Song Lyrics

The ships are leaving
for lands far away,
and the Neapolitan sailors sing on board.

They sing
while in the sunset
the bay disappears
and the moon lets them
see a glimpse of Naples.

Santa Lucia,
far away from you,
what melancholy!

We circle the whole world,
we go to seek our fortunes,
but when the moon rises
far from Naples,
you cannot stay away.

They play, but their hands
tremble on the strings.
How many memories, how many memories.

And my heart cannot be healed,
not even with those songs;
hearing those voices and that music,
it begins to cry
because it wants to return!

Santa Lucia,
far away from you,
what melancholy!

We circle the whole world,
we go to seek our fortunes,
but when the moon rises
far from Naples,
you cannot stay away.

Santa Lucia,
yours is only a little sea.
But the longer I stay away, the more beautiful you are!

It is like the songs of the sirens
that are still casting their net.
My heart doesn't want riches
if it was born in Naples,
it wants to die there!

Santa Lucia,
far away from you,
what melancholy!

We circle the whole world,
we go to seek our fortunes,
but when the moon rises
far from Naples,
you cannot stay away.

Giovanni Ermete Gaeta

The duration of Santa Lucia luntana, for voice & orchestra is 5:10 minutes and seconds.