What I Saw Today – Tu Vuò Fa’ L’Americano by Renato Carosone Sextet – tMt TV #8

Piano – Renato Carosone
Drums – Gennaro “Gege” Di Giacomo,
Guitar/Mandolin – Raf Montrasio
Double Bass – Piero Giordetti
Saxophone and Ocarina – John Tozzi Rambaldi
Saxophone and clarinet – Tonino Grottole

[from the 1958 motion picture:Toto’, Peppino e Le Fanatiche]

 

Finally, if you want to see Sophia Loren singing Tuo Fa l’Americano (of course you want to see that!) here it is:

Renato Carosone (3 January 1920 – 20 May 2001), born Renato Carusone, was among the greatest figures of Italian music scene in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a modern performer of the so-called canzone napoletana, Naples’ song tradition. “Tu vuò fà l’americano” (English: “You want to do American”, or more idiomatically, “You’re an American wannabe”) is a Neapolitan language song by Italian singer Renato Carosone.

Carosone wrote the song in collaboration with Nicola “Nisa” Salerno in 1956. Combining swing and jazz, it became one of his best-known songs. Commissioned by Ricordi director Rapetti for a radio contest, the music was composed by Carosone in a very short time after reading Nisa’s lyrics; he immediately believed the song would become a great success.

Carosone’s original version of the song was performed by him in the film Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche (directed by Mario Mattoli, 1958). The song was featured in the 1960 Melville Shavelson film It Started in Naples, in which it was sung by Sofia Loren. It was also performed by Rosario Fiorello in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley.

The lyrics are about an Italian who imitates the contemporary American lifestyle and acts like a Yankee, drinking whisky and soda, dancing to rock ‘n roll, playing baseball and smoking Camel cigarettes, but who still depends on his parents for money. The song is generally considered to be a satire on the process of Americanization that occurred in the early post-war years, when southern Italy was still a rural, traditional society.
According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, “Tu vuò fa l’americano” is the definitive hit single of Carosone’s artistic career, as he retired from music in 1960, just four years after releasing the song.

Puorte o’ calzone cu ‘nu stemma arreto
‘na cuppulella cu ‘a visiera alzata.
Passe scampanianno pe’ Tuleto
camme a ‘nu guappo pe’ te fa guardà!

Tu vuò fa l’ americano!
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t’ ho fa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda
ma se bevi whisky and soda
po’ te sente ‘e disturbà.

Tu abballe ‘o roccorol
tu giochi al basebal ‘
ma ‘e solde pe’ Camel
chi te li dà? …
La borsetta di mammà!

Tu vuò fa l’ americano
mmericano! mmericano!
ma si nato in Italy!
siente a mme
non ce sta’ niente a ffa
o kay, napolitan!

Tu vuò fa l’ american!
Tu vuò fa l’ american!

Comme te po’ capì chi te vò bene
si tu le parle ‘mmiezzo americano?
Quando se fa l ‘ammore sotto ‘a luna
come te vene ‘capa e di:”I love you!?”

Tu vuò fa l’ americano
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t’ho fa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda…

—————————————-­——————–­-

You’re wearing trousers with a tag on the back
and a cap with the visor turned up,
parading around Tuleto
like a bully trying to show off

You’re acting all american,
american, american,
listen here: who’s asking you to?

You want to be all trendy,
but if you drink “whisky and soda”
you always end up sick!

You’re dancing rock and roll,
and playing baseball,
but where’d you get the money
for the Camel cigarettes?
Mummy’s handbag!

You’re acting all american,
american, american,
but you’re born in Italy, listen here:
there’s nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You’re acting all american,
american, american,

How can your loved one understand
if you’re speaking half american?
When you’re out loving uder the moon,
where do you get a phrase like “I love you”?

You’re acting all american,
american, american,
but you’re born in Italy, listen here:
there’s nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You’re acting all american,
american, american,
…whisky soda e rock and roll

No copyright infringment intended, for educational and promotional purposes only.