DESCRIPTION:
Enzo Fina, filmed by Miranda Rondeau, plays his song Cozze Cuzzeddhre.
Cozze cuzzeddhre (Snails, Little Snails,) written by Enzo Fina, is an historical metaphor about the several invasions and dominations that occurred in the Italian South along the centuries. The 'cozze,' or snails, symbolize the poor people of the south. The eating away of the cozze until the belly is full refers to the historical exploitation of poor people by the rich and powerful. But when the powerful lays down with the belly stuffed to the bursting point, then it is the time for the underdog to "sing the last rhyme."

Salentine and English text down here,

Salentine text:
- Cozze, cuzzeddhre - Cozze, cuzzeddhre -
Cozze, cuzzeddhre nnu ecchiarieddhru innia a'mmienzu 'lle sthrate 'mmer'a ccasa mia.
Cozze, cuzzeddhre si: lumache, lumachine innia ddhru ecchiarieddhru quannu jou era nnu piccicchieddhru.
Quannu jou era piccicchieddhru tante cose nu' lle sapia ne dde storia ne ggiografia, cce tte ttuccatu Salentu mia.
- Cozze, cuzzeddhre - Cozze, cuzzeddhre -
Te ddhri messapi e salentini, te ddhr'antichi contatini conquistati e ddominati, te la storia rruinati.
E cci li cunta quanti su stati tutti li cuvernanti ca scrafazzannu tuttu lu Suddu cozze e cuzzeddhre s'anne mangiate.
(coro) Na na na, comu lu piji lu munnu va, e lu piji a ddhra rretu, sempre arretu se ne va.
Quannu jou era piccicchieddhru tante cose nu' lle sapia ne dde storia ne ggiografia, cce tte ttuccatu Salentu mia.
Te ddhri messapi e salentini, te ddhr'antichi contatini conquistati e ddominati, te la storia rruinati.
E cci li cunta quanti su stati tutti li cuvernanti ca scrafazzannu tuttu lu Suddu cozze e cuzzeddhre s'anne mangiate.
E mo' li creci, poi li romani, mo' li patriarchi e li papi cristiani, svevi, normanni e araconesi e poi li turchi: "Mamma li turchi!".
E cu lli turchi li mussulmani, piemontesi e cuverni italiani, Napoleone, l'inglesi-russi, nazisti, fascisti e l'americani!
Mo te la Grecia llucisce 'mmatina e murennu, lu sule, 'll'Americhe se mina; nui comu cuzzeddhre tiramu 'ccampare: lente, caleddhre e sapurite.
Ueh! Ddiscitamunne meridionali ca li uai su 'ncapuniti ae mutu ca è rriata l'ura c'cangiamu e cu cantamu tutti uniti:
Sucatinne beddhri tutti te paru, sucatibbe tuttu stu panaru e quannu tiniti la ucca china, sta cozza bbe canta l'urtima rima!

(Puoi ascoltare Cozze Cuzzeddhre nella versione di MUSICàNTICA su: http://www.musicantica.org/cd.html)

English text:
- Cozze, cuzzeddhre -Cozze, cuzzeddhre-
Cozze cuzzeddhre a little old man used to sell them down in the street behind my house.
Cozze cuzzeddhre, yes snails and little snails that old man sold passing down the street around my home when I was a little boy.
When I was a little boy I did not know certain things of history or geography that happened to you, my Salento.
- Cozze, cuzzeddhre - Cozze, cuzzeddhre-
Of those Messapi and Salentinians, those ancient peasants, conquered, dominated, ruined by history.
And who is able to count how many these rulers were whom crushing the whole South, cozze and cuzzeddhre have devoured.
Na na na, the world goes as you take it, you take it up your ass, always backward it goes.
When I was a little boy I did not know certain things of history or geography that happened to you, my Salento.
Of those Messapi and Salentinians, those ancient peasants, conquered, dominated, ruined by history.
And who is able to count how many these rulers were whom crushing the whole South, cozze and cuzzeddhre have devoured.
Now the Greeks, then the Romans, now the Patriarchs and the Christian Popes, Swaebians, Normands, Aragonese, and then the Turks: "Oh! Mother, the Turks!!"
And with the Muslim Turks, the Piedmontese and the Italian Governments, Napoleon, the British, Russians, The Nazi, the Fascists and the Americans!
From Greece rises up the morning light and the dying sun dives towards the Americas. We, like snails, try to get by: slow, pretty, and tasty.
Ueh! Wake up you southerners because troubles are persistent, It has been a long time that the time to change and sing as one has come:
Suck us, honeys! All of us, the whole basketful and when you'll have your mouth full, this snail will sing the last rhyme for you.

(You can listen to Cozze Cuzzeddhre in MUSICàNTICA's version at:
http://www.musicantica.org/cd.html)