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italian australian folk songs

22 Apr 01 - 09:47 PM (#446993)
Subject: italian australian folk songs
From: GUEST,s.battaglia@mailbox.gu.edu.au

Dear all,

I am currently trying to recover any evidence of italian-australian folk songs for the purpose of a doctoral thesis. No collections of recordings and/or lyrics appear to exist as far as I know.

Would anyone provide me an hint?

Thanksamillion,

Stefano ------ Cari tutti,

Sto cercando di recuperare qualsiasi traccia di canzoni popolari italo-australiane ai fini di produrre una di dottorato. Per quanto ne so, non vi sono collezioni di alcun tipo, registrazioni e/o testi.

C'e' qualcuno in grado di fornire anche un indizio?

Grazissime

Stefano

22 Apr 01 - 09:54 PM (#446997)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Brendy

Something, anyway!!

Have a look here, too!

Good luck

B.

22 Apr 01 - 11:33 PM (#447047)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Stefano,

I will pass on your request to Dave De Santi, the leader of Wongawilli Bush Band, an Australian Folk band who occasionally change hats and appear as Immigrante and do songs from Dave's Neapolitan background ... and some Australian songs about Italian immigration, such as the Southern Cross is Calling.

I should also speak to a few of the local Italian organisations near to where i live, in Leichhardt - Sydney's "Little Italy". I have been maening to make a few contacts for Dave and i will pass on anything useful to youself.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

23 Apr 01 - 01:02 AM (#447104)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Callie at work

There is a multicultural women's choir in Wollongong who sing an Italian song about a young girl wanting to come to Australia. If you're interested I can try to get you a contact for them.

The Co.As.It based in Sydney would have lots of songs and possibly pass on names of people who could help you directly.

I'd be very interested in your findings as my background is Italian and I live in Australia.

best of luck

Callie

ps: Dave di Santi's group is called "l'Emigrante". They also team up with an African group and play under the name "Zompa".

23 Apr 01 - 08:57 PM (#447735)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: alison

"The Southern Cross is calling" is the one that springs to mind....

"goodbye to sunny Naples............."

slainte

alison

23 Apr 01 - 11:46 PM (#447844)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Bob Bolton

G'day again Stefano,

I gather Dave De Santi got back to you - I hope he was able to help. Callie is undoubtedly right about the group name l'Emigrante ... Italian is not my forte ... and I should not try to guess spellings on the run!

Co.As.It is one of the local Italian organisations (only some 400 metres from my place) which I intend to contact. (I won't try to expand their abbreviated name, but they are an Italian community / cultural organisation.) I will check first with Callie to see if she already has contact with them. the other Italian organisation nearby is (~) Associazione Napolitano (about 100 m up my street).

I don't know if they have a web site (Co.As.It may), so I can't guarantee a quick reply.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

24 Apr 01 - 09:23 AM (#448026)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Callie

Hiya Bob & others

I don't have any links with Co As It, but I reckon they're your best bit for finding the songs. They have quite interesting cultural nights which link people who know all kinds of things (folk songs etc!).

I don't know anything about the Associazione Napolitana (except that my Dad used to play chess there!). I doubt they're as well resourced, and probably only focus on things Neapolitan.

a piu tardi

Callie

25 Apr 01 - 04:48 AM (#448786)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Callie (and, of couse, Stefano),

I walked past the Leichhardt branch of Co.As.It this afternoon (it was closed, today being a Public Holiday - Anzac Day) and there was no sign in their window display that they were all that computer/www oriented. However, I did type in "www.coasit.com.au" ... and immediately got a web site!

This was the Victorian branch - and is a fairly new site, still under construction - and I could see only language courses on the "Language/Culture" page. Perhaps Stefano should contact them directly, as he can explain more clearly just what he is after. I will see if I can speak to the local branch, this Friday - as it is a rostered day off for me - since I want to make some contacts for Dave De Santi.

I should post the words (and tune) for Joe Paolacci's song The Southern Cross is Calling as I have it in my performance lists (I picked it up for a gig at the Maritime Museum, supporting their "Immigration" exhibition a few years back). I will search around and dig out the words, comvert the tune to MIDItext and post it all in a new Lyr Add thread.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

25 Apr 01 - 06:02 AM (#448809)
Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE SOUTHERN CROSS IS CALLING ME
From: Bob Bolton

G'day again,

I have just posted this to a new "Lyr Add" thread called Southern Cross is callin me - Italo/Aust. I am not sure if it is a "folk song" in the definition of the requester, but it is a good view of the post-WWII Italian immigrant experience, as seen by Joe Paolacci. Joe, who was 2 year-old when his family came to Australia, has based this on his father's experiences and stories of other Italian immigrants.

It is interesting to read Thérèse Radic's comment, in the Provenance Notes to Songs of Australian Working Life, 1989, that: "he says that, as a child ... he was 'surrounded' by Italian folk music; he has been singing as long as he can remember."

The Southern Cross is calling me
Joe Paolacci

He hasn't had a break you know for 27 years
Non-stop, in a barber shop, he owns near Station Pier
He came from sunny Naples, just after World War II
And with aching heart he played his part and bid his folks adieu
Chorus:
So goodbye sunny Naples, my loving family too
The Southern Cross is calling me to build a life that's new
I'm off to see Australia, the work is plenty there
My bag is packed I won't look back, I'll make a pile, I swear

He took a boat to Melbourne, employment was in plenty
And he got a job, with a yankee mob, in motor car assembly
He rented up in Carlton, and money carefully spent
And with families four and sometimes more he shared his every cent.
Chorus:

'G'day mate!' they say to him, he answers 'Same to you'
He feels so queer they all drink beer and yell 'It's your shout Blue!'
And this goes on till six o'clock when the barman yells 'It's time!'
And it's down the hatch, there's a bus to catch on the Gardenvale line.
Chorus:

He met a girl from Williamstown and courted her at Mass
She stole his heart right from the start, a freckled Aussie Lass
They looked up Father Murphy, got married with great haste
And they honeymooned, in a tiny room they found in Elgin Place.
Chorus:

He hasn't had a break you know for 27 years
Non-stop, in a barber shop, he owns near Station Pier
He came from sunny Naples, just after World War II
And with aching heart he played his part and bid his folks adieu
(No Chorus at end)

Here is the MIDItext file of the tune (in Joe's original Dm, rather than Am, where I sing it):

MIDI file: sthcruxf.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Tempo: 140 (428571 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0240 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 70 080 0288 0 70 064 0072 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0384 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0384 0 67 064 0096 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 62 080 0576 0 62 064 0144 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0288 0 69 064 0072 1 70 080 0192 0 70 064 0048 1 69 080 0384 0 69 064 0096 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0000 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0000 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 62 080 0384 0 62 064 0096 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 62 080 0576 0 62 064 0144 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0312 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0384 0 62 064 0096 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0576 0 62 064 0144 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0144 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 74 080 0288 0 74 064 0072 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0384 0 69 064 0096 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0576 0 60 064 0144 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0408 1 62 080 0576 0 62 064
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:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=140
K:C
G4AA3|A2A2^A3A|G2F2G2G2|GA3G4|-G4G2G2|-G2GGA2G2|
F2E2F2D2|D2C2D4|-D2G2A2A2|AA3^A2A2|-A2F2G3GG|
G2A2G4|-G2EFG2G2|G3GA2G2|F2E2FDD2|-D2C2D4|
-D2D2F2F2|EE2E3D2|-D2D2D2G2|G2F2D4|-D2D2DF3|
E2E2E2D2|D2E2F2G2|A2G2A4|-A2A2d3d|c2c2A2A2|
-A2F2G2F2|E2D2C4|-C2G2A2A2|A2AGF2D2|D2F2E2DC|
-C4D4|-D3/4||

BTW: Stefano,

Another area of research that came back to mind when I was looking at the Victorian Co.As.It. site is the background to a group of dance tunes in Peter Ellis's 3-volume work Collectors Choice, Victorian Folk Music Club Inc, 1986, 1987 & 1988. Peter presents several tunes (collected from Jack Heagney of Newlyn and Harry McQueen of Castlemaine) and described as Swiss/Italian tunes from the Ridoni and Gervasoni families around the town of Yandoit.

I don't know if there has been any research into the folk songs of these same people, whose anscestors came to Australia in the latter part of the 19th century and have (had, anyway) preserved a strong cultural identity in their farming communities - as well as a strong tradition of making their own northern Italian style wines!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

25 Apr 01 - 08:55 AM (#448904)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Lena

quite amazing all I found in here!! I heard the people from L'Emigrante jam in Canberra...I think I even recorded bits of it with my faithful dictaphone.Or not.The old man on the drums,me and my father kept on meeting him at every festival and start talking to him till we actually found out he is a musician...little Italy really is little. I have some friends who perform italian folk every now and then(they are italians...I mean,born in Italy,so they haven't got many actual connections with Australiana folk),and run little gatherings about regional italian cultures.They relate to the Five Dock Learning Centre,you might be able to find it very easily if you're around Sydney. But definitely the people around l'Emigrante are the best reference.I had no idea how much italian ballroom music(liscio,etc...)could have in common with bush music before hearing them.I suppose industrial areas like Wollongong must be the most interesting spots where to look around.Surely there must be some unrecorded oral stuff going on among old retired workers

Ciao Stefano

25 Apr 01 - 11:44 PM (#449573)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Lena,

Actually, the bloke on the drums (and triccaballacca ... a distinctively Neapolitan wooden percussion instrument - based on the ones used to summon the faithful to church in Naples during Lent, when bells are not sounded!) is David De Santi's father - Andy (Agniello) De Santi. The De Santi family have music aplenty on both sides - Andy plays accordion, drums and triccaballacca &c whilst Tania's Mother, Bev Brownlee is drummer with long-established and popular local dance band i>Marshall Mount Merrymakers.

Do you have a group name or a contact person for the Italian Folk Group you mention? It would be useful to Stafano ... as well as to Dave De Santi when organising festivals. I know there is a very traditional Italian group performing from Venetian tradition, Opera Buffo &c - and one member lives down the other end of Balmain Road from me. (I have seen them perform at The Loaded Dog Folk Club in Annandale.)

Regards,

Bob Bolton

26 Apr 01 - 11:55 AM (#449868)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Lena

Bob,
they were called Incanto Italiano.I stumbled into them by total chance tonight,and found out that a while ago they were joined by a very interesting lot of immgrants and refugees-a serbian trupet player,an african drummer,a macedonian sax player-and their roots are now going everywhere outside Italy...a grat band none the less.Their 'music director',the lead guitarist,still runs a voice/guitar duo and is very keen and exquisite performer (mind you,I'm incredibly demanding when it comes down to performing italian folk...)of traditional music.I'll give you his contact number next time we catch up at the Shannon...
Stefano,nel caso ti interessi essere messo in contatto con loro,mandami un
che una consistente ondata migratoria di Italiani si verifico' nella seconda meta' dell'800,in piena Gold Rush,in zone come Victoria e WA,magari se rivolgi le ricerche in quelle aree avrai fortuna......quanto al NSW,le zone intorno a Griffith(non a caso famosa per la coltivazione di agrumi...)sono veri e propri villaggi italiani,pare.Non saprei proprio per il Queensland.
Complimenti,l'argomento e' molto interessante...

Lena

26 Apr 01 - 11:53 PM (#450330)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: Bob Bolton

G'day Lene,

Actually, the "gu.edu.au" in Stefano's e-mail address stands for "Griffith University".

regards,

Bob Bolton

09 Feb 09 - 10:41 PM (#2562381)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: GUEST,ontoraj

You might try Kavisha Mazella - She has been a very active song-writer and performer - as well as organising an Italian women's choir. Sadly
Joe Paolacci (who wrote 'the Southern Cross is calling me') died last week. As well as this song he wrote many others, which friends are in the process of collecting - with a view to making them available. He was not only a writer of great songs but a warm, talented and totally enjoyable performer.

15 Apr 09 - 06:28 AM (#2611537)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: GUEST,Joe Paolacci Jnr

Hello there,

This is Joe Paolacci's son here (I share my fathers name). I would love to get a copy any recordings that my dad made (also I'd love to hear your own recordings of my dad's songs) if anyone has any. I have some but I'm sure there is many songs that I sadly do not have. If anyone could please help me with this please don't hesitate to contact me via my email: swift-justice@hotmail.com

Cheers friends

03 Aug 10 - 04:58 AM (#2957209)
Subject: RE: italian australian folk songs
From: GUEST,Francesco Raco

Ciao

while on a trip to the USA last year, i came across a CD of Salvatore tripodi. A calabrese commedian who sang of his trip over to Australia and how difficult it was over here at here time. It is quite funny actually, provided you can understand u calabrisi. If not i can help translate for you

frank@rsv.com.au