Napule è

"Napule è"
Single by Pino Daniele
from the album Terra mia
B-side	"'Na tazzulella 'e cafè"
Released	1977
Genre	Blues, jazz, canzone napoletana[1]
Length	3:47
Label	EMI Italiana
Songwriter(s)	Pino Daniele
Pino Daniele singles chronology
"Che calore" (1976) "Napule è" (1977) "Je so' pazzo" (1979)
Audio
"Napule è" on YouTube

"Napule è" ('Naples is') is an Italian song composed and performed by Pino Daniele. It is considered the signature song of Daniele.[2][3]

Background

The song was composed by Daniele in 1973, when he was 18 years old.[1][4] Daniele initially considered to have it performed by Peppino di Capri.[2] Along with its B-side "'Na tazzulella 'e cafè" and "Cammina Cammina", the song was a last-minute addition to his debut album Terra mia.[2]

Recording and release

After listening to the song's demo, producers and label decided the song deserved a more rich, orchestral arrangement than the lo-fi arrangements of the other songs of the album, and the task was entrusted to Antonio Sinagra, a Naples Conservatory professor who was fresh from the arrangements for Roberto De Simone's musical La Gatta Cenerentola.[2] Sinagra also composed the oboes and mandolins intro.[2][4] Jazz musician Amedeo Tommasi played the piano, but asked to be credited as Amedeo Forte.[2] The single was eventually chosen as leading song of the album, and premiered in a show of the private radio Capitale Eurosound.[4] Daniele performed it in an episode of the RAI musical show Senza Rete.[2]

Reception

The song has been described as a 'jewel [...], one of the most striking, poetic and realistic portraits of Naples',[5] and as 'regenerating lymph for the new Neapolitan song, the manifesto of a generation's hopes and disillusions'.[4]

Other versions

Artists who recorded the song include Mina, Luciano Pavarotti, Gino Paoli, Laura Pausini, Drupi, Teresa De Sio, Fiordaliso, Roberto Murolo, Mario Trevi.[4][5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Napule è"	Pino Daniele	3:47
2.	"'Na tazzulella 'e cafè"	Pino Daniele	3:22

Charts

Original version

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Italy (FIMI)[6]	5

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[7] Sales since 2009	Platinum	50,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Guaitamacchi, Ezio (2009). "Napule è". 1000 canzoni che ci hanno cambiato la vita (in Italian). Rizzoli. ISBN 978-8858617427.
2. Poggi, Claudio; Sanzone, Daniele (20 April 2017). Pino Daniele. Terra mia (in Italian). Minimum Fax. ISBN 978-88-7521-844-7.
3. Coccoluto, Salvatore (1 October 2015). Pino Daniele: Una storia di blues, libertà e sentimento (in Italian). Imprimatur. ISBN 978-88-6830-366-2.
4. Aymone, Carmine (2020). Yes I know... Pino Daniele. Tra pazzia e blues: storia di un Masaniello newpolitano (in Italian). Hoepli. ISBN 978-88-203-9458-5.
5. Salvatori, Dario (2001). "Napule è". Dizionario delle canzoni italiane. Elle U. ISBN 8888169016.
6. "Pino Daniele – Napule è". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
7. "Italian single certifications – Pino Daniele – Napule è" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 19 May 2024.

External links

Napule è at Discogs (list of releases)