Our friend Aldo – formerly a DJ, now a priest and Augustinian friar – introduced me to the fun, silly music of Italy’s 1960s with a wonderful compilation disc he made for us (I Favolosi Anni 60 – “The Fabulous 60s”) that immediately became a family favorite. This is just one of the great songs he included, one of the first big hits for the fabulous Mina. You may have heard it recently in the Disney movie Luca.
Tintarella (“a little color”) is a cutesy word for suntan.
There’s not much to this song: apparently, the singer wants to relive last year’s summer fling. But it’s also a profound statement of traditional Italian vacation habits: the same sea, the same beach, practically the same ombrellone (beach umbrella – which you rent, along with the lounge chairs and a patch of sand to call your own, by the day, week, or month), year after year after year.
Recorded by Neri Per Caso (“Black by Accident”), an a capella group, this song demonstrates a very Italian – and very healthy – attitude towards sex. (The video is more questionable.)
