I wish I could speak Italian. I have always wanted to learn. I guess I always end up talking myself into believing that I can’t learn it. The older I get, the less I can remember. I also tell myself that I probably don’t have the time to learn it. Then, there is the cost involved as many courses you can buy are quite pricey. At any rate, I think the Italian language is just beautiful.
As a fan of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Lou Monte, there are many songs that they have done in which a lyric or two is sung completely in Italian (Lazy Mary, Volare, Come Back to Sorrento, etc…). Bottom line, I don’t know what they are singing about, but I like the song, if that makes sense. I don’t exactly recall how I came to know of Andrea Bocelli. I don’t think someone said, “Hey! Check this guy’s music out!”. More than likely, I was sitting at home surfing channels and saw him on PBS.
At some point, I decided to buy an album of his on iTunes. I chose Incanto. I chose this one because I actually recognized one of the titles (Santa Lucia). As I sat and listened to this album, there was one song that stood out for a couple of reasons: 1) I recognized it and 2) the arrangement was just beautiful. The song is Vieni Sul Mar.
Funny story of how I recognized it – I saw it in a Three Stooges short. In their 1945 short, Micro Phonies, Gino Corrado plays an Italian violinist and singer who sings this song at Mrs. Bixby’s party. The Stooges, with Curly dressed as Senorita Cucaracha, sabotage his singing by flicking cherries into his mouth as he is singing it!
So my first exposure to the song is a humorous one, however, I’m glad I came to hear it in a non-humorous way.
The song is a Neapolitan waltz. The melody is beautiful. Andrea’s vocals are just amazing. I totally get lost in the song. I listened to this over and over and with each listen I grew more fond of the song – and, because I don’t speak Italian, I had no idea what it is about!
After a search of the internet, I found that Vieni Sul Mar means “Come to the Sea”. I have to be honest, when you see the translation in English, it’s a bit disappointing. I am not sure how accurate this translation is, but every time I read the English I think, “How can such a beautiful melody be about a drunk sailor!?”
So, give it a listen. Enjoy the string arrangement, enjoy his vocals, and get lost in a beautiful melody.
Vieni Sul Mar (Italian)
Deh, ti desta fanciulla, la luna
spande un raggio si caro sul mar.
Vieni meco, t’aspetta la bruna.
Fida barca del tuo marinar.
Ma tu dormi, e non pensi al tuo fido.
Ma non dorme chi vive d’amor.
Io la notte a te volo, sul lido.
Ed il giorno a te volo col cor.
Vieni sul mar. Vieni a vogar.
Sentirai l’ebbrezza del tuo marinar.
Da quel giorno che t’ho conosciuta,
oh fanciulla di questo mio cuor.
Speme e pace per te ho perduto
perché t’amo d’un immenso amor.
Fra le belle, tu sei la più bella.
Fra le rose tu sei la più fin.
Tu del ciel sei brillante mia stella.
Ed in terra divina beltà.
Vieni sul mar. Vieni a vogar.
Sentirai l’ebbrezza del tuo marinar.
Addio dunque, riposa, e domani
quando l’alba a svegliarti verrà.
sopra lidi lontani lontani
l’infelice nocchiero sarà.
Ma tu dormi, e non pensi al tuo fido.
Ma non dorme chi vive d’amor.
Io la notte a te volo, sul lido.
Ed il giorno a te volo col cor.
Vieni sul mar. Vieni a vogar.
Sentirai l’ebbrezza del tuo marinar.
Vieni sul mar. Vieni a vogar.
Sentirai l’ebbrezza del tuo marinar.
Come To The Sea (English Translation)
Pray thee, awake maiden, the moon
spreads it’s ray over the dear sea.
Come with me, I wait for you brunette.
Trust in the boat of your sailor.
But you sleep, thinking not of your devoted one.
But they sleep not who live by love.
This night to you I fly, to the shore.
And in the day you fly with my heart.
Come to the sea. Come for a row.
Feel the intoxication of your sailor.
Since that day I have known,
oh maiden of this heart of mine.
Hope and peace for you I have lost
because I love you with a love so great.
Among the pretty ones, you are the prettiest.
Among the roses you are most fine.
Of the sky you are my bright star.
And on the earth beauty divine.
Come to the sea. Come for a row.
Feel the intoxication of your sailor.
Adio till later, rest, and tomorrow
when dawn will wake you,
over shores far, far away
the helmsman will be unhappy.
But you sleep, thinking not of your devoted one.
But they sleep not who live by love.
This night to you I fly, to the shore.
And in the day you fly with my heart.
Come to the sea. Come for a row.
Feel the intoxication of your sailor.
Come to the sea. Come for a row.
Feel the intoxication of your sailor
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 
I’ve recently fallen in love with Andrea Bocelli’s music – hadn’t really heard him before – and have bought a couple of his albums (one ‘best of’ and his latest ‘Si’). The video you posted wouldn’t play for me, with one of the ‘not in your country’ type warnings, but I found another vid on youtube of it. Very nice. The weird thing, though, is part of it is reminiscent of a music hall song from way back (before my time, but presumably it was played on the radio when I was young). If you look on youtube for Charles Coborn and a song called Two Lovely Black Eyes, you’ll hear what I mean. I wonder which came first?!
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Found the song you mentioned – the chorus’ Melody is almost identical! Wow.
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