Un italiano in America

UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (aka An Italian in America) is a comedy with nostalgic overtones directed in 1967 by Alberto Sordi on the heels of his 1966 debut, Fumo di Londra. Giuseppe (Sordi), working at a petrol station in Italy, is called to join his father (De Sica) who lives in the United States and suddenly reemerges after years of silence. The meeting takes place in New York during a television "show," with Giuseppe re-embracing his father and receiving a gift of ten thousand dollars and a luxurious car. In reality, his father is deep in debt to several gambling houses where he's known by the nickname "Mandolin." At the end of the story, after fortunately reaching Memphis, where Mandolino owns a small house, Giuseppe finds his father's sister-in-law, owner of a drug store and a petrol station, and resigns himself to his old job while his father goes to prison. Piero Piccioni composed one of his most beautiful soundtracks for Alberto Sordi's film, writing "Amore amore amore,'' performed in the opening titles by Christy's cutting voice. This main theme is reprised in different orchestral versions, sometimes romantic and nostalgic, other times cheerful and lively. M° Piccioni wrote a second main theme, "Walk song," which can be heard in pleasant instrumental reprises and in the version sung by the beautiful voice of Lydia Mac Donald, the composer's favorite singer. Piero Piccioni also composed a lot of lounge-style music that serves as a backdrop to the American misadventures of poor Giuseppe, dazzled by the mirage of a happy life and a mountain of easy money. Among these cues, I mention two exceptional pieces: one for the sequence when Giuseppe and his father are chased by gangsters, where M° Piccioni shows off his immense talent, creating a long intro of percussion which develops into a wild Dixie theme with a little Beat color; the other piece, "Love war call,'' was written for the scene in which Giuseppe enters a bar where naked girls serve customers at the counter, and the music is a powerful shake for winds and rhythm (the composer also recorded an alternate version with an organ-free guitar coda, which we include here in the bonus tracks section).

The CD comes in a jewel case featuring a 12-page booklet, with mastering and liner notes by Claudio Fuiano and graphic layout by Alessio Iannuzzi.

Tracklist

1. AMORE AMORE AMORE (Titoli) 2:51
2. WALK SONG (instr.version #1) 4:39
3. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #1) 1:14
4. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (piano Jazz) 2:34
5. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #2) 1:48
6. WALK SONG (vocal version) 2:35
7. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #3) 2:37
8. LOVE WAR CALL 3:26
9. WALK SONG (instr.version #2) 1:22
10. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (sax jazz) 1:58
11. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #4) 1:51
12. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (chase shake) 6:36
13. WALK SONG (instr.version #3) 0:50
14. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #5) 1:34
15. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (rock Shake) 3:09
16. AMORE AMORE AMORE (Instr.version #6) 1:35
17. WALK SONG (instr.version #4) 3:51
18. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (trumpet Jazz) 2:07
19. WALK SONG (instr.version #5) 3:06
20. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #7) 1:42
21. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (conga shake) 2:55
22. AMORE AMORE AMORE (vocal version with choir) 4:10
23. WALK SONG (instr.version #6) 2:17
24. AMORE AMORE AMORE (Finale) 1:09

Bonus Tracks
25. LOVE WAR CALL (with alternate ending) 3:26
26. AMORE AMORE AMORE (instr.version #8) 4:17
27. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (honky-tonk piano) 1:23
28. WALK SONG (instr.version #7) 0:46
29. UN ITALIANO IN AMERICA (sax jazz #2) 1:47
30. WALK SONG (choir and sax version) 4:29