Song of the Day (12)

Song: Funiculì, Funiculà

Composer: Luigi Denza

Performer: Mario Lanza

Year: 1880

        Funiculì, Funiculà is a classic song in Neapolitan (The language of southern continental Italy). The song was written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular cable car on Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy. However, the cable car was destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 1944, since it was a stratovolcano (composite volcano). The eruption can't be a happy memory, but the opening of the funicular was, that's why Funiculì, Funiculà is a happy song. The lyrics are about the happy experience you get by going on top of the mountain by the Funicular. The cable car carries you, quick as a wink to the top where you can see France, Procida and Spain, so let's go to the top… and words along those lines. It’s a cheerful song, that make you want to jump onto the funicular right away and see the world from the top. The song also refers to the volcano in the verse that says:

"Where a fire is burning, but if you flee

It lets you be.

It doesn't chase you, doesn't melt you, with just one glance!"

Too bad, it got destroyed later because of the volcano.

     The song has an English version with traditional English lyrics and it goes by the subtitle "A merry life". It's a cheerful version too, you can tell from the subtitle. The singer wants to spend his time singing joyous songs. That's what the song says.

    As for me, whenever I hear " Funiculì, Funiculà", all that comes to mind is the song I used to hear as a child on Spacetoon channel. Spacetoon is an Arabic channel that broadcasts Arabic dubbed anime and cartoon. There were also Arabic dubbed children's songs. Among them, there was that song about spaghetti. It goes through all the steps of making spaghetti, from when it was still a dough, until it''s cooked. I can't remember any words from the song except the part when they kept saying "lalalalalalalalalala" instead of " Funiculì, Funiculà, Funiculì, Funiculà ".

So, basically, for me, the song  means "Spagetti". It just makes me hungry! :D