Postcard
from Naples 14 - I'm not sure if this is a postcard,
either. Assuming it is, it's a nice one, printed from a hand-colored negative. From
other sources we know that this song was published in
1892, so this is at least a reproduction of the original.
In the illustration we see in the upper left corner the
vertical note that this is a "Memento of Naples"; then,
below the illustration the indication that this is a Canto
Sorrentino, a Sorrentine Song. (That is not a genre
such as the Neapolitan Song;
it's just a song about a girl, Carmela whom the author
happened to meet in Sorrento. "Carmela" is, indeed, by
song type, a "Neapolitan Song." The drawing appears to be
by one P. Stoppella (nothing there, sorry). I'm confused
by the text at the bottom, Mele - Novità in
Confezioni. There's something about it that makes
me think this is not a postcard but an advertisement.
The most interesting note is
below the drawing: lyrics and music by G.B. De Curtis
(G.B. for Giambattista). Giambattista De Curtis (1860 -
1926) was born in Naples and is remembered today for his
song lyrics, usually in Neapolitan dialect. G.B. De Curtis
is one-half of a well-known song-writing team. His
brother, Ernesto, (1875-1937) wrote the music and G.B.
generally wrote the lyrics, although in the case of
"Carmela," he wrote both. Some sources say this is G.B.'s
best-known song. That can't be right. Carmela is,
yes, widely known in Naples, and anyone who makes a living
singing Neapolitan songs can do it at the drop of a hat.
In terms of international popularity, however, I imagine
that the four most widely known Neapolitan songs (in no
particular order) are Santa Lucia, Funiculì-Funiculà,
O' sole mio, and another "Sorrentine Song," Torna
a Surriento (note the dialect spelling of Sorrento),
known in English as "Come back to Sorrento." I don't think
Carmela is widely known abroad. There is a bust of
G.B. De Curtis in a public square in Sorrento, indicating
that he is "the author" of Torna a Surriento, but
nothing to indicate that his brother, Ernesto, composed
the lovely melody. (I don't know why musicians get
short-changed on these things!) The most amusing story I
know about that song is not true, which bothers me
because I have been guilty of telling people it was true.
They used to say that Come Back to Sorrento was
written as a favor to the mayor of Sorrento on the
occasion of a visit to the town in 1902 by the prime
minister of Italy, Giuseppe Zanardelli. Then the mayor
could tell the P.M., "Here. I had this written
especially for you." As it turns out, the De Curtis
brothers wrote the song eight years earlier and deposited
a copy with the Italian Society of Authors and Editors. It
didn't have much success, so they dusted it off later and
gave it to the mayor. (If you are curious about the
non-Italian surname, De Curtis, it was originally de
Curte, from the north and was a Longobard noble
family. The name has been in southern Italy since about
1200 as both de and De. The beloved comic
Totò's surname was really de Curtis.)
At least Carmela was written for a
pretty girl. According to G.B. He met Carmela in a hotel
lobby He asked her what she did and she said "sleep."
Inspired, G.B. penned the dialect lines, Duorme Carmè:
‘o cchiù bello d’ ’a vita è ‘o ddurmì… [Sleep,
Carmela. That is the most beautiful thing in life].