"Vieni Sul Mar", dubbed an "old Italian folk-song" and famously recorded by Caruso, has more far-flung global connections than may be realised. A so-called traditional Neapolitan (sometimes Venetian) street-ballad, its tune was sung and whistled in pre-Revolutionary Russia as "Poy, Lastotchka, Poy" ("Sing, Swallow, Sing"). On an old Russian record from 1903 "Sing, Swallow, Sing" is said to be derived from an "Italian song".
But on page 170 in the Italian book: "La Canzone Napolitana" by Antonio Venci it says: "Trascrizione dall'Inglese" (=Transcript from English)
And that's also what it says on the sheetmusic, published by Edizione Bideri in 1894.
See next link to take a closer look: Vieni Sul Mar 1894 sheet
The song also ISN'T mentioned on the site: "La Canzone Classica Napoletana"
SEE NEXT LINK: Testi canzoni napoletane
So considering the publication date of 1894 for "Vieni Sul Mar" it would seem logical it derives from "My Nellie's Blue Eyes" (which has exactly the same tune) and was written in the USA in 1883 by William J. Scanlan.
Scanlan wrote "My Nellie's Blue Eyes" in 1883 for the play "The Irish Minstrel" in which he acted, and which was produced at the Poole Theatre, New York in 1886.
Here's a radio transcription of "Nellie's Blue Eyes" by Roy Rogers & The Sons of the Pioneers.
Leonard Slye (Roy Rogers) (vocal and guitar); Bob Nolan (vocal and bass);
Tim Spencer (vocal); Hugh Farr (violin and vocal).
Recorded August 1934 in Hollywood.
Transcription number B 1679 A
Listen to a sample here: Songs of the Prairie - The Sons of the Pioneers
(c) Arthur Smith Trio (1937) (as "Nellie's Blue Eyes")
Arthur Smith [vcl/fiddle], Alton Delmore [vcl/gt], Rabon Delmore [vcl/gt]
Recorded August 3, 1937 in Charlotte, NC
Released on Bluebird B-7325
Listen here:
(c) Dennis Day (1947) (as "My Nellie's Blue Eyes")
Released on RCA 20-2453
Listen here:
In the English music halls it was made even more famous in a Charles Coborn parody of 1886, entitled "Two Lovely Black Eyes".
In 1886 Charles Coborn heard American William J. Scanlan's song "My Nellie's Blue Eyes". Liking the melody but not the words, Coborn rewrote it as "Two Lovely Black Eyes", and began performing it regularly wearing a faded frock coat, carrying a battered umbrella and with two blackened eyes. He premièred it at the Paragon Theatre, in the Mile End Road, and the song was instantly successful.
"Two Lovely Black Eyes" created such a furore at the
Trocadero Music Hall (formerly the Argyll Rooms) that it
was christened "The Trocadero Anthem" and on February
8, 1887, The Pall Mall Gazette gave an account of the wild
enthusiasm with which the singer was nightly received, and
reported the following remarks, made by Mr. Coborn, as to
the origin of the song.
"Oh, what a Surprise!":
"It was a fluke ; in fact, I may say 'a surprise'. Such
things generally are. "Two Lovely Black Eyes" is a parody
of an American song of which the chorus is "Nellie's Lovely
Blue Eyes".
The air is the same, and had been sung in
London by some lady vocalists, even at the Trocadero, long
before I thought of it. I had an engagement at the Paragon
in the Mile-end Road, and had to sing a new song one
Saturday night. That was a Tuesday, I think. I hummed "Nellie's Blue Eyes" and thought the tune would catch them ;
but I doubted about the 'blue' eyes. I thought they would
appreciate 'black' more. So I got my chorus — "Two
Lovely Black Eyes". That is always my starting point. I
had now to find my words. I was walking down Bethnal
Green, thinking about it ; the elections were on at the time,
and I turned it over. So I got the first line : —
In his long career, Coborn sang and recorded "Two Lovely Black Eyes" many times. In the 1979 discography The British Music Hall On Record, Brian Rust lists a recording at London in 1904 with the chorus in 9 languages - Coborn made a habit of this sort of thing - another cJanuary 1913 with the chorus in 8 languages; and cNovember 1924 with the chorus in 9 languages again.
(c) Charles Coborn (1904) (as "Two Lovely Black Eyes")
With the chorus in 9 languages.
Recorded July 15, 1904 in London
Matrix Lx44
Released on Odeon X 32364
Listen here:
(c) Charles Coburn (1913) (as "Two Lovely Black Eyes")
With the chorus in 8 languages.
Released on The Winner #2289
The song was also popular in Russia early in the 20th Century (as "Sing Swallow Sing"). On a few Russian releases it says it's an Italian song. This could mean it was derived from "Vieni Sul Mar".
But here above we saw "Vieni Sul Mar" was in fact derived from an English language song.
(c) M.A. Maks (=Maximilian Karlovich Maksakov) (1903) (as "The Swallow")
Recorded 1903 in St. Petersburg
Matrix 1375c
Released on G&T #2-22089 and also on 62309 (7")
(c) Anastasiya Dmitrievna Vialtseva (1905) (as "Swallow")
Recorded 1905 in St. Petersburg
Matrix 2857L
Released on Gramophone Concert Record #23487
Also released on Zonophone X-63556
Vialtseva also recorded this on February 25, 1909 in St. Petersburg (as "Sing, Swallow, Sing")
Matrix 8797L
Released on Gramophone #2-23414, 2-23715, X-63745
(o) Salvatore Giordano (1909 ?) (as "Vieni Sul Mar")
Released on Homocord #2143
(c) Eduardo das Neves (1912) (as "O Minas Geraes")
Big hit in Brasil
Released on Odeon 108674
Listen here:
(c) Enrico Caruso (1919) (as "Vieni Sul Mar")
Recorded September 8, 1919 in Camden, New Jersey
Released on Victor 87305
According to a Dutch catalogue of His Master's Voice, already in 1903, a Dutch translation of "My Nellie's Blue Eyes" was recorded in Paris by Flemish artist Chrétienni (real name Chrétien van Esse)
(o) Chrétienni (1903) (as "Twee Oogen Zoo Blauw")
Recorded 1903 in Paris
Matrix 1662F
Released on Gramophone 92300
This version is still on my wishlist.
(c) Willy Derby (1935) (as "Twee Oogen Zoo Blauw")
Adapted by Willem Ciere (music) and Herre de Vos (Dutch lyrics)
Recorded in June 26, 1935 in Berlin
Matrix 149000
Released on Parlophon B 17878
also released on Odeon A 164380
Or here:
(c) Kees Pruis (1935) (as "Twee Oogen Zoo Blauw")
Adapted by Willem Ciere (music) and Kees Pruis (Dutch lyrics)
With Hans Bund Orchestra
Matrix 20237
Released on Telefunken A 1955
Or here:
(c) Geodel (1936) (as "Twee Ogen Zo Blauw")
Polydor 512.574)-(2311)
Listen here:
In 1959 Jack Vaughn wrote "Goodbye, Jimmy, Goodbye", which is another variation on this tune
(c) Kathy Linden (1959) (as "Goodbye, Jimmy, Goodbye")
Nr 1 Hit USA
(c) Ruby Murray (1959) (as "Goodbye, Jimmy, Goodbye")
Nr 10 Hit UK
(c) Herman's Hermits (1966) (as "Two Lovely Black Eyes")
Listen here:
(c) Drama (1972) (as "Mary's Mamma")
Listen here:
(c) Sheila (1972) (as "Le Mari de Mama")
French cover version of Drama's "Mary's Mama".
Listen here:
(c) Willeke Alberti (1975) (as "Twee Ogen Zo Blauw")
In the movie and on the soundtrack of "Rooie Sien"
Listen here:
(c) Helmut Lotti (1995) (as "Don't Cry Little Child")
Listen here:
More versions here:
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH "Vieni Sul Mar" written by De Martino and Frati
Recorded in 1941 by Ernesto Bonino and Lina Termini.
Listen here:
Anastasia Vyaltseva "Lastochka"/ Tribute to Lina Cavalieri
BeantwoordenVerwijderenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYbYPvOCFQA
Dacht dat je dit wel zou willen weten.
En hartstikke bedankt voor je research!
Groetsjef
Sjef, sorry voor de late reaktie. Zeer bedankt voor je toevoegingen.
VerwijderenEn wat betreft die Youtube van Anastasia Vyaltseva: dat is exact dezelfde opname, als de opname uit 1905, die ik al in deze post heb staan.
Joop groet
https://archive.org/details/78_poi-lastochka-poi_d-medoff_gbia0185997b/Poi%2C+lastochka%2C+poi+-+D.+MEDOFF.flac
BeantwoordenVerwijderenhttps://archive.org/details/78_waltz-lastochka_mishka-ziganoff_gbia0261596b/(Waltz+%22Lastochka%22)+-+MISHKA+ZIGANOFF.flac
https://archive.org/details/78_vieni-sul-mar_raoul-romito_gbia0100182b
https://archive.org/details/78_vieni-sul-mar-come-to-the-sea_joe-biviano-rca-victor-accordion-orchestra-j-bivia_gbia0078967b
https://archive.org/details/78_vieni-sul-mar-come-with-me-on-the-sea_enzo-di-mola-giovanni-vicari_gbia0112874a
In case you missed one.