The Little House in Canada(Panzeri / Mascheroni, performed by Carla Boni and Gino Latilla Rossella’s great-grandmother used to sing this phrase to her. It never made any sense to me then and, now that I’ve heard the whole song, it makes even less sense! But it apparently was very popular in 1960. |
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| Quando Martin vedete solo per la cittÃ
forse voi penserete dove Solo, senza una meta. Solo… ma c’è un perché: Aveva una casetta piccolina in Canada con vasche, pesciolini e tanti fiori di lillà , e tutte le ragazze che passavano di là dicevano: “Che bella la casetta in Canada”! Ma un giorno, per dispetto, Pinco Panco l’incendiò e a piedi poveretto “Allora cosa fece?” – Voi tutti chiederete. Ma questa è la sorpresa che in segreto vi dirò: Lui fece un’altra casa piccolina in Canada con vasche, pesciolini e tanti fiori di lillà , e tutte le ragazze che passavano di là dicevano: “Che bella la casetta in Canada”! E tante e tante case lui rifece ma, però, quel tale Pinco Panco tutte quante le incendiò. Allora cosa fece? Voi tutti lo sapete! Lui fece un’altra casa piccolina in Canada con vasche, pesciolini e tanti fiori di lillà , e tutte le ragazze che passavano di là dicevano: “Che bella la casetta in Canada”! |
When you see Martin alone in the city
perhaps you’ll wonder where he’s wandering to. Alone, without a goal. Alone… but there’s a reason: He had a little house in Canada with tanks, fish, and many lilacs, and all the girls who passed that way said: “What a beautiful little house in Canada!” But one day, out of spite, Pinco Panco set it on fire And the poor chap “What did he do then?” you will all ask. But this is the surprise which I will secretly tell you: He made another little house in Canada, with tanks, fish, and many lilacs, and all the girls who passed that way said: “What a beautiful little house in Canada!” And many and many houses he rebuilt, but still that damned Pinco Panco burned them all. Then what did he do? You all know! He made another little house in Canada, with tanks, fish, and many lilacs, and all the girls who passed that way said: “What a beautiful little house in Canada!” (repeat ad nauseam…) |
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Che divertimento! I love this silly song- meaningless, but enchanting. And thank you for all of the posts, esp. those on learning Italian through songs. Sitting her with my classicist husband, he is encouraged at how little the basic themes of Italian poetry have changed since ancient times- the casetta in Canada ditty, notwithstanding!
Grazie mille!
Susan