O mia bela Madonina
Encyclopedia
O mia bela madunina is a tango
song by Giovanni D'Anzi
which is an unofficial city anthem of Milan
.
The title refers to the golden statue of the Virgin Mary on the spire of Milan Cathedral visible all over the city and which is called Madonnina in Italian and Madunina in the dialect of Milan.
The song is written in the Milanese
dialect of Lombardy
which has no fixed spelling.
The song is to this day very popular in Milan. It is available as ringtone for the mobile phone
and its lyrics can be found on the homepages of the ultras
of football clubs Milan
and Inter
.
The song was written and composed in 1934 by the Milan songwriter Giovanni D'Anzi
(1906–1974). In 1935, there were more and more immigrants from the Mezzogiorno
, especially from the region of Naples
, coming to Milan which naturally brought with them their famous Neapolitan songs
. So it came, that the Milan singers got more and more frequently requested to sing O sole mio, which didn't touch their Lombard patriotism. And one day the Milanese songwriter D'Anzi decided this needed a musical answer from Milan and wrote the song and lyrics of la Madunina. The song became almost immediately a hit in the city and topped in 1938 the hit parade in Italy
The song gives some praise to the Neapolitan music but continues that Milan also deserves a mention and addresses the beautiful little golden Madonna under whose domination Milan is vibrant with life and always busy (pointed remark referring to the reputation of the southerners which were regarded as lazy by the Milanesi). "Everyone sings they are dying far from Naples — and then they come to Milan." It finishes on a welcoming offer to shake hands because it is a small world, after all, and adds "but Milan is a big Milan".
and that certainly isn't wrong,
Surriento, Mergellina
, every country,
has sung at least a million times,
I hope it won't offend anybody,
if we sing a little about ourselves...
chorus:
Oh MY LITTLE BEAUTIFUL MADUNINA,
you shine from far away,
you 're golden and tiny,
you rule over Milan,
Milan is a really lively town (from your below we live our lives),
no one wastes own time,
everybody sings "far away from Naples you die"
but in spite of it they come to Milan
Now the songs are about "magic Rome",
about Nina, St. Peter's Basilica's dome and Rugantino
,
about people suiciding in the Tiber
and tragic stories,
aren't we exaggerating a bit?
I hope the next craze,
won't be singing "Malano mia"! (Neapolitan dialect for "Oh My Milan")
chorus---
So, come, not fear ...
we'll give you a hand
people are the same, the whole world over,
but Milan is a Great Milan
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
song by Giovanni D'Anzi
Giovanni D'Anzi
Giovanni D'Anzi was an Italian songwriter.D'Anzi was born in Milan. In 1935 he wrote music and lyrics of "O mia bela Madonina" , a song dedicated to his hometown which soon became very popular and a sort of unofficial city anthem.Between 1930s and 1950s Giovanni D'Anzi and Alfredo Bracchi formed a...
which is an unofficial city anthem of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
The title refers to the golden statue of the Virgin Mary on the spire of Milan Cathedral visible all over the city and which is called Madonnina in Italian and Madunina in the dialect of Milan.
The song is written in the Milanese
Milanese
Milanese is the central variety of the Western Lombard language spoken in the city and province of Milan....
dialect of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
which has no fixed spelling.
The song is to this day very popular in Milan. It is available as ringtone for the mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
and its lyrics can be found on the homepages of the ultras
Ultras
Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...
of football clubs Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
and Inter
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
.
The song was written and composed in 1934 by the Milan songwriter Giovanni D'Anzi
Giovanni D'Anzi
Giovanni D'Anzi was an Italian songwriter.D'Anzi was born in Milan. In 1935 he wrote music and lyrics of "O mia bela Madonina" , a song dedicated to his hometown which soon became very popular and a sort of unofficial city anthem.Between 1930s and 1950s Giovanni D'Anzi and Alfredo Bracchi formed a...
(1906–1974). In 1935, there were more and more immigrants from the Mezzogiorno
Mezzogiorno
The Midday is a wide definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the southern half of the Italian state, encompassing the southern section of the continental Italian Peninsula and the two major islands of Sicily and Sardinia, in addition to a large number of minor islands...
, especially from the region of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, coming to Milan which naturally brought with them their famous Neapolitan songs
Music of Naples
Naples has played an important and vibrant role over the centuries not just in the music of Italy, but in the general history of western European musical traditions. This influence extends from the early music conservatories in the 16th century through the music of Alessandro Scarlatti during the...
. So it came, that the Milan singers got more and more frequently requested to sing O sole mio, which didn't touch their Lombard patriotism. And one day the Milanese songwriter D'Anzi decided this needed a musical answer from Milan and wrote the song and lyrics of la Madunina. The song became almost immediately a hit in the city and topped in 1938 the hit parade in Italy
The song gives some praise to the Neapolitan music but continues that Milan also deserves a mention and addresses the beautiful little golden Madonna under whose domination Milan is vibrant with life and always busy (pointed remark referring to the reputation of the southerners which were regarded as lazy by the Milanesi). "Everyone sings they are dying far from Naples — and then they come to Milan." It finishes on a welcoming offer to shake hands because it is a small world, after all, and adds "but Milan is a big Milan".
English translation of the song
They say music comes from Naples,and that certainly isn't wrong,
Surriento, Mergellina
Mergellina
.Mergellina is a section of the city of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. It is at the west end of the seaside road, via Caracciolo, one mile away from the main port of Naples.-Overview:...
, every country,
has sung at least a million times,
I hope it won't offend anybody,
if we sing a little about ourselves...
chorus:
Oh MY LITTLE BEAUTIFUL MADUNINA,
you shine from far away,
you 're golden and tiny,
you rule over Milan,
Milan is a really lively town (from your below we live our lives),
no one wastes own time,
everybody sings "far away from Naples you die"
but in spite of it they come to Milan
Now the songs are about "magic Rome",
about Nina, St. Peter's Basilica's dome and Rugantino
Rugantino
Rugantino is a musical comedy by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini, which debuted at the Teatro Sistina in Rome, Italy, on 15 December 1962. Music was written by Armando Trovaioli.It is a comedy set in the papal Rome of the 19th century...
,
about people suiciding in the Tiber
Tiber
The Tiber is the third-longest river in Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Umbria and Lazio to the Tyrrhenian Sea. It drains a basin estimated at...
and tragic stories,
aren't we exaggerating a bit?
I hope the next craze,
won't be singing "Malano mia"! (Neapolitan dialect for "Oh My Milan")
chorus---
So, come, not fear ...
we'll give you a hand
people are the same, the whole world over,
but Milan is a Great Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...