What is this song?

Roberto will know, he knows everything. I think.

Tom, Maybe these will help... http://mashable.com/2010/03/30/identify-song-apps/ http://evolver.fm/2012/10/10/top-5-apps-for-identifying-songs/ I'm not a Musician so I have no idea what "2/4 time, 1/8 notes" or the other references mean. Are you able to pick out at least one line of the lyrics? That's a method I've used successfully many times in the past using a Google search. These days I have an App for that called SoundHound. It's not successful every time, but if a song is in it's database it provides a name very quickly and sometimes even runs the lyrics as the song is playing. Is the singer male or female? If you find the name, post it here as I'd be interested to hear the song. Good luck!

Tom, It's possible they may play the song again, as I've found that radio stations tend to repeat play lists much of the time. Hopefully you can find the answer. I'd like to hear the song.

Ken, the singer is male. If it helps, I think there may be a very soft acoustic guitar accompaniment in the backgroud. Any attempts I make to replicate the (supposedly) Italian lyrics will probably sound as accurate as, let's say, Mickey Rooney's infamous take on Japanese in Breakfast at Tiffany's. I tried the resources you linked above, but no success.

Hi Tom, there are free apps like Shazam that can help you.

Sorry I may know many things but have no idea what those musical terms mean. I may be Italian but Arturo Toscanini I am not. Maybe if I actually heard it I could help more.

Tom, Do you use a Smartphone? Perhaps you could make a digital recording of the song next time you hear it using the Voice Memo recorder. That would provide something that you could E-mail to some of the HelpLine group so that we could hear it. Just a thought.....

I haven't heard the song in months, and the radio station websites (HR4 and SWR4) erase their program histories every week or so. If the time signatures I listed above are a bit confusing, let me reduce the basics of the song to layman's terms- Italian (I think), male voice, soft but fast singing, catchy tune, prominent oboe and horn solos, sounds like something Vivaldi or Bach would write if they were alive today, or at least, in the 1960s.

Everyone, I would like to apologize for a typo in my previous message on this thread. Clearly I meant to say that Roberto knows many things, but somehow I typed Roberto knows everything. Nobody knows everything, not even Roberto. But I have seen that he really does know a lot!

Yeah, Roberto should write a book.

We all love Roberto!

na mentioned Shazam... it's an amazing app. Download it and next time you hear the song you can find out what it is.

Just guessing: singer might be Claudio Villa (popular in the 60's )or Massimo Ranieri who was popular in the late 70's or Beniamino Gigli. If you haven't already, you might try googling 'popular Italian singers 1960's' and see if you can find any of the singers' songs on youtube to compare... I guess you would have told us if you heard the word "Mamma'. But if you did, that would probably be Beniamino Gigli or Enrico Musiani singing "Mamma"

Check out O'Sarracino by Salvatore Baccaloni (with Enoch Light and His Orchestra) Vintage Italian Song No- EP: Sings Popular Italian Songs
https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bthx2z5ykxlef23ubc3ungwpjyu&tid=song-T62nwtlswg5spp5nqqpj7rzdflq I admit, his voice is not so light and lilting, but the rhythm might be as you described. I've spent lots of time on iTunes in Italian popular music listening for your hints and have had lots of fun! I discovered Roberto Murolo from Napoli and downloaded a few of his songs ie: 'Na Voce 'Na Chitarra... Grazie, Tom!

No hits. I'm going to call it quits trying to find the song until I hear it on the radio again.

Tom, If you use a Smartphone, it would be a good idea to download SoundHound or Shazam, as they do a great job if naming songs. Next time they play that song, you'll be ready! Good luck!

How about trying Luciano Taglioli? (he was popular in the 60's). Tom, please let us know if you find out who it is! I think you've piqued the curiosity of a lot of us!

Answer- La pulce d'acqua by Angelo Branduardi. I heard it again today on the radio for the first time in months, I checked SWR4's playlist, and there it was. Mystery solved.

Well that's a nice catchy tune. Glad you had a resolution...

Oh, I used to be a big fan of Angelo Branduardi ;-) That little youtube clip brought back memories ...

If you want a really catchy earworm of a song that's popular in Italy, check out "Il Pulcino Pio". Over 76 million hits on Youtube just for this version: Il Pulcino Pio. I think it's fascinating to hear the different sounds assigned to various animals. One of my Italian instructors couldn't believe that American say that a rooster goes "cockadoodle-doo". :-)

Very catchy tune that Il Pucino Pio, thanks Michael! I just wish they had included Tuscany's favorite animal, the cinghiale (wild boar). How do you say "hrumph" in Italian?

Hmmm, let's see, was that ditty a Vivaldi work, or maybe a Puccini?

(:->)))

Poor little noisy chick.

tee hee

Hmmm, Tom - why post the 'come hither, half/barely dressed young woman' video version, and not the Angelo live version ;-)

Don't you just hate it when you can't find a song title &/or performer?!? I've been plagued by one for a few years now. Next time I hear it in a store - and it's always in a store - I'm going to accost an employee and we're going to look for their 'Muzak' receiver.

Seriously.

"Hmmm, Tom - why post the 'come hither, half/barely dressed young woman' video version, and not the Angelo live version ;-)"

Because I'm a man and I would rather see those images than the hirsute singer himself.

Tom,

At last the mystery is solved! I have to admit, it's kind of a catchy tune. Once I had the audio file to work with, SoundHound identified the tune in about three seconds.

The title is somewhat unusual, The Water Flea, which is apparently based on native American legend. Some of his style was identified as "Renaissance & early Baroque", and that seems to be evident in this song.

Thanks for posting that version of the video. I also enjoyed that as opposed to the "hirsute singer".

all this talk of music got me thinking...anyone know some music venues in Rome where they play authentic live music, any time period is fine just not "beatle songs in Italian".... We will be there the first week of Dec.

Hi!

To check what's going on in Rome during your visit, including music of all kinds:

http://rome.angloinfo.com/whatson

Really !!! ...half/barely dressed young woman' .... I was expecting more or should I say, Less !! I thought it was very elegant.

Great website, Char. Thanks for posting.

Angelo Branduardi's songs are pure poetry. But the most popular song of his is: "Alla Fiera Dell'Est".

(Not sure if he's hirsute, but for sure he had a lot of hair on his head. I haven't seen him lately that he's older, but he had an huge Afro when I was growing up in Italy).

I ALMOST had another "what is this Italian song" question, but just before I was about to pose the queury, they played it on the radio again. I love the backing horns and woodwinds on this one. No "come hither" women in the video this time, however, just images of what I assume is the Italian lake country.

Tom,

That's kind of a catchy tune also. I believe the location is Lago d'Orta and the island of San Giulio, but Roberto or one of the others will have to confirm that.

You do come up with some interesting tunes!

Yes, that is Lake Orta. I was there last month. It's more beautiful in person than in the video.