Which famous Neapolitan song was borrowed from heavily in the 1927 novelty song written by Van and Schenck?
Funiculì, Funiculà "Funiculì, Funiculà" (] ) is a famous Neapolitan song composed in 1880 by Luigi Denza to lyrics by Peppino Turco. It was written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular cable car on Mount Vesuvius. It was presented by Turco and Denza at the Piedigrotta festival the same year. The sheet music was published by Ricordi and sold over a million copies within a year. It has been widely adapted and recorded since its publication.
Fortuna desperata Fortuna desperata is a secular Italian song, possibly originally by Busnois (but others credit Antoine Brumel). It was used by many other authors in the following 75 years, for both variations and cantus firmus masses, and over 30 such reworkings are known.