif sfaw ħosbiena B'dak l-għaġir tagħna l-bnedmin. Għidli x'ngħannu għidli inti Għax inħoss li issa ġġennint Il-ħlejjaq kollha bla ħtijja Kollha jlumu lilna l-bnedmin. ** What shall we sing, my friend, At this moment in time? Let’s sing together To the cry of lament For the pain is getting stronger With this war and ruin What shall we sing, when song fades away And what will become of the Maltese? We can sing to the ‘woman’, Bereft of clothing. or sing about god Who is no more in people’s hearts What shall we sing to the people When their cups are overflowing? What to sing to the bitter one, Within whom love is dying? And to the stars, what shall we sing, When hidden behind clouds? to your son, what will you sing from this jungle what more to buy him? So what shall we sing, please you tell me, For I fear I'm losing my mind Even the stars look on concerned, For man’s audacious deeds What shall we sing, my friend, At this moment in time? Let’s sing together, To the cry of lament. For when you’ve given up, And the music and dance are over, What will you and I sing, When the world comes to a still? So what shall we sing, please you tell me, For I fear I’m losing my mind, Even the stars look on, concerned, For man’s audacious deeds. What shall we sing, now you tell me, For I fear i'm losing my mind All of god’s creatures are without fault, And mankind only, stands to blame.

BORMLIŻA YÉ-YÉ (Lyrics: Trad. Bormliża) U fejnu leħni Leħni ta' dari Kemm kelli leħni Leħni sabiħ. U fejnu leħni Leħni ta' dari Għaliex naħseb Ħaduli r-riħ. Xi ħlewwa ta' kitarrini Isejħu lil min ikun ġej Kemm jagħmlu sabiħ mal-lejl U jwaqqfu lil min ikun għaddej. U fejnu leħni Leħni ta' dari Kemm kelli leħni Leħni sabiħ. U fejnu leħni Leħni ta' dari Għaliex naħseb Ħaduli r-riħ. ** Oh where is my voice, My voice of the past? I think the wind has blown it away. Oh where is my voice, My voice of the past? How sweet was my voice that beautiful voice Oh where is my voice My voice of the past I think the wind has blown it away The sweetness of guitars, Hailing those who pass, Oh how sweet they sound at night, They stop all passers by. Oh where is my voice, My voice of the past? How sweet was my voice that beautiful voice Oh where is my voice, My voice of the past, I think the wind, has blown it away.

ISLA (Interviews by G. Cassar Pullicino & F. Baldacchino il-Budaj) Il-vuċi ta' Ġużè Cassar Pullicino misluta minn intervistà ma' Toni Sant (1991). Ġużè Cassar Pullicino's voice sample is from an interview with Toni Sant (1991). Voice of Frans Baldacchino interviewed by Manuel Casha in the Manuel Casha “Maltese Folklore Music” project (2003). Courtesy of the National Library of Australia, Canberra. Leħen Frans Baldacchino minn intervista ma' Manuel Casha mill-proġett “Maltese Folklore Music” (2003). Ħajr lin-National Library of Australia, Canberra. ** “Issa jien għalija, l-għana u l-poeżija huma aħwa” “In my opinion, għana and poetry are siblings” Frans Baldacchino “Il-Budaj”

TUTA TAJBA (Lyrics: Trad.) Ġewż, lewż, qastan, tin Kemm inħobbu 'l San Martin Ġewż, lewż, qastan, tin Kemm inħobbu 'l San Martin Dari rari tara re Tara lira tara re Dari rari tara re Tara lira tara re Titjiriet tat-tadam Titjiriet tat-tadam, tadam Titjiriet tat-tadam Titjiriet tat-tadam Toni tagħna tagħni tina Talli tajtu tuta tajba Toni tgħana tagħni tina Talli tajtu tuta tajba Talli tajtu tuta tajba Toni tagħna tagħni tina Talli tajtu tuta tajba Toni tagħna tagħni tina Ġewż, lewż qastan, tin Kemm inħobbu 'l San Martin Ġewż, lewż, qastan, tin Kemm inħobbu 'l San Martin ** “Toni tagħna tagħni tina, talli tajtu tuta tajba!” “Our Toni gave me a fig for a mulberry I gave him!”

RUMMIENA (Lyrics: N.Bugeja) Rummiena tħammar fuq dan ix-xefaq Tal-purtieri miftuħin fil-kabaret Xuftejha ħomor bħal tazza nbid Naf li jiena 'l din ir-rummiena rrid. F'idejha t-tnejn idur qed nistħajjilha Dir-rummiena tħoll il-ħwienet ta' filgħaxijiet. Frotta tal-Belt fis-City Bar Żibeġ ileqqu taħt id-dwal Aħmar il-lejl fis-City Bar Din ir-rummiena taħraq nar. Rummiena nduqek waħdi Ma ġenb il-baħar Imma l-ħmura ta' xuftejha Għadni ma doqtiex Imma l-ħmura ta' xuftejha Għadni ma doqtiex. Frotta tal-Belt fis-City Bar Żibeġ ileqqu taħt id-dwal Aħmar il-lejl fis-City Bar Din ir-rummiena taħraq nar. Rummiena nduqek waħdi Ma ġenb il-baħar Imma l-ħmura ta' xuftejha Għadni ma doqtiex Imma l-ħmura ta' xuftejha Għadni ma doqtiex. ** Oh pomegranate, who reddens horizons, And the curtains of a cabaret, Red are her lips, as a glass of wine, This pomegranate, I know it’s her i want. Twirling i see her, in both my hands, This pomegranate, unbridles the bars at night. Fruit of the city in the “City Bar” Shimmering sequins in the light Red is the night in the “City Bar” This pomegranate, is on fire. Oh pomegranate I’ll savour you alone By the sea Though as yet I’ve not tasted, the redness of her lips.

INSIĠ IL-ĦOLM (Lyrics: L. Vassallo/ N. Bugeja) Insiġ il-ħolm Bejn blajjet is-swar qed isir U l-qamar hu kobba ħarir U taħtu jilmew il-mewġiet Mat-tlett ibliet. Kull ħolma lewn Li f'dgħajsa jitfassal Biex xewqa s'oħra titwassal L-għajn li tilmaħ ix-xatt Ma tehmeż qatt. Ħolm u sewwa Fuq l-ilma joħolqu 'l xulxin Bħalma jagħmlu żewġ maħbubin. Ismagħha l-ħolma minsuġa F'nifs ir-riħ F'ilsien il-mewġ Titlifiex fil-logħba tat-tfal F'ferħ żagħżugħ F'għajnejn ix-xiħ. Il-ħolm ħajja Xewqat u beżgħat maħluqin Stħajjil u għejxien imwettqin. Biex xewqa s'oħra titwassal L-għajn li tilmaħ ix-xatt Ma tehmeż qatt. Il-ħolm ħajja Xewqat u beżgħat maħluqin Stħajjil u għejxien imwettqin. Insiġ il-ħolm Kull ħolma lewn F'fifret Anel F'għajnejn ix-xiħ. ** The weaving of dreams, Amongst city walls appears, The moon is but a ball of silk, Upon three cities, the waves they crash. Every dream is a hue, Which forms a boat, To bring one desire, to another, Though the eye that sights the shore, Never blinks. Listen to it, That woven dream, On the breath of the wind, On the tongue of the waves. Lose it not, In children’s games, In youthful glee, And in the eyes of the old man . Dreams meet with virtue, Atop the sea, To shape each other, As two lovers do.

SENTINELLA (Lyrics: Trad.) Bumm bumm il-bieb Onġi onġi onġella Bumm bumm il-bieb Onġi o kavalier. Bumm bumm il-bieb Onġi onġi onġella Bumm bumm il-bieb Onġi o kavalier.