Funiculì, Funiculà

A flashmob scene of Funiculì, Funiculà had me weeping and cheering; sometimes when I see a gorgeous display of fruit, or Carmen Miranda’s hat, I too feel like singing. I remember the first time I heard Funiculì, Funiculà when I was four years old. It mesmerized me then, it mesmerizes me now.

Of course, I didn't know Italian, but I could be heard belting out: alguin, alguin, goose a lava talk? Who knew that it was written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular cable car on Mount Vesuvius? I dare you (not to) to sing along. And keep your hands off the fennel.

A friend sang, Harken, harken, joy is in the air—I didn’t know there was an English version. It makes you want to ride a funicular trolley. Too bad Vesuvius dispatched the inspiration of the song. Efforts to build a new funicular have been derailed. Seeing the words, I can’t figure out why I thought the words were alguin, alguin.... And where were the geese, anyway? We know what the lava did. Maybe it wa Take me to the top. No geese or lava involved.

Slim Russell said “That song blared merrily from our old hi-fi, every Sunday, via Mario Lanza's album Be My Love. And just last week  I found myself thinking of it whilst reading Martin Booth's Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood, in which the Peak Cable Car is described in vivid and entertaining detail.”

OMG, it was a Mario Lanza record! I can still see the album cover in my mind's eye, even though I wasn't much more than 4 years old, if that. Amid my aunts and uncles collection of records, Mario Lanza’s Old World Funiculì, Funiculà, was an uneasy compromise that bridged the distance between Nat King Cole, Benny Goodman, and John McCormack. The record player was an impromptu 1950s altar, a station of the cross between our stark entry foyer, and the Victorian living room with its overstuffed armchairs crowned with doilies hiding decades of pomade stains from another era. My grandfather’s sole kingdom.

From a Facebook post, added, rev. 8/19

Funiculì, Funiculà

Aissera, oje Nanniné, me ne sagliette,
        tu saje addó, tu saje addó
        Addó 'stu core 'ngrato cchiù dispietto
        farme nun pò! Farme nun pò!
        Addó lu fuoco coce, ma se fuje
        te lassa sta! Te lassa sta!
        E nun te corre appriesso, nun te struje
        sulo a guardà, sulo a guardà.

        (Coro)
        Jammo, jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
        Jammo, jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
        funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
        'ncoppa, jammo jà, funiculì, funiculà!

        Se n'è sagliuta, oje né, se n'è sagliuta,
        la capa già! La capa già!
        È gghiuta, po' è turnata, po' è venuta,
        sta sempe ccà! Sta sempe ccà!
        La capa vota, vota, attuorno, attuorno,
        attuorno a tte! Attuorno a tte!
        Stu core canta sempe nu taluorno:
        Sposamme, oje né! Sposamme, oje né!

        (Coro)
        Jammo, jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
        Jammo, jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
        funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
        'ncoppa, jammo jà, funiculì, funiculà!