name that familiar sounding italian tune (known in Japanese as "Funikuri Funikura")

Factual Questions
1

Can anyone give me the proper English or Italian name for this tune? http://www2.saganet.ne.jp/watanabe/midi/forkids/funikuri-funikura.mid I know I’ve heard it before but I don’t think it was known as Funikuri-Funikura when I heard it.

It goes something like this:

da dum
da dum
dum dadumdadummm

da dum
da dum
dum dadumdadumdadum…

But I’d recommend listening to the MIDI at the link.

Thanks!

Olham

2

it’s called “Funiculi Funicula” by Luigi Denza

Italian lyrics and such

http://www.vesuvioinrete.it/funicolare/e_funicolare_funiculi.htm

3

Funiculi, Funicula

Some say that the world is made for fun and frolic
And so do I. And so do I…

4

The lyrics I had on my some childhood songs LP were quite different from the ones on your website – they seem better in Italian.

5

Thanks! That was fast. I should have figured it was something like that.

I was going to say I’d learned a new word too (from your link): funicular. But I can’t see what “cordlike” has to do with Mt. Vesuvius.

6

“Funicular” is also a noun. The song celebrates the first inclined railway built on Vesuvius.

7

The English lyrics I learned, like Dr_Paprika are:

Some think the world was made for fun and frolic
And so do I, and so do I.
Some think 'tis well to be all melancholic
To pine and sigh, to pine and sigh.

But I, I like to spend my time in singing
Some joyous song, some joyous song.
To set the air with music bravely ringing
Is far from wrong, is far from wrong.

Hearken, hearken, music sounds afar.
Hearken, hearken, music sounds afar.
Funiculi funicula funiculi funicula
Joy is everywhere, funiculi funicula.

8

Placido Flamingo loves his ringing telephone!