When I was a kid, May was by far my favorite month. The days got longer, and you could play in the backyard until late at night. May in Italy is also the month of Mary. A time of the year in which families pray the rosaries, that I always tried to avoid. My parents left me a lot of freedom and despite having soon reached a strong detachment from religion, I have always remained tied to that spirituality and faith that are charity and caress as in a sweet lullaby. There is a passage in the song that I am very attached to:
“I pray Jesus to take the pain away
That the fishermen do not get lost in the sea
That there is a place for those who die to go
I pray Jesus to be able to find you".
This ending makes me think of my great friend Franz, and of praying to find him sooner or later in a seaside town.

Ninna nanna del maggio

words & music by Andrea Parodi

Penso alle domande e alle risposte
Penso al mare, alla nave e alle sue rotte
A te bambina che correvi nel cortile
come una farfalla e le tue ali sotto il sole
Sento il vento accarezzare i fili d’erba
O è qualcuno che li muove da lassù
Che li pettina e ti sfiora sulla schiena
E nella luna vedo il volto di Gesù

Ninna nanna Ninna e…
Ninna nanna Ninna a…

Questa sera io ti ho acceso una candela
Sto pregando per la tua gioia e la speranza
E adesso dormi tra le braccia di Maria
E adesso dormi mia dolcissima Costanza
Prego Gesù di portare via il dolore
Che i pescatori non si perdano nel mare
Che ci sia un posto dove andare per chi muore
Prego Gesù di poterti ritrovare

Ninna nanna Ninna e…
Ninna nanna Ninna a…

Credits

Andrea Parodi – vocals
David Carroll – upright bass
Brannen Temple – drums
Luke Jacobs – nylon guitar
Ali Razmi – setar
Bocephus King – vocals, whistle, percussions, xylophone, electric guitar
Claudia Buzzetti – vocals

"Ninna nanna del maggio" is track n.12 of the album Andrea Parodi Zabala