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Roberto Murolo

Napoli, 19 gennaio 1912 -- Napoli, 13 marzo 2003
The large double--door entrance to via Cimarosa 25 in the Vomero section of Naples was half--closed this morning, as is customary when someone in the household passes away. And—as is customary—a small white card was affixed to the door. It was written by hand and read, succintly, "For the death of Roberto Murolo". He was 92. It was, perhaps, the only non--violent thing that could have happened in Naples yesterday to push today's visit to the city by the ex--royal family of Italy, the Savoys, out of the headlines. And it did.
There are three main reasons why one--thousand miles of Italians—from the Alps to Sicily—know something about the culture and language of Naples. The first reason is the great playwright Eduardo de Filippo, on many a literary critic's "short list" of Those Who Should Have Got a Nobel Prize But Didn't." The second reason—on a more popular (and more vital) level—is Italy's greatest film comic, Antonio de Curtis, known simply as "Totò". The third reason is Roberto Murolo, the gentle and erudite chronicler of Neapolitan music and the best--known singer in the twentieth century of the "Neapolitan Song"
If Murolo had simply been content to remain a guitarist and singer, he certainly would have done very well, but he was born to more than that. His father was the highly--regarded dialect poet Ernesto Murolo, part of the long tradition of dialect literature that included his own contemporary, Salvatore di Giacomo, and reached back through the 18th--century libretti of the Neapolitan Comic Opera to the 16th--century Pentamarone by Giambattista Basile, and beyond. Thus, Roberto Murolo was very aware of being part of that tradtion, and his great contribution to the music of Naples is a scholarly one. He dedicated years of his life to researching, collecting and documenting Neapolitan music and in 1963 published what amounted to a musical encyclopedia of the music of Naples, a 12 LP set containing songs from 1200 to 1962, all carefully documented and explained and all immaculately sung by Murolo, himself. He sang in the precise pronunciation of a literary language, quite different from the uneducated "street sound" that one often associates with the term "dialect".
Murolo is not the reason that Neaplitan songs such as 'o sole mio and Funiculì--Funilulà are known abroad. That goes back to yet an earlier generation, the years at the turn of the century when so many Neapolitans emigrated and took their music with them. Interestingly, however, Murolo was part of the post--WW2 generation of Neapolitan singers who resisted the onslaught of American popular music and helped keep the traditional music of his native culture from becoming passé.
Although he became less active with advanced age, Murolo never really retired. He took part in the 1993 version of the annual Festival of Italian Popular Music in San Remo with a song entitled "L'Italia è bella," a song against racism and xenophobia. And while "cross cultural" music is run of the mill today, Murolo was doing that as long ago as 1974, when he sought out and sang with the great Portughese performer of Fado, Amalia Rodriguez. Murolo was an inspiration to the "friendly rivals" of his own generation such as Sergio Bruni and to the younger generation of singers such as Massimo Ranieri and Pino Daniele, both of whom published tributes to Murolo in the paper this morning. As with the passing of Eduardo de Filippo in 1984 and Totò in 1967, there is a very real sense of loss in Naples today.

From http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/...

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So, as I popped in a very old tape, with every favourite Italian song from my youth….
It had been several years since I had listened to these songs that I grew up on, and was caught so off guard when with the first song tears came rolling down my face.

If you’re over born before 1970 and come from a little Italian background, then you would have memories of songs sung by Celentano, di Bari, Modugno, and of course the wonderful Louis Prima and Italo-Americano who loved his roots and sang the most beautiful tunes and ballads.

Italian songs are beyond special, for the ones with an upbeat and quick tempo “A che bello caffe, sol a Napol san fa!!!” can get you going even if you’re in the lousiest of moods.. And then you listen to “O Solo Mio!” and even if you didn’t understand the words, tears would roll down your cheeks! Italian songs, especially those sung by singers from a Neapolitan background, are the most touching.

Of course we can’t forget good old Dean Martin. Who doesn’t get a thrill when he sings “When the Moon hits the sky, like a big pizza pie” it’s a part of our heritage somehow, and everyone knows most of the words.

One song that resonates the most is “Lasciatemi cantare”, By Toto Cotugno.

Lasciatemi cantare
con la chitarra in mano
lasciatemi cantare
una canzone piano piano
Lasciatemi cantare
perché ne sono fiero
sono l'italiano
l'italiano vero.
(You can google for the entire translation, it’s a must!)

Snippets of memories come to me, from as early at 8 years old when we’d be on vacation in Hampton Beach or Old Orchard Beach and my aunt would be this portable record player that literally “ate” records and played them, the old 45 rpm’s. Ahhhhhhhhh my parents, aunt and uncle would be sitting talking, I’d hear their laughter and the tunes as I was lying in bed, wishing to be an adult and to be a part of their “clique”.

Or when we’d be together at Christmas, the whole family before anyone had ever died, and the songs would play…and we’d sing along, and although I have a great speaking voice, my singing voice is horrific!!! I didn’t care,  I’d hit the high notes, much to my brother’s chagrin and embarrassment, yet my dad’s eyes would fill with pride.

So, even with all the cafoneria and vergogna I may have with certain elements of the Italianism’s I write about, I admit that many things I hold dear.

Things change as they always do, we move from childhood, to our teen years to becoming an adult….go through various stages and phases, new loves, marriage, divorce, heart breaks, heart aches, loss, obstacles and triumphs, and amidst all that…to have a little special corner that I just found that brings back such great moments, memories are indeed made of this!


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It is an unspoken code somehow between family members and “paisans”. So, if you’re going out and your top isn’t exactly what your parents, siblings or grandmother thinks is apropos, then they will tell you “Ma where are you going looking like that?”

So, if you’re a strong willed, independent person you’ll wave back, pretend you didn’t hear them and walk out the door!

If you’re stuck in that mode of pleasing others, then you will turn back and go change!
Because God forbid someone would see you and then comment to others about not looking a certain way and it got back to your family! This would begin a chain that goes something like this: “Does she not know how to dress anymore” to “You’d think she’d know better to go out looking like that!” These comments get back to “la famiglia” and as they are negative in nature, they feel it reflects upon them, hence living your life for others, always!

The opposite is “una bella figura” whereby you’re making a good impression and everyone wants that!

For many Italians, the brutta figura is the ultimate insult or shame against their name.
It ranges from: how people don’t say anything to anyone if a family member has a disease, goes into the hospital, or worse getting a divorce.

Somehow it’s always worse for women, as in the Italian culture whatever goes wrong is ultimately the woman’s fault! I remember growing up, if you had a baby girl some would cry and carry on that it wasn’t a boy. Little did they know that it’s the man who determines the sex of a baby.

It’s a strange phenomenon how even today it’s so ingrained into the head of many that the younger generations are still following this ‘unspoken” rule. To live one’s life based on always having to make a good impression results in oppression and repression and that volcano explodes at some point and then you end making the ultimate brutta figura!

So, live you life as you desire and send anyone who says anything “a quel altro paese”



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So, it costs you $60 bucks to get in (like a cover charge) and they “encourage” you to bring a gift!!! This astounded me! Actually it disgusted me! The money you gave at the door was always put towards the “gifts”, now it’s more of a money making scheme for the bride to get a lot more than she ever bargained for.

The invite said 5pm, my mom and aunt got there at 6, the bride didn’t get there till 6.30. She walked in with her fidanzato (fiancé), they had a dance and he left.

You’ve heard me use the word “cafone” several times, but this party really is the cherry on the parfait of all cafoneria!!!

This bridal shower had both moms in competition to see who would outdo the other. Not a very good combo, as that always makes for a few “moments” that will stand out and hey get written about like I am right now!

The hall was decorated as usual in the bridal colours of pink and white, everyone was given an umbrella as they walked in (which in turn is the bonbonniere). You find your name, find your table and now the show begins!!!

Throughout the meal gifts were being opened and toasts given by the brides’ mom, mother in law, sister and sister in law…what astonished my mom was what was coming out of their mouths.

Seems like the mom of the bride went on and on about how her family’s the best, they do everything together and they discuss everything before anyone does something. Ok, a little much, but then the sister got up and reiterated the exact same thing.

You can overdo something and it seems that this entire affair was overdone.
The MC, as usual, was some has-been, who couldn’t really speak proper English and his Italian wasn’t any better.

Part III next week!




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Growing up in the 70’s I went to a lot of showers with my mother and family. They’d be held in reception halls, with about 70 women. Tables of 8 or 10, with a lot food, the old nonna’s who couldn’t be bothered but were there for “figura”, the MC some old has been “wanna be” who laughed at his own jokes, while games were played and prizes given. The gifts were many times duplicated and in triplicate until someone figured out “hey let’s have these brides register”.

After the meal, the men showed up!!! That’s when the bar opened, and dancing. Times changed, so did this tradition of the men showing up, but for the most part a lot of brides are stuck with these very out dated bridal parties.

I didn’t get it then and when I was getting married in 1986 decided I didn’t want that kind of shower…and of course always the non-conformist, my mom and I planned my shower.

Usually it’s a “surprise” whereby you’re fiancée drives you to the designated place and you’re surprised!!! Like you don’t know when your mom yells out, “get dressed up nice today”…..

So, my mom and I planned it ourselves, I made out a gift list (I was ahead of my time as now it’s called a bridal registry) and we had a nice supper at a restaurant, no games, no silly gifts that would embarrass the older women there and we were about 30 women.

Over the years, I went to many showers for friends and the one’s that were not Italian had nice bridal showers where only the girl friends came and there was usually a theme and it was “lingerie” with a stripper at the event. Ok, a few laughs, maybe too much booze, but hey…better than those Italian shindigs!

I have not been to a shower in 3 years and I vowed afterwards unless it was someone terribly close to me, I would never go to another one ever again!!!

So when an invitation came a few weeks ago, I answered “no” but my mom and aunt went, more out of obligation than anything else.

Stay tuned for part II



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