Vespa Tunes IV - Roma, Lando Fiorini, 2002

Rome was founded, legend says, on the twenty-first of April of the year 753 BCE. I think we can all agree that’s a very specific date for a legend. The city began with a tale of nutritionally improbable cross-species suckling, and then fratricide; a tale of abandonment and divinely-ordained destiny which is as old as the (seven) hills.

Acanthus and Aqueduct. Spring 2022 on the Palatine Hill, where Romulus founded Rome.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, the Eternal City is perpetually rooted in its ancient past, even in the depths of its Christian history. Romans are nothing if not eclectic, and more than a little gung-ho with their references. After all a multiplicity of gods gave way to a panoply of saints; a city of temples became a city of churches. Edges blur, the Eternal City can afford to be a little imprecise.

Temples and Churches. The Roman Forum, Spring 2022.

In Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel a vengeful muscular Christ condemns the damned to the flames of hell and Charon, lifted from Greek mythology and filtered through Dante, raises his oar to speed them on their way.

Cultural cross-pollination at the Sistine Chapel. Charon on the left, Minos on the right.

Hyperbolically bathetic as the allusion is I was, nevertheless, reminded of the Last Judgement when one of my favourite jaunty Roman songs came on the radio as I had coffee in a bar the other day. It’s by Lando Fiorini who was born in Trastevere in 1938, the youngest of eight sons. Lando escaped his destiny as a porter in Rome’s central markets to become a very popular Roman singer/cabarettista.

This song is just called Roma and blends Christian references and the city’s archaic foundation legend with cheerfully casual anachronism, all to the improbable backing tones of a 1980s wedding singer’s pre-set electronic keyboard. My translation is erratic because it’s a chaotic sort of song: it’s in Roman dialect, and is dripping with mixed metaphors and oddly-employed clichés. I just love it.

Dar Padreterno che un giorno beato se stava

A fa na pennica

Se presentò 'n angioletto paffuto

De nome Romolo

“Guarda Signore quei 7 cucuzzoli verdi

Quei fiori a grappoli”

Embè

Che ne diresti de facce na cosa

Bella nei secoli

One day God Almighty was happily

Having a nap

When a chubby cherub

Called Romulus appeared

“Lord, look at those 7 green hills

And those flowers”

What about them?

“What do you say to making something

That will be beautiful for centuries?”

Er Padreterno guardò giù de sotto

Poi disse Cavoli

Certo che 'r posto è davero cor botto

So' tutti glicini

Dovrà aspetta' l'America, l'America si, l’America

The Almighty looked down

And said “Gosh!”¹

It certainly is a great place

It’s all wisteria

We’ll have to wait for America, America yes, America²

Tra sanpietrini e tegole

Me 'nvento 'na città

Si, Testaccio va là

San Pietro de qua

Trastevere sotto

Cor Gianicolo su

Ar Tevere blu

J'alliscio la riva

Così scorre la vita

Della gente

Between cobbles and tiled roofs

I’ll start a city

Yes, Testaccio goes there

St Peter’s over here

Trastevere below

With the Janiculum above

Along the blue Tiber

I’ll lay out the river banks

So the lives of the people

Flow by

C'è er Celio a cote

Lo lascio perché

C'è chi vo' sta 'nsieme a grattasse d'amore

Ma chi sta core a core

Lo sa dove andare

There’s the Caelian Hill by the side

I’ll leave it there because

There are people who want to be together to scratch the itch of love³

But those who are heart to heart

Know where to go

Prese colori vivaci e tramonti alla brace

La Luna pallida

Fece li tetti, du' gatti e na rosa

Co' l'occhi a mandorla

Sparse chitarre, ocarine, qua e là tamburelli

Co' vino e fragole

Hai capito che robba, si

He took bright colours and flaming sunsets

The pale moon

He made the roofs, a rose and two cats

With almond eyes

He spread out guitars, ocarinas, tambourines here and there⁴

With wine and strawberries

Do you see what a marvel, yes?

Mise le stelle sui 7 guanciali

A regge' i moccoli

Poi rimirò sto papocchio perfetto

Ancora anonimo

Pe' battezzallo Lui fece 'n'inchiesta

Tra tutti l'angeli

Qualcuno disse Modena

Follonica (si vabbè)

Cattolica (nooo)

Ma la parola magica

Fu Roma e n'antre no, no no no

He put the stars on the seven pillows

To carry the candlesticks⁵

Then he looked at this perfect mess

Still without a name

To christen it. He asked

All the angels

Someone said Modena

Follonica (yeah, right)

Cattolica (nooo)

But the magic word

Was Roma and the others no, no no no

Si, Testaccio va là

San Pietro de qua

Trastevere sotto

Cor Gianicolo su

Ar Tevere blu

J'alliscio la riva

Così scorre la vita

Della gente

Yes, Testaccio goes there

St Peter’s over here

Trastevere below

With the Janiculum above

Along the blue Tiber

I’ll lay out the river banks

So the lives of the people

Flow by

C'è er Celio a cote

Lo lascio perché

C'è chi vo' sta 'nsieme a grattasse d'amore

Ma chi sta core a core

Lo sa dove andare

Si, Testaccio va lì

San Pietro de qui

Trastevere sotto

Cor Gianicolo in fiore

Ma chi sta core a core

Lo saprà dove andare

The Caelian is at the side

I’ll leave it there because

There are people who want to be together to scratch the itch of love

But those who are heart to heart

Know where to go

Yes, Testaccio goes there

St Peter’s over here

Trastevere below

With the Janiculum in flower

But those who are heart to heart

Know where to go

1. lit. “Cabbages”, which is used as a tame substitute for a rude word.

2. The “discovery of America” used to be used as a multi-purpose allusion to prosperity. Here it makes almost no sense. I told you it was chaotic.

3. Also a terrible turn of phrase in Italian.

4. Nope, I’ve no idea either.

5. in Rome “reggere il moccolo” (lit. carry the candle) means to be a third wheel, to play gooseberry. It comes from the Roman Jewish wedding tradition in which the groom’s brother holds a candle during the service.