Funiculì funiculà

Synopsis

The Japanese version of the 1880 Neapolitan song Funiculì funiculà, originally composed by Luigi Denza, with lyrics from Peppino Turco. It was written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular railway on Mount Vesuvius. A Japanese rendition of the song performed by Duke Aces was originally broadcast on NHK's Minna no Uta program in April 1961. It was released under the title Tozandensha (Mountain Railway) and was accompanied by shadow play from the Kakashiza Shadow Play Theatre. It is believed to now be lost media. In June 1970, a performance of the song by the Hibarigaoka Boys and Girls Choir (Hibarigaoka Shounen Shoujo Gasshoudan) was broadcast on the Minna no Uta program, this time under the original song title. The accompanying video was animated by Hal Fukushima.