Denza was born at Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples. He studied music under Saverio Mercadante and Paolo Serrao at the Naples Conservatory. Later, he moved to London and became a professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music in 1898. Denza wrote an opera, Wallenstein, and hundreds of songs. The most popular of these was a collaboration with Peppino Turco, the Neapolitan song Funiculì, Funiculà, about the Vesuvius funicular.[1] . Other songs such as "Luna fedel", "Occhi di fata", and "Se" have been sung by Mario Lanza, Luciano Pavarotti, Carlo Bergonzi, Enrico Caruso and Rona Tynan.
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 fee every time the Aus Italien was performed in public.
Luigi Denza died in 1922 in London.
Funiculì funiculà
Luigi Denza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
'ncoppa, jamme jà, funiculì, funiculà!
Aissera, oje Nanniné, me ne sagliette,
tu saje addó, tu saje addó
Addó 'stu core 'ngrato cchiù dispietto
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.
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
'ncoppa, jamme jà, funiculì, funiculà!
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
'ncoppa, jamme 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!
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
'ncoppa, jamme jà, funiculì, funiculà!
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
Luigi Denza's song "Funiculi Funicula" has its roots in the joy and wonder of a funicular ride up the steep slopes of Mount Vesuvius. The lyrics express the exuberance of this experience, urging listeners to climb aboard and enjoy the ride. The opening lines, "Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà," translate to "Let's climb up, let's go up."
The second part of the song takes on a more melancholy tone as the singer addresses a love interest, Nanniné. He laments that his heart is unhappy with her, and that he is powerless to change that. However, he reminds himself that he can still enjoy the beauty around him, even if it is bittersweet. The final verse returns to the joyful funicular ride, with the chorus urging listeners once again to climb aboard.
Overall, "Funiculi Funicula" is a song about the highs and lows of life, and the importance of living in the moment and finding joy wherever it can be found.
Line by Line Meaning
Jamme, jamme 'ncoppa, jamme jà,
Let's go up, let's go up, let's go now
funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà,
On the funicular, up, up we go
'ncoppa, jamme jà, funiculì, funiculà!
Up we go, on the funicular!
Aissera, oje Nanniné, me ne sagliette,
Goodbye, oh Nanniné, I'm going away
tu saje addó, tu saje addó
You know where, you know where
Addó 'stu core 'ngrato cchiù dispietto farme nun pò! Farme nun pò!
Where this ungrateful heart causes me even more pain! It can't do that to me!
Addó lu fuoco coce, ma se fuje te lassa sta! Te lassa sta!
Where the fire burns, but if you run away, leave it be! Leave it be!
E nun te corre appriesso, nun te struje sulo a guardà, sulo a guardà.
And it won't chase after you, won't pressure you, just watch from afar, just watch.
Se n'è sagliuta, oje né, se n'è sagliuta, la capa già! La capa già!
She has already left, oh dear, she has already left! The head is already gone!
È gghiuta, po' è turnata, po' è venuta, sta sempe ccà! Sta sempe ccà!
She went away, then returned, then came back, but she's always here! Always here!
La capa vota, vota, attuorno, attuorno, attuorno a tte! Attuorno a tte!
The head turns, turns, around and around, around you! Around you!
Stu core canta sempe nu taluorno: Sposamme, oje né! Sposamme, oje né!
This heart always sings the same tune: Marry me, oh dear! Marry me, oh dear!
Contributed by Kylie S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.