Original version(s)

• Originally released by Renato Rascel (7'' E.P., Odeon DSEQ 444, Italy, 1955)

 

FZ album(s) in which song has appeared

• none

 

Tour(s) on which song is known to have been performed (main source: FZShows, v. 7.1)

• August-September 1973 (MOI European Tour)—known performances: 1; known quotations: 1
• September-December 1977 (North America)—known quotations: 1
• March-April 1982 (rehearsals)—known performances: 1
• May-July 1982 (Europe)—known quotations: 1
• September-October 1984 (Europe)—known quotations: 1
• April-June 1988 (Europe)—known performances: 1; known quotations: 4

 

Comments

Marc De Bruyn (emdebe@village.uunet.be)—September 5, 2003

"Arrivederci Roma" featured in the 1958 Hollywood musical "Seven Hills of Rome". The music is by Renato Ranucci (1912-1991) with Italian lyrics by Pierre Garinei and Sandro Giovannini (1915-1977), authors of many Italian musicals based on Rome. The English lyrics ("Goodbye to Rome") were by Carl Sigman. It is not a touristy song (!), but rather one of the many melodies of those unforgettable '50s and '60s in which Rome was by far the most romantic, lively, imaginative and hospitable place on earth (although more chaotic, maybe it still is).

"T'invidio turista che arrivi, / t'imbevi de fori e de scavi, / poi tutto d'un colpo te trovi / fontana de Trevi ch'e tutta pe' te! / Ce sta 'na leggenda romana / legata a 'sta vecchia fontana / per cui se ce butti un soldino / costringi er destino a fatte tornà / E mentre er soldo bacia er fontanone / la tua canzone in fondo è questa qua! / Arrivederci, Roma... / Good bye... au revoir... / Si ritrova a pranzo a Squarciarelli / fettuccine e vino dei Castelli / come ai tempi belli che Pinelli immortalò! / Arrivederci, Roma... / Good bye... au revoir... / Si rivede a spasso in carozzella / e ripenza a quella "ciumachella" / ch'era tanto bellae che gli ha detto sempre "no!" / Stasera la vecchia fontana / racconta la solita luna / la storia vicina e lontana / di quella inglesina col naso all'insù / Io qui, proprio qui l'ho incontrata... / E qui... proprio qui l'ho baciata... / Lei qui con la voce smarrita / m'ha detto: "E' finita ritorno lassù!" / Ma prima di partire l'inglesina / buttò la monetina e sussurrò: / Arrivederci, Roma... / Good bye... au revoir... / Voglio ritornare in via Margutta / voglio rivedere la soffitta / dove m'hai tenuta stretta stretta accanto a te! / Arrivederci, Roma... / Non so scordarti più... / Porto in Inghilterra i tuoi tramonti / porto a Londra Trinità dei monti, / porto nel mio cuore i giuramenti e gli "I love you!" / Arrivederci, Roma... / Good bye... au revoir... / Mentre l'inglesina s'allontana / un ragazzinetto s'avvicina / va nella fontana pesca un soldo se ne va! / Arrivederci, Roma!"

The most famous version in English of the song is by Perry Como (1966, on the album "Perry Como in Italy"), but it was also recorded by Ray Charles, Connie Francis, Percy Faith, Mario Lanza, Dean Martin, Jerry Vale, and many others.

"Arrivederci Roma, Goodbye, goodbye to Rome... City of a million moonlit places, city of a million warm embraces, where I found the one of all the faces, far from home! Arrivederci Roma, it's time for us to part. Save the wedding bells for my returning, keep my lover's arms outstretched and yearning, please be sure the flame of love keeps burning, in her heart! Arrivederci Roma, Roma, Roma, Roma..."

A partial list of "Arrivederci Roma" quotations, compiled by Charles Ulrich

73/08/31 Rome (stand-alone, Brown Shoes Don't Make It)
77/10/18 Poughkeepsie (Wild Love)
82/04/06 rehearsal (stand-alone)
82/07/09 Rome (soundcheck, King Kong)
84/10/15 Rome (Penguin In Bondage)
88/06/07 Rome (soundcheck, Black Page, Penguin In Bondage, Pound For A Brown, stand-alone, Crew Slut)

Any more?