A Profile of the Song "O Sole Mio"

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Composed:

1898

Composer:

Eduardo Di Capua

Text:

Giovanni Capurro

Interesting Facts about "O Sole Mio" :
  • One of the most popular versions of "O Sole Mio" is in fact a song written by Elvis Presley called "It's Now or Never".
  • In 1961, while becoming the first person to ever orbit the earth, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin hummed "O Sole Mio."
  • As of 2002, the song's yearly royalties were estimated to be at least $250,000.



    The Creation and History of "O Sole Mio":

    "O Sole Mio" is often referred to as a Neapolitan song. Neapolitan songs were songs written for an annual songwriting contest for the Festival of Piedigrotta, which began in 1830, in Naples, Italy. "O Sole Mio" was composed by Eduardo Di Capua in Odessa, Italy, during April 1898. Setting his music to the poem by Giovanni Capurro, Di Capua drew his inspiration while touring Crimea with his father (a violinist street musician). Di Capua and Capurro sold the rights of the song to the Bideri publishing house for 25 lire.

    An Unknown Fact about "O Sole Mio":

    "O Sole Mio" had a third author. Emanuele Alfredo Mazzucchi helped Di Capua write the music of "O Sole Mio," however, he did not sign the manuscript. Mazzucchi didn't much mind to remain the silent third author while much of the world performed and enjoyed the song. It wasn't until his death in 1972 that his heirs filed a claim stating that he was an author of the song (along with 17 others he helped Di Capua write).

    Finally, in 2002, an Italian judge ruled in favor of the Mazzucchi heirs. They now own the rights to "O Sole Mio" until 2042, and will collect those glorious royalties.

    "O Sole Mio" Lyrics and Translation:

    Learn the Italian lyrics and English translation of "O Sole Mio".

    Great Singers of "O Sole Mio":
    Source...
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