6 Christmas carols in Italian: popular and well-known lyrics
There are times in life that are related to certain actions. For example, summer with sunbathing or Christmas with decoration. And it is that we could not understand these dates so marked without the family meals, the reunions, the details, the decorations and, of course, the typical songs of these dates. Christmas carols bring us so many memories that we can close our eyes and remember some moments from our childhood. It’s hard to understand Christmas without that soundtrack in the background.
We all get together around a table to sing some Christmas carols with instruments or put them on background music while the table is decorated. That’s Christmas! In addition to those endearing moments with those we love the most, Christmas carols provide us with a very important cultural heritage. Music, religion and tradition in melodies and lyrics with Christmas themes.
But if you are looking to give this tradition a modern and innovative touch (or if you have a foreign guest at the table), in this article we show you 6 Christmas carols in Italian with popular and well-known lyrics that you have surely heard at some time in your Spanish version. In Italy there is a great tradition with Christmas carols among which we can find purely Italian themes or classical versions. Bring out your musical side, learn the lyrics and enjoy!
6 very popular and traditional Christmas carols in Italian
- Tu scendi dalle stelle (Falling from the stars)
There is possibly no Spanish translation of this Christmas carol. However, it is a very popular song in Italy, we could say that one of the most famous Christmas songs in the country. It was created in 1754 by Alfonso Maria de Ligorio and its place of origin, within Italy, is not very clear: some traditions place its origin near Naples and others do so around the province of Foggia. Be that as it may, it is a carol that deals with the most traditional Christmas, with the birth of a divine and poor child under the stars. We leave you the letter below. We hope you like!
Lyrics:
- Tu ascendi dalle stelle,
o Re del cielo,
e veni en una grotta al freddo e al gelo. (Bis) - O Bambino mio divino,
io ti vedo qui a tremar;
oh God blessed!
Ah, how much did the avermi amato cost you! (Bis) - A te che sei del mondo
il Creatore,
mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore. (Bis) - Caro eletto pargoletto,
quanto questa povertà
più m’innamora,
Giacché ti fece amor povero ancora. (Bis)
- Tamburino (The Drummer)
One of the quintessential Christmas carols that you must hear at least once at Christmas. Whether in Italian or any other language, the versions of El tamborilero multiply. The Italian one is by Ivan Graziani and it takes us back to 1984. A song that, no matter how many years go by, does not lose its essence.
Lyrics:
- Taram pam pam pam
Ram pam pam - Sulla strada param pam pam
A tambourine goes param pam pam
To the rhythm of his heart param pam pam
Segnando il paso va param pam pam - Ram pam pam
Ram pam pam - Bimbo dimmi un pò parapam pam pam
dove vai tu parapam pam pam - Ram pam pam pam
- Ieri il mio papà param pam pam
Seguì un tamburo param pam pam
Con i soldati param pam pam
E d’ora vado en ciel param pam pam - Ram pam pam
Ram pam pam - Ad offerrire il mio tamburo perchè
Torni a me param pam pam - ram pam pam
- Su nel cielo param pam pam
Un angelo suonò param pam pam
E poi gli disse và param pam pam
Tuo padre tornerà param pam pam - Ram pam pam
Ram pam pam - Sul tamburo allor param pam pam
Si risvegliò
- Bianco Natale (White Christmas)
If we continue with the classic carols but, this time, somewhat slower, it is time to listen to the traditional White Christmas. This song is translated into Italian as Bianco Natale and is usually performed by Irene Grandi.
Lyrics:
- Col bianco tuo candor, neve
- sai dar la gioia ad ogni cuor,
- è Christmas anchor
- the big party
- che sa tutti conquer.
- A song vien dal ciel, slow
- Che with the snow donate to noi
- a Christmas full of love
- a Christmas of congratulations.
- I’m dreaming of a White Christmas,
- Just like the ones I used to know,
- Where the treetops glisten and children listen
- To hear sleighbells in the snow.
- And it comes giù dal ciel, slow
- a sweet song ammaliator,
- dalle stelle fine to quaggiù
- è Natale non soffrire più.
- Mai più, mai più, mai più,
- (Chorus)
- Dreaming on Christmas Time,
- Dreaming on a White Christmas,
- Dreaming on Christmas Time,
- Dreaming on a White Christmas,
- Dreaming on Christmas Time,
- Dreaming on a White Christmas,
- Dalle stelle fino a quaggiù
- E’ Natale non soffrire più
- più…più. E’ Natale non soffrire… più
- Quanno nascette Ninno
This Christmas carol was written by San Alfonso Maria de Liguori in 1816 and from here would come the first carol that we have seen above: Scendi dalle stelle. Originally it was known as Pastoral and was composed in Nola, province of Naples, being the first example of religious song written in the Neapolitan dialect.
Lyrics:
- Quanno nascette Ninno,
- when Ninno was born in Betlemme,
- It was night and night miezojourno…
- maje le stelle,
- luster E Belle,
- se vedèttero accussí…
- e ‘a cchiù lucente,
- jette a chiammá li Magge ‘a ll’Uriente.
- When the Bambino was born in Betlemme
- It was notte e pareva mezzogiorno.
- Mai le Stelle luccicanti e belle
- Si videro così:
- E la più lucente
- andò a chiamare i Magi ad Oriente.
- Star of the sky (Silent Night)
The story of Silent Night (in Spanish Silent Night) transports us to Austria in the time of 1818. The Christmas carol is so popular that it has been translated into various languages, performed by many instruments and in different musical genres.
Lyrics:
- Star of the sky, Pargol divine,
- mite Agnello Redeemer,
- Tu che i Vati da lungi dream,
- Tu che angeliche voci nunziar,
- Luce dona alle genti,
- Pace ne infondi nei cuor!
- Star of the sky, Pargol divine,
- mite Agnello Redeemer,
- Tu di stire regale decor,
- Your Virgin, mystical fior,
- Luce dona alle genti,
- Pace ne infondi nei cuor!
- Star of the sky, divine snapper,
- mite agnello redeemer.
- Your speech to count the error,
- Your sun born to speak of love,
- Luce donates alle lie,
- pace infondi nei cuor.
- Jingle Bells
You will have been able to listen to this Christmas carol many times, although surely many more in English. We are used to hearing Jingle Bells in movies, shops, restaurants, advertisements… However, there is also the Italian version and if you haven’t heard it yet, it’s worth listening to (and if you dare, singing it).
Lyrics:
- Jingle bells, jingle bells
- suona jingle bells
- jingling nei cammin
- le campanelle d’or.
- Jingle bells, jingle bells
- suona jingle bells
- and ringing porterà
- la gioia in ogni cuor.
- The snow stops già
- col bianco suo tablecloth
- e su la neve fitta
- We are going to scivolar
- and while we sing
- the sonagliera d’or
- sounding happily
- ci accompagna nel cammin.
- Jingle bells, jingle bells
- suona jingle bells
- dai monti scivoliam
- to valley noi scendiam
- e per le strade bianche
- ringing jingle bell
- ognuno ascolterà
- with great happiness
- a sweet tinkling
- delle campanelle d’or.
