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Recorded at Trapani, on May 17, 1970, by Elsa Guggino and Gaetano Pagano.

6. CART-DRIVER SONGS a-b-c

Up until twenty or so years ago, the songs of the cart-drivers were sung while driving the cart and
in the funnachi, a sort of combination inn-stable where both drivers and animals would spend
several hours or the entire night. Here the drivers would improvise lengthy
Contests, usually by challenging each other with a friendly invitation, and often following
provocation from the closing words of each song, i.e.,
“…And now that the song (either good or bad) is almost finished, Mr. I must give me an
answer…” Today, this ancient profession is completely extinct and the ex-cart-drivers have
become truck drivers or small eating-hours (trattorie) owners, but their songs still live and are
performed in contests held in the various trattorie or in the house of common friends, where the
men often spend the night singing.

The reason for the lively survival of these cart-driver songs can be found in part in the fact that
these new professions have not caused the dissolution of the “group” not have they substantially
modified the rhythm of life and culture of which they are a part; another reason can be attributed
to the double function for which songs were utilized, and if on the one hand, they were connected
with certain jobs, on the other they constituted a social manifestation. Also to be taken into
account is the fact that the cart-drivers had, and still retain, a high opinion of their songs; to sing
in the style of the cart-drivers is considered an art – art being, in this case and always within the
sphere of the non-industrial ambient, a matter of technique. The cart-driver, in fact, does not place
importance on the quality of the voice, but rather, on the substance of his performance, the
correctness of style, and the character of the images he projects. As a result, the decisive ability
manifested in the performances of the cart-drivers is never intended in the sense of free
expression, but is rigidly controlled within a definite system of rules.

The three songs presented here were performed respectively by cart-drivers from Monreale,
Misilmeri and Villabate. The initial words of the first are missing, with words in brackets serving
to complete the test. Despite the fact that the technical quality of the recording may be somewhat
imperfect, we have included this document because the cart-driver who performs this song, a
certain Nicola Badagliacco of Monreale (Palermo), possesses a technique and performing style,
which is almost incomparable. The document was recorded during an intimate gathering among
cart-drivers and is therefore representative of a custom, which is still present today.

A. Beyond my window there is a garden/there’s an orange tree with golden branches/the bird
goes there to make his next/to make little birds in their first flight/Rosetta goes there and
takes one/and puts it in a golden cage/you are the cage, woman of love/and I am the bird that
sings and flies /and now that the song is almost finished/zzu Ancilu will sing and his friend
will reply.

B. On Mount Pelegrino there is a rose/in the care of a Palermitano/it is celebrated with
jubilation and festivity/it is the glory of every man/in Palermo there are continuous
celebrations/in Palermo one goes to melt find gold/for the good water of the River Jordan/for
the good wine of Castelvetrano/but he who wants pardon goes to Mount Pellegrino/where
there is Saint Rosalia with Christ in her hands/and now that the song is almost
finished/Gnazziddu gives me your answer/what pleasure I feel in my heart/to hear you sing
tonight.

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