![]() She has said on many occasions that being born into and living with extreme poverty for most of her childhood gave her a strength of character that allowed her to succeed and appreciate every moment she has been given as a human being. Loren grew up impoverished in wartime Pozzuoli, near Naples sharing a small flat with her sister Maria, her grandparents and her uncles and aunts. Her father Riccardo Scicolone was an engineer and her mother Romilda Villani was an aspiring Neapolitan actress and piano teacher. Sophia Loren was born Sofia Villani Scicolone in Rome. ![]() Read Full Bio Sophia Loren (born September 20, 1934) is a motion picture and stage, Academy Award-winning actress and former sex symbol, widely considered to be the most popular Italian actress of her time. Sophia Loren (born September 20, 1934) is a motion picture and stage, Academy Award-winning actress and former sex symbol, widely considered to be the most popular Italian actress of her time. Written by: Nicola Salerno, Renato Carosone Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group Whiskey-soda and rock-n-roll are your symbols for American lifestyle and you keep obsessively repeating these phrases. Alright then, Neapolitant! You keep being an American. You insist on being an American, even though you were born and raised in Italy, there's simply nothing that can be done. You keep trying to be an American but I ask you, what are you trying to do? You want to live a fashionable lifestyle, yet if you consume whiskey-soda, it'll make you feel uncomfortable. You have an insatiable urge to mimic an American lifestyle, especially when it's amusing to those around you. You choreograph rock-n-roll dances and play casual baseball, while the cigarettes you smoke are a financial burden on your mother's wallet and should be taken as jokes.ĭon't you realize you're not in New York City but actually in Naples, Italy? ![]() You attempt to live a trendy lifestyle, but the consumption of whisky-soda leads to you humming out of tune. ![]() You desire to become an American, relentlessly proclaiming it, even though you were born and raised in Italy. The song is still popular in Italy and is often played at parties and events. The song has been praised for its humor and social commentary on American culture. The melody of the song has been used in several other songs, including the chorus of the 2011 hit "We No Speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup. The song has been used as a political campaign song in Italy. It was performed during the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The song has been featured in numerous films and TV shows including "Talladega Nights" and "The Sopranos." The title translates to "You Want To Be American" in English. The song has been covered by numerous artists including Dean Martin, Sting, and Lady Gaga. Sophia Loren recorded a version of the song in 1958 for the film "It Started in Naples" in which she starred alongside Clark Gable. The song was written in 1956 by Renato Carosone and Nicola Salerno and became a hit in Italy. Overall, Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano is a commentary on the way in which American culture has permeated other parts of the world and how its allure can be both enticing and problematic. This could be seen as a nod to the pride in one's heritage that many Italians hold, even as they strive to adopt a different culture. Interestingly, the song ends with a verse in Neapolitan dialect, reminding the narrator that they are, in fact, from Italy and there's nothing to be done about it. Despite these setbacks, the narrator still wants to be American and live the American dream. They drink "whisky-soda" and try to dance rock-n-roll and play baseball but are criticized for singing off-key and leaving their mama broke with their cigarette smoking. The verses of the song detail the ways in which the narrator tries to live "alla moda" or in style. The song opens with the chorus, "You wanna be Americano, 'mericano, 'mericano: You were born in Italy." This line sets the tone for the entire song, which speaks to the allure of American culture for those living in other parts of the world. The lyrics of Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano, sung by legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren, describe an Italian's desire to adopt American culture and lifestyle.
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