Uploaded December 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Renato Carosone - Tu Vuò Fa' L'Americano
Old Italian Songs Traditional Italian Music - Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano by Renato Carosone
From my parents collection of 78s (78RPM) records.
Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano (You Want to Be an American) by Renato Carasone (78 RPM)
78 RPM record.
Song: Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano
Singer: Renato Carosone
Neapolitan Song
Renato Carosone was an Italian musician. He was a prominent figure of the Italian music scene in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a modern performer of the so-called canzone napoletana, Naples' song tradition.
"Tu vuo' fa' l'americano" ("You Want to Be American") is a Neapolitan language song by Italian singer Renato Carosone.
Carosone's original version of the song was performed by him in the film Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche (directed by Mario Mattoli, 1958). The song was featured in the 1960 Melville Shavelson film It Started in Naples, in which it was sung by Sophia Loren. It was also performed by Rosario Fiorello in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley.
The lyrics are about an Italian who affects a contemporary American lifestyle, drinking whisky and soda, dancing to rock 'n roll, playing baseball and smoking Camel cigarettes, but who still depends on his parents for money. The song is generally considered to be a satire of the Americanization that occurred in the early years after World War II, when southern Italy was still a rural, traditional society. According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, "Tu vuò fa l'americano" is the definitive hit single of Carosone's artistic career, as he retired from music in 1960, just four years after releasing the song.
Original lyrics in Neapolitan:
Puorte o cazone cu 'nu stemma arreto
'na cuppulella cu 'a visiera alzata.
Passe scampanianno pe' Tuleto
camme a 'nu guappo pe' te fa guardà!
Tu vuò fa l' americano!
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t' o ffa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda
ma se bevi whisky and soda
po' te sente 'e disturbà.
Tu abballe 'o roccorol
tu giochi al basebal '
ma 'e solde pe' Camel
chi te li dà? ...
La borsetta di mammà!
Tu vuò fa l' americano
mmericano! mmericano!
ma si nato in Italy!
siente a mme
non ce sta' niente a ffa
o kay, napolitan!
Tu vuò fa l' american!
Tu vuò fa l' american!
Comme te po' capì chi te vò bene
si tu le parle 'mmiezzo americano?
Quando se fa l 'ammore sotto 'a luna
come te vene 'capa e di:"i love you!?"
Tu vuò fa l' americano
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t'ho fa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda...
ma se bevi whisky and soda
po' te sente 'e disturbà.
Tu abballe 'o roccorol
tu giochi al basebal '
ma 'e solde pe' Camel
chi te li dà? ...
La borsetta di mammà!
----------------------------------------------------------
You're wearing trousers with a tag on the back
and a cap with the visor turned up,
parading around Toleto
like a bully trying to show off
You're acting all american,
american, american,
listen here: who's asking you to?
You want to be all trendy,
but if you drink "whisky and soda"
you always end up sick!
You're dancing rock and roll,
and playing baseball,
but where'd you get the money
for the Camel cigarettes?
Mummy's handbag!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
but you're born in Italy, listen here:
there's nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
How can your loved one understand
if you're speaking half american?
When you're out loving uder the moon,
where do you get a phrase like "I love you"?
You're acting all american,
american, american,
but you're born in Italy, listen here:
there's nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
...whisky soda e rock and roll
Produced with CyberLink PowerDirector 14
Renato Carosone - Tu Vuò Fa' L'Americano
Old Italian Songs Traditional Italian Music - Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano by Renato Carosone
From my parents collection of 78s (78RPM) records.
Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano (You Want to Be an American) by Renato Carasone (78 RPM)
78 RPM record.
Song: Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano
Singer: Renato Carosone
Neapolitan Song
Renato Carosone was an Italian musician. He was a prominent figure of the Italian music scene in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a modern performer of the so-called canzone napoletana, Naples' song tradition.
"Tu vuo' fa' l'americano" ("You Want to Be American") is a Neapolitan language song by Italian singer Renato Carosone.
Carosone's original version of the song was performed by him in the film Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche (directed by Mario Mattoli, 1958). The song was featured in the 1960 Melville Shavelson film It Started in Naples, in which it was sung by Sophia Loren. It was also performed by Rosario Fiorello in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley.
The lyrics are about an Italian who affects a contemporary American lifestyle, drinking whisky and soda, dancing to rock 'n roll, playing baseball and smoking Camel cigarettes, but who still depends on his parents for money. The song is generally considered to be a satire of the Americanization that occurred in the early years after World War II, when southern Italy was still a rural, traditional society. According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, "Tu vuò fa l'americano" is the definitive hit single of Carosone's artistic career, as he retired from music in 1960, just four years after releasing the song.
Original lyrics in Neapolitan:
Puorte o cazone cu 'nu stemma arreto
'na cuppulella cu 'a visiera alzata.
Passe scampanianno pe' Tuleto
camme a 'nu guappo pe' te fa guardà!
Tu vuò fa l' americano!
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t' o ffa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda
ma se bevi whisky and soda
po' te sente 'e disturbà.
Tu abballe 'o roccorol
tu giochi al basebal '
ma 'e solde pe' Camel
chi te li dà? ...
La borsetta di mammà!
Tu vuò fa l' americano
mmericano! mmericano!
ma si nato in Italy!
siente a mme
non ce sta' niente a ffa
o kay, napolitan!
Tu vuò fa l' american!
Tu vuò fa l' american!
Comme te po' capì chi te vò bene
si tu le parle 'mmiezzo americano?
Quando se fa l 'ammore sotto 'a luna
come te vene 'capa e di:"i love you!?"
Tu vuò fa l' americano
mmericano! mmericano
siente a me, chi t'ho fa fa?
tu vuoi vivere alla moda...
ma se bevi whisky and soda
po' te sente 'e disturbà.
Tu abballe 'o roccorol
tu giochi al basebal '
ma 'e solde pe' Camel
chi te li dà? ...
La borsetta di mammà!
----------------------------------------------------------
You're wearing trousers with a tag on the back
and a cap with the visor turned up,
parading around Toleto
like a bully trying to show off
You're acting all american,
american, american,
listen here: who's asking you to?
You want to be all trendy,
but if you drink "whisky and soda"
you always end up sick!
You're dancing rock and roll,
and playing baseball,
but where'd you get the money
for the Camel cigarettes?
Mummy's handbag!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
but you're born in Italy, listen here:
there's nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
How can your loved one understand
if you're speaking half american?
When you're out loving uder the moon,
where do you get a phrase like "I love you"?
You're acting all american,
american, american,
but you're born in Italy, listen here:
there's nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
...whisky soda e rock and roll
Produced with CyberLink PowerDirector 14
