Journalist Peppino Turco wrote the Neapolitan song 'Funiculì, Funiculà' in 1880 to celebrate the first funicular railway on Mount Vesuvius. The music was composed by Luigi Denza
It is thought that the song was written and composed as a bit of a joke but it soon became popular, with its sheet music selling over a million copies in a year.
'Funiculì, Funiculà' has been recorded by many famous artists including Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli.
'Funiculì, Funiculà' lyrics
'Funiculì, Funiculà' lyrics in English
I climbed up high this evening, oh, Nanetta, Do you know where? Do you know where? Where this ungrateful heart No longer pains me! No longer pains me! Where fire burns, but if you run away, It lets you be, it lets you be! It doesn't follow after or torment you Just with a look, just with a look.
(Chorus) Let's go, let's go! To the top we'll go! Let's go, let's go! To the top we'll go! Funicular up, funicular down, funicular up, funicular down! To the top we'll go, funicular up, funicular down!
Let's go from here below up to the mountain, A step away! A step away! You can see France, Procida, and Spain, And I see you! And I see you! You rise, pulled by a cable, quick as a wink, Into the sky! Into the sky! We'll rise up like a whirlwind all of a sudden Knows how to do! Knows how to do!
(Chorus)
The car has climbed up high, see, climbed up high now, Right to the top! Right to the top! It went, and turned around, and came back down, And now it's stopped! And now it's stopped! The top is turning round, and round, and round, Around yourself! Around yourself! My heart is singing the same refrain: We should be wed! We should be wed!
(Chorus)
'Funiculì, Funiculà' lyrics original Neapolitan lyrics
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) Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà, Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà, funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà, 'ncoppa, jamme jà, funiculì, funiculà!
Né, jamme da la terra a la montagna! Nu passo nc'è! Nu passo nc'è! Se vede Francia, Proceta e la Spagna... Io veco a tte! Io veco a tte! Tirato co la fune, ditto 'nfatto, 'ncielo se va, 'ncielo se va. Se va comm' 'a lu viento a l'intrasatto, guè, saglie, sà! Guè, saglie, sà!
(Coro)
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)
More famous song lyrics
Main image: Cable car making its way on Mount Vesuvius in the 19th century © Giacomo Brogi (1822–1881) / Creative Commons