Diceva (He Used to Say)

[Verse 1] Sicily's on the news again I freeze in the kitchen light Mi diceva — he told me — 'bout this A hundred times, every night He was nine in novanta-dui Bare feet on the piazza stone U paìsi was a family E nuddu was alone Water shortage every August Nonna at the fontana, bucket on her head Coffee on the terrazza Erbi sarbaggi in the breeze — he said [Pre-Chorus] And he-he-he, he'd lower his voice Diceva, "Bedda, nun ti scordari" Wasn't a choice And he-he-he, he'd stare at the wall Diceva, "Bedda, nun ti scordari" Through it all You don't know what it's like When the news say a name you know TG3, capo on the floor And the whole town slow [Chorus] Diceva, diceva He used to say, he used to say 'Bout the summer of novanta-dui When the island cried He's got me carryin' it like nobody Diceva, diceva Falcone, Borsellino And a piece of him died He's got me carryin' it like nobody [Post-Chorus] D-d-diceva, p-p-picciriddu Na-na-na-now D-d-diceva, u-u-u paìsi miu Na-na-na-now [Verse 2] Gelato cu' brioche Sticky on his shirt at eight years old Mi diceva how the nonna prayed When the news came cold Arancini on the corner Smoke risin' from the mercatu stall But the men in the dark suits with the dark cars He remembers them all The passeggiata in the evening Every face he ever knew 'Sti cosi nun si scordanu And I keep 'em too [Pre-Chorus] And he-he-he, he'd lower his voice Diceva, "Bedda, nun ti scordari" Wasn't a choice And he-he-he, he'd stare at the wall Diceva, "Bedda, nun ti scordari" Through it all You don't know what it's like When the news say a name you know TG3, capo on the floor And the whole town slow [Chorus] Diceva, diceva He used to say, he used to say 'Bout the summer of novanta-dui When the island cried He's got me carryin' it like nobody Diceva, diceva Falcone, Borsellino And a piece of him died He's got me carryin' it like nobody [Bridge] He'd say, "Picciotta, l'ìsula è un'incantesimu" The island is a spell Tutti chiancìvamu We were all crying Tutti, tutti, when the bombs fell 'Cause I'm carryin' his Sicily The granita and the gun I'm not cryin' I'm just holdin' all the sole of his sun Diceva, "Bedda, nun ti scordari" And I never will U paìsi, u paìsi On the hill Nun ti scordari Nun ti scordari, baby Carryin' him 'cause I'm maravigghiùsa [Final Chorus + Breakdown] Diceva, diceva 'Bout the summer of novanta-dui When the island cried He's got me carryin' it like nobody N-n-nun ti scordari N-n-nun ti scordari D-d-diceva, picciriddu, piazza Na-na-na-now Falcone, Borsellino, Sicilia D-d-diceva, picciriddu, piazza Na-na-na-now