Luciano Virgili - Italian Popular Songs by Luciano Virgili

LUCIANO VIRGILI as a child vowed and intended to become a great operatic star in his native Italy, but a throat operation changed his life and his career. Today he is one of Italy's most successful singers of popular songs.

Virgili was born in Ardenza (Leghorn) in January of 1923. His uncle was the prominent Italian tenor, Galliano Masini. The youthful Luciano, however, eventually topped his uncle's renown by turning to the earthy, popular field. This collection of Virgili's most successful Italian records reveals his great skill as a lyric singer - it is obvious why he is so beloved in Italy today.

Side One
ADDIO, SIGNORA!
{Goodbye, Madame!)
Virgili sings to his beautiful lady and suggests that they separate without bitterness. Even though his sweetheart no longer loves him, he dismisses thoughts of hurting her because of his affection for his mother.

PICCOLA SANTA
(Little Saint)

" 'Little Saint' is what I used to call you when we walked together along the beautiful path, but now you are gone. My friends tell me to hope for your return but it is useless. 'Little Saint,' come back. The little church where you once prayed is still here."

CARA PICCINA
(Little Darling)

"For 30 days and 30 nights I have hardly slept. Let's you and I dismiss our love if our love brings unhappiness."

FILI D'ORO
(Golden Threads)

Virgili sings of Rose, who has hair like golden threads, and how he follows her but is too shy to call her name. "Yesterday I had a talk with our priest and he told me that if my love is not sinful, my desire will be satisfied. Today I saw her coming out of the church and I offered her the blessed water. She smiled at me. Now, while I hold her in my arms she tells me of her love for me and I can only whisper to her that I am dying of joy."

AMOR Dl PASTORELLO
(Love of a Shepherd)

This is a touching song, not of the city, but of Italy's verdant countryside. The shepherd jubilantly sings of the beauty of nature as he hears the bells of the nearby church ring — a bit of rural Italian philosophy superbly projected by Virgili.

NON TI SCORDAR DI ME
(Don't Forget Me)

"Like the swallows that have flown away to seek the bright sun and happiness, my little swallow also has left me without even a goodbye kiss. In my dreams there is only you. Don't ever forget me."

Side Two
VIVERE
(To Live)

Virgili again turns to philosophy as he sings of the delight of living and laughing. "To pick the prettiest flowers, to laugh while there is youth; life is beautiful and I want to live it to the full."

LADRA
(Thief)

"The law condemns he who steals bread to cat, yet it condones you who are killing me little by little. There is no law to protect the heart. You are destroying me with your whims. You have stolen my heart - what do you want with it?"

PORTAMI TANTE ROSE
(Bring Me Lots of Roses)

The song is a simple one — Virgili is aware that his sweetheart is leaving on the morrow, but he remains unmoved. He asks only for one more gift — roses. "I will smother my heart just as you want me to do. I will lie to you and say I don't care any longer. But bring me lots of roses."

CHIOVE
(It Rains)

Sung in Neapolitan, this is the second most-despairing lyric in the album. "You are dying," Virgili sings, "and for nine days it has been raining ... raining... raining. The air becomes colder and colder. You are my only love when dying."

PRIMO AMORE
(First Love)

These lyrics, in Italian, are pretty much identical to the lyrics which have been used in scores of North American popular songs "down through the years. "One can never forget his first love. There is an old saying that I recall and I know that you won't be able to forget the first time that took you in my arms. I am your first love. Give me your kisses and I shall give vou my life."

BALOCCHI E PROFUMI
(Toys and Perfumes)

Signer Virgili saves the most sorrowful song for his final. Extremely popular throughout Italy in the 1920s, this is a song about a little girl and her sinful mother. In a store full of toys and perfumes a little girl enters with her mother. The woman purchases only perfumes for herself; nothing for her daughter. Meanwhile, back at the room, the mother lends her lips to sin while the little girl watches and suffers. Then she becomes violently ill and her mother belatedly rund to buy all the toys in the store. Returning home, she finds her daughter's eyes closing — in death. The mother bitterly cries her repentance and remorse. And thus does Luciano Virgili conclude his recital.

The accompanying orchestra
is conducted by DinoOlivieri.

(*) 5" split at the top from opening - 4" split from opening at bottom - dingy both sides