# Translate Chicago's Italian Ice Cream Man? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144 "2003-01-22T03:37:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/1 "2003-01-22T03:37:10Z")
In the Chicago song, “Does Anyone Know What Time It Is?”, what is the translation of the Italian lyrics when a man selling ice cream is singing Italian songs? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/2 "2003-01-22T04:31:41Z")
Jinx, first of all the song you’re thinking about is “Saturday in the Park.” I’m fairly good with Italian, and all the lyricsites I’ve been looking at only have the Italian spelled phonetically, and I can’t translate it. It looks like Italian-sounding ad-lib, basically. I’ll get back to you on this. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/3 "2003-01-31T04:11:26Z")
Ah! Graci, Nocturne! I couldn’t recall which Chicago song it was! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/4 "2003-01-31T21:54:06Z")
I remember the album it was on. The sleeve listed all the lyrics, except for that line, which was: “?” That led me to believe it’s just gibberish. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/5 "2003-01-31T22:00:50Z")
One site had this: > [@](#): > > Saturday in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July > Saturday in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July > People dancin’, people laughin’ > A man selling ice cream, singing Italian songs > **Eicay varee’, eisee’ nardee’** > Can you dig it Yes I can > And I’ve been waiting such a long time > For Saturday which I believe transtlates as, “Various Ice Cream, it’s balls”. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/6 "2003-01-31T22:05:28Z")
Dear God, I’ll never be able to listen to that song again. Thanks a lot, **Ethilrist.** ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/7 "2003-01-31T22:32:38Z")
Are those similar to Chef’s “Salty Chocolate Balls”? “Say everybody have you seen my balls, they’re big and salty and brown. If you ever need a fix just pick me up and stick my balls in your mouth. Ooooooh suck on my chocolate salty balls (put em in your mouth) put em in your mouth and suckem and suckem.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/8 "2003-02-01T02:48:44Z")
I’m not sure how to spell it correctly but I recognize the first two words as “Hey, gumbare…” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/9 "2003-02-12T00:18:15Z")
OK, I heard the song my my way home tonight and remembered this thread. The translation is something like, “Hey, mister, it is if…” but I still can’t figure out the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/10 "2003-02-12T01:27:49Z")
What words, Jeff? I know the song well, and I’m not hearing the words for “Hey mister, it is if…” ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/11 "2003-02-12T02:36:12Z")
I was so confused when first I read this thread. I didn’t remember this song from the movie at all. I even convinced myself it must have been in the stage version but was one oft he songs cut from the mvoie. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/12 "2003-02-12T14:22:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nocturne \* > \*\*What words, Jeff? I know the song well, and I’m not hearing the words for “Hey mister, it is if…” \*\* The OP requested an English translation of the Italian verse. I’ve worked out the Italian as _Hey, gumbare, è se…_ but I can’t figure out the rest. I plugged _è se_ into Babelfish and got “it is if”; I think _gumbare_ (or however that’s spelled) is slang for “mister”. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/13 "2003-02-12T14:37:43Z")
Closest I can get with Babelfish so far is _è se arde_ - “it as if it burns.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/14 "2003-02-12T14:39:10Z")
Typo. Should’ve been “it is if it burns.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/15 "2003-02-12T14:47:32Z")
Perhaps it’s _e se arde_ - “…and if it burns”? ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/16 "2003-02-12T15:07:59Z")
Gumbaree is indeed slang for mister, but I believe that’s more “Americanized” Italian. So no wonder I didn’t know it. “E se arde,” “and if it burns,” makes a little more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/17 "2003-02-12T15:27:28Z")
Okay, the ice cream man is supposed to be singing Italian songs. Either there’s really a song with a verse like that or it’s simply a throwaway line that sounded good. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/18 "2003-02-12T15:37:50Z")
I found another possibility - _Hey, gumbaree, e se_ something _dee_. “Hey, mister, and if (something) goddesses.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/19 "2003-02-12T15:47:16Z")
I think I got it! _Hey, gumbaree, e se la dee_. “Hey, mister, and if the goddesses.” Now this at least sounds like it could be from a real Italian song but it’s still probably just a throwaway line. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144/20 "2003-02-12T15:47:18Z")
I think I got it! _Hey, gumbaree, e se la dee_. “Hey, mister, and if the goddesses.” Now this at least sounds like it could be from a real Italian song but it’s still probably just a throwaway line. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-chicagos-italian-ice-cream-man/150144.md?page=2)