Origins: Funiculi Funicula

Subject: Funiculi Funicula.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 May 99 - 08:07 PM

Just a slight correction, Jon. As this library's Webster's New World says, a funicular or funicular railway is a mountain railway on which counterbalanced cars on parallel sets of rails are pulled up and lowered by cables. The definition doesn't quite fit my experience - the funicular railways I've ridden have parallel rails only at the point where the two cars would meet. There's a single rail for most of the distance. If you sit in the front of the car, it looks like the other car is going to run right into you, but then it turns away at the last moment and misses you by inches. In my book, it's more fun than a roller coaster. I ride 'em wherever I find 'em. The most memorable ones I've ridden are the newly restored Angel's Flight in downtown Los Angeles, the two across the river from downtown Pittsburgh, and the one that goes to the castle in Salzburg, Austria.
Mega-cool.
-Joe Offer, rail fan-

...but the song doesn't seem to have much to do with railroads, does it?

---

This site has Italian and German lyrics: https://ingeb.org/Lieder/dasmeerd.html

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

Das Meer, Das blaue Meer, Die gold'ne Sonne Und auch den Mond, Und auch den Mond, Die kann man nur erleben in Italien? Die Reise lohnt, Die Reise lohnt! Der Wein, Der rote Wein in der Taverne Ist weltbekannt, Ist weltbekannt. Die Frau'n, Sie haben Augen wie die Sterne In diesem Land, In diesem Land. Aber bella, bella musica Ist das Schönste in Italia! Funiculi, funicula, funiculi, funicula! Bella musica! Funiculi, funicula!

Melody - Luigi Denza, 1880
https://ingeb.org/Lieder/funiculi.mid

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 18 May 99 - 07:56 AM

Thanks for the lyrics Jonn W. Regards, John

Subject: Lyr Add: FUNICULI FUNICULA (Italian)
From: Jon W.
Date: 17 May 99 - 11:19 AM

Getting back to reality, I believe I posted these Italian words a year or two ago but the forum search failed so I'll post them again:

FUNICULI FUNICULA

Stasera, nina mia, viam sul' monte
Un passo c'e. Un passo c'e.
Si vede Francia, Portceddu, la Spagna,
Io veggo a te. Io veggo a te.
La testa gira gira intorno intorno
Intorno a te. Intorno a te.
E il cuore canta come il primo giorno.
Ti sposa a me. Ti sposa a me.

Chorus:
Lesti, lesti via'l monton' su la
Lesti, lesti via'l monton' su la
Funiculi, funicula funiculi funicula
Via'l monton su la, funiculi funicula.

English translation:
This evening, little girl, we climb the mountain
The view to see. The view to see.
One looks on France and Portugal and Spain,
It's you I see, it's you I see.
The head is dizzy whirling 'round and 'round
With thoughts of thee, with thoughts of thee.
And the heart, it sings with Eden's sound
You'll marry me. You'll marry me.

Joyful, joyful up on the mountain high
Joyful, joyful up on the mountain high
Funicula, funiculi, funicula funiculi
Up on the mountain high funicula funiculi.

Note: A "funiculare" was a train equipped with a gear which engaged a toothed track for climbing steep mountainsides.
^^

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: gargoyle
Date: 17 May 99 - 05:28 AM

I suppose the "gods" of the Mudcat Digital Database of FOLK MUSIC are quite happy to have another new set of lyrics added to their collection.

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 17 May 99 - 04:27 AM

And what does God-who-spells-His-name-with-a-capital-letter think about that, Gargoyle? --seed

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 17 May 99 - 03:36 AM

Seems to me there's a moral to be drawn from this thread ...

Subject: Lyr Add: FUNICULI FUNICULA bawdy parody
From: gargoyle
Date: 16 May 99 - 10:01 PM

Warping back to early adolescent memories; this one is a little more difficult to recall:

However, once again, with a refreshed memory.

Last night I stayed up late and masturbated
It felt so good
I knew it would
Last night I stayed up late and masturbated
It felt so nice
I did it twice
You should have seen me on the long strokes
It felt so neat
I used my feet
You should have seen me on the long strokes
It felt so grand
I used my hand
Splash it, dash it, down across the floor
Wrap it round the bedpost, shoot it out the door
It felt so good
I knew it would
It felt so nice
I did it twice
Some people like to fornicate
But I would rather masturbate

OR

Some people like to fuck a chick
But I would rather beat my prick
^^

Subject: Tune Add: FINICULI FUNICULA
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 16 May 99 - 09:49 PM

But here's the tune which is not in the database. Regards, John

MIDI file: funiculi.mid

Timebase: 120

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: D
Tempo: 130 (461538 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0358 1 69 114 0127 1 74 110 0005 0 69 000 0245 0 74 000 0057 1 74 108 0020 0 74 000 0023 1 73 098 0033 0 73 000 0037 1 73 089 0020 0 73 000 0025 1 69 106 0040 0 69 000 0039 1 69 104 0024 0 69 000 0025 1 71 099 0033 0 71 000 0040 1 71 086 0022 0 71 000 0027 1 66 093 0059 0 66 000 0053 1 66 098 0178 0 66 000 0026 1 66 089 0025 0 66 000 0022 1 64 118 0038 0 64 000 0034 1 62 104 0021 0 62 000 0024 1 62 108 0272 0 62 000 0045 1 66 100 0027 0 66 000 0018 1 64 096 0033 0 64 000 0040 1 62 108 0020 0 62 000 0027 1 62 108 0252 0 62 000 0417 1 69 110 0023 0 69 000 0025 1 74 108 0257 0 74 000 0044 1 74 108 0021 0 74 000 0039 1 73 083 0053 0 73 000 0007 1 73 086 0026 0 73 000 0034 1 69 098 0040 0 69 000 0050 1 69 110 0019 0 69 000 0041 1 71 076 0022 0 71 000 0038 1 71 075 0021 0 71 000 0009 1 66 077 0029 0 66 000 0084 1 66 082 0135 0 66 000 0056 1 66 090 0027 0 66 000 0024 1 64 090 0044 0 64 000 0044 1 62 108 0018 0 62 000 0027 1 62 106 0253 0 62 000 0056 1 66 092 0026 0 66 000 0021 1 64 095 0029 0 64 000 0050 1 62 108 0017 0 62 000 0024 1 62 106 0461 0 62 000 0195 1 66 086 0054 0 66 000 0006 1 66 106 0234 0 66 000 0075 1 66 085 0026 0 66 000 0020 1 68 077 0033 0 68 000 0038 1 68 093 0024 0 68 000 0023 1 66 087 0036 0 66 000 0038 1 66 089 0022 0 66 000 0022 1 68 100 0038 0 68 000 0035 1 68 095 0026 0 68 000 0020 1 66 092 0060 0 66 000 0063 1 66 099 0153 0 66 000 0043 1 61 085 0020 0 61 000 0025 1 61 087 0045 0 61 000 0034 1 61 076 0022 0 61 000 0024 1 61 080 0263 0 61 000 0046 1 61 080 0022 0 61 000 0025 1 61 085 0023 0 61 000 0053 1 61 082 0022 0 61 000 0027 1 61 096 0129 0 61 000 0291 1 69 109 0054 0 69 000 0013 1 69 082 0275 0 69 000 0032 1 69 108 0022 0 69 000 0020 1 71 099 0038 0 71 000 0032 1 71 077 0033 0 71 000 0006 1 69 096 0044 0 69 000 0038 1 69 098 0025 0 69 000 0020 1 71 113 0047 0 71 000 0029 1 71 089 0030 0 71 000 0011 1 69 106 0061 0 69 000 0055 1 69 098 0147 0 69 000 0053 1 64 089 0027 0 64 000 0023 1 64 085 0033 0 64 000 0039 1 64 077 0027 0 64 000 0021 1 64 085 0283 0 64 000 0036 1 64 080 0023 0 64 000 0019 1 64 103 0038 0 64 000 0037 1 64 081 0022 0 64 000 0021 1 64 098 0357 0 64 000 0141 1 73 092 0077 0 73 000 0037 1 71 095 0051 0 71 000 0062 1 73 095 0098 0 73 000 0017 1 71 098 0100 0 71 000 0018 1 74 100 0024 0 74 000 0044 1 73 087 0021 0 73 000 0039 1 71 091 0029 0 71 000 0031 1 74 100 0020 0 74 000 0037 1 73 087 0198 0 73 000 0050 1 73 095 0085 0 73 000 0033 1 71 105 0073 0 71 000 0043 1 73 107 0102 0 73 000 0014 1 71 103 0078 0 71 000 0044 1 74 104 0029 0 74 000 0048 1 73 089 0024 0 73 000 0026 1 71 096 0034 0 71 000 0052 1 74 106 0026 0 74 000 0004 1 69 109 0040 0 69 000 0050 1 66 087 0023 0 66 000 0007 1 66 076 0026 0 66 000 0064 1 66 086 0023 0 66 000 0010 1 66 086 0045 0 66 000 0034 1 66 085 0020 0 66 000 0026 1 66 089 0036 0 66 000 0038 1 66 089 0019 0 66 000 0025 1 66 089 0041 0 66 000 0035 1 66 085 0020 0 66 000 0021 1 66 072 0030 0 66 000 0046 1 66 085 0020 0 66 000 0025 1 66 080 0033 0 66 000 0042 1 66 079 0021 0 66 000 0022 1 66 074 0027 0 66 000 0048 1 66 089 0021 0 66 000 0024 1 74 100 0209 0 74 000 0030 1 76 087 0035 0 76 000 0042 1 74 096 0024 0 74 000 0021 1 73 086 0046 0 73 000 0028 1 71 077 0026 0 71 000 0037 1 69 078 0043 0 69 000 0027 1 66 079 0021 0 66 000 0009 1 66 060 0052 0 66 000 0038 1 67 084 0025 0 67 000 0005 1 69 068 0029 0 69 000 0031 1 67 080 0024 0 67 000 0036 1 66 074 0054 0 66 000 0036 1 64 092 0021 0 64 000 0014 1 62 092 0199 0 62 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Funiculi Funicula M:4/4
Q:1/4=126
K:D
A8|d21/4d3/4cc3/4A/4|-A5/4A3/4B5/4B3/4F7/4F9/4|
-F5/4F3/4E5/4D3/4D4|-D5/4F3/4E5/4D3/4D4|-D29/4A3/4|
d5dcc|A3/2ABB/2F2F2|-FFE3/2D3/4D15/4|-D5/4F3/4E3/2D/2D4|
-D7F|F21/4F3/4^G^G|FF3/4^G5/4^G3/4F9/4F2|
-F5/4C3/4C5/4C3/4C4|-C5/4C3/4C5/4C3/4C4|-C3AA4|
-A5/4A3/4BB3/4A5/4A3/4B3/2B/2A/4|-A7/4A13/4EEE|
E21/4E3/4E5/4E3/4|E8|-E/4c7/4B2c2B7/4d/4|
-dcBdc4|c2B2c2B2|d5/4c3/4B3/2d/2A3/2F/2F3/2F/2|
F5/4FFF3/4F5/4F3/4F5/4F3/4|F5/4F3/4F5/4F3/4d4|
e5/4d3/4c5/4BA5/4F/2F3/2G/2|AGF3/2E/2D7/2||

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 16 May 99 - 07:38 PM

Since reading this thread I've searched in vain for the Italian lyrics, but no luck! I must admit that I don't know the song's origin.

Regards
John

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: Susan of DT
Date: 15 May 99 - 04:59 PM

It is in the database. I searched for [fun and frolic] in the big blue search box in the upper right to avoid the how to spell funiculi problem.

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From:
Date: 15 May 99 - 04:36 PM

thank you!

Subject: RE: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From: gargoyle
Date: 15 May 99 - 02:04 AM

Last night
I stayed up late
And masterbated

It felt so good
I knew it would

Last night
I stayed up late
And masterbated

It felt so nice
I did it twice

You should have seen me on the long strokes
It felt so neat
I used my feet I used my hand

Wrap it round the bed-post
Shoot it out the door

No doubt these are the REAL family lyrics she is looking for....and no doubt some Mudcatter can remember the rest and put them into the correct sequence.

Subject: Lyr Add: FUNICULI FUNICULA (English lyrics)^^^
From: campfire
Date: 14 May 99 - 10:47 PM

Hello, whomever!

FUNICULI FUNICULA

Some think the world is made for fun and frolic
And so do I! And so do I!
Some think it well to be all melancholic
To pine and sigh, to pine and sigh
But I, I love to spend my time in singing
Some joyous song, some joyous song
To set the air with music bravely ringing
Is far from wrong, is far from wrong.

CHORUS:
Harken! Harken! Music sounds afar!
Harken! Harken! Music sounds afar!
Tralalala Tralalala
Tralalala Tralalala
Joy is everywhere — Funiculi Funicula!

Ah me! 'Tis strange that some should take to sighing
And like it well, and like it well
For me, I have not thought it worth the trying
So cannot tell, so cannot tell
With laugh and dance and song the day soon passes
Full soon is gone, full soon is gone
For mirth was made for joyous lads and lasses
To call their own, to call their own

Written to commemorate the opening of a funicular railroad to the top of Mount Vesuvius.
These are from the Rise Up Singing book

campfire

Note from Joe Offer:
These lyrics are the same as those found in the Fireside Fook of Folk Songs (Simon & Schuster, 1947, pp 43-47), except that the chorus is slightly different:
CHORUS:
Hearken! Hearken! Music sounds afar!
Hearken! Hearken! Music sounds afar!
Tralalala Tralalala
Tralalala Tralalala
Joy is everywhere — Tralalala Tralalala!

Subject: I am looking for workds to Finiculi Funicula.
From:
Date: 14 May 99 - 10:22 PM

I am looking for the words to the song Finiculi Finicula, my family has it on 45 somewhere, but I can't get to it.