[citation needed] The original lyrics of "Santa Lucia" celebrate the picturesque waterfront district Borgo Santa Lucia in the Gulf of Naples, with an invitation (sales pitch) from a boatman to take a ride in his boat to better enjoy the cool evening.
Stu viento frisco fa risciatare: chi vo' spassarse jenno pe mmare?
Con questo zeffiro, così soave, Oh, com’è bello star sulla nave!
Con questo zeffiro, così soave, Oh, com’è bello star sulla nave!
In fra le tende, bandir la cena In una sera così serena, In fra le tende, bandir la cena In una sera così serena, Chi non dimanda, chi non desia?
O dolce Napoli, o suol beato, Ove sorridere volle il creato, O dolce Napoli, o suol beato, Ove sorridere volle il creato, Tu sei l'impero dell’armonia, Santa Lucia!
On the sea glitters the silver star Gentle the waves, favorable the winds.
On the sea glitters the silver star Gentle the waves, favorable the winds.
Inside the tents, putting aside supper On such a quiet evening, Inside the tents, putting aside supper On such a quiet evening, Who wouldn't demand, who wouldn't desire?
Sea so calm, the wind so dear, Forget what makes trouble for the sailor, Sea so calm, the wind so dear, Forget what makes trouble for the sailor, And go shout with merriment, Saint Lucy!
O sweet Naples, O blessed soil, Where to smile desired its creation, O sweet Naples, upon blessed soil, Where to smile desired its creation, You are the kingdom of harmony, Saint Lucy!
Now 'neath the silver moon Ocean is glowing, O'er the calm billows, soft winds are blowing.
Here balmy breezes blow, pure joys invite us, And as we gently row, all things delight us.
When o'er the waters light winds are playing, Thy spell can soothe us, all care allaying.
To thee sweet Napoli, what charms are given, Where smiles creation, toil blest by heaven.
In the United States, an early edition of the song, with an English translation by Thomas Oliphant, was published by M. McCaffrey, Baltimore.
In Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, "Santa Lucia" has been given various lyrics to accommodate it to the winter-light Saint Lucy's Day, at the darkest time of the year.
The three most famous lyrics versions in Swedish are Luciasången, also known by its incipit, Sankta Lucia, ljusklara hägring ("Saint Lucy, bright illusion"); Natten går tunga fjät ("The night walks with heavy steps"); and the 1970s "kindergarten" version, Ute är mörkt och kallt ("Outside it’s dark and cold").
The more common Norwegian version is Svart senker natten seg ("Black the night descends"), whereas the version commonly used in Denmark is titled Nu bæres lyset frem ("Now light is carried forth").
There also exists a Sámi version, Guhkkin Sicilias dolin lei nieida ("In faraway Sicily, long ago was a girl").
[3] In the Czech Republic (or former Czechoslovakia), it was made famous with the words Krásná je Neapol ("Naples is beautiful") sung by Waldemar Matuška.
In Austria, it is famous under the title "Wenn sich der Abend mild".