Funiculì, Funiculà

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Funiculì, Funiculà is a famous song written by Italian journalist Peppino Turco and set to music by Italian composer Luigi Denza in 1880. It was composed to commemorate the opening of the first funicular on Mount Vesuvius. It was sung for the first time in the Quisisana Hotel in Castellammare di Stabia and met with huge success. It was presented by Turco and Denza to the Piedigrotta's day during the same year.

1 Unintentional plagiarism
2 Original Neapolitan lyrics
3 References in popular culture
4 Media
5 References

[edit] Unintentional plagiarism

Six years after Funiculì, Funiculà was composed, German composer Richard Strauss heard the song while on a tour of Italy. Thinking that it was a traditional Italian folk song, he later incorporated it into his Aus Italien symphony. To his great embarrassment, Strauss realised his mistake when an angry Denza filed a lawsuit against him. Denza won the lawsuit, and Strauss was forced to pay him a royalty every time the Aus Italien was performed in public.

[edit] Original Neapolitan lyrics

Aieressera, oi' ne', me ne sagliette,
tu saie addo'?
Addo' 'stu core 'ngrato cchiu' dispietto farme nun po'!
Addo' lo fuoco coce, ma si fuie
te lassa sta!
E nun te corre appriesso, nun te struie, 'ncielo a guarda'!...
Jammo 'ncoppa, jammo ja',
funiculi', funicula'!

Ne'... jammo da la terra a la montagna! no passo nc'e'!
Se vede Francia, Proceta e la Spagna...
Io veco a tte!
Tirato co la fune, ditto 'nfatto,
'ncielo se va..
Se va comm' 'a lu viento a l'intrasatto, gue', saglie sa'!
Jammo 'ncoppa, jammo ja',
funiculi', funicula'!

Se n' 'e' sagliuta, oi' ne', se n' 'e' sagliuta la capa già!
E' gghiuta, po' e' turnata, po' e' venuta...
sta sempe cca'!
La capa vota, vota, attuorno, attuorno,
attuorno a tte!
Sto core canta sempe
nu taluorno
Sposammo, oi' ne'!
Jammo 'ncoppa, jammo ja',
funiculi', funicula'!

[edit] References in popular culture

"Funiculì, Funiculà" was a popular hit song performed by Mario Lanza in the 1950s. The melody is the same as the 1800s version, but the lyrics are in English and also changed to have a different theme, i.e. "Love is everywhere, funiculì, funiculà".

"Funiculì, Funiculà" is featured in the 1976 film, "The Bad News Bears", along with songs from the opera Carmen.

In the 1983 film Easy Money, Rodney Dangerfield sings "Funiculì, Funiculà" (the English version) at his daughter's backyard wedding reception.

In the 1994 film Heavenly Creatures, directed by Peter Jackson, the characters Pauline and Juliet are fans of Mario Lanza. In one scene, Pauline is making love to John the lodger and has a bizarre daydream to escape the moment. "Funiculì, Funiculà" is playing in the background.

"Funiculì, Funiculà" can be heard in the "Puppy Love" levels of Earthworm Jim 2, a successful video game first released in 1995.

The VeggieTales silly song "Larry's High Silk Hat" uses the melody from "Funiculì, Funiculà". In the song, Larry the Cucumber sings about his two prized possessions: his top hat, and a box of chocolate candy.

The Decemberists' catchy "Song for Myla Goldberg" from Her Majesty The Decemberists contains the lyrics: "Finiculi, finiculà, finiculi, finiculà. Finiculi, finiculà, finiculi, finiculà."