Learn Italian in Song: La Casetta in Canada

The Little House in Canada

(Panzeri / Mascheroni, performed by Carla Boni and Gino Latilla

Rossella’s great-grandmother used to sing this phrase to her. It never made any sense to me then and, now that I’ve heard the whole song, it makes even less sense! But it apparently was very popular in 1960.

Quando Martin vedete solo per la città

forse voi penserete dove
girando va.

Solo, senza una meta. Solo… ma c’è un perché:

Aveva una casetta piccolina in Canada

con vasche, pesciolini e tanti fiori di lillà,

e tutte le ragazze che passavano di là

dicevano: “Che bella la casetta in Canada”!

Ma un giorno, per dispetto, Pinco Panco l’incendiò

e a piedi poveretto
senza casa lui restò.

“Allora cosa fece?” – Voi tutti chiederete.

Ma questa è la sorpresa che in segreto vi dirò:

Lui fece un’altra casa piccolina in Canada

con vasche, pesciolini e tanti fiori di lillà,

e tutte le ragazze che passavano di là

dicevano: “Che bella la casetta in Canada”!

E tante e tante case lui rifece ma, però,

quel tale Pinco Panco tutte quante le incendiò.

Allora cosa fece?

Voi tutti lo sapete!

Lui fece un’altra casa piccolina in Canada

con vasche, pesciolini e tanti fiori di lillà,

e tutte le ragazze che passavano di là

dicevano: “Che bella la casetta in Canada”!

When you see Martin alone in the city

perhaps you’ll wonder where he’s wandering to.

Alone, without a goal. Alone… but there’s a reason:

He had a little house in Canada

with tanks, fish, and many lilacs,

and all the girls who passed that way

said: “What a beautiful little house in Canada!”

But one day, out of spite, Pinco Panco set it on fire

And the poor chap
was left without a home.

“What did he do then?” you will all ask.

But this is the surprise which I will secretly tell you:

He made another little house in Canada,

with tanks, fish, and many lilacs,

and all the girls who passed that way

said: “What a beautiful little house in Canada!”

And many and many houses he rebuilt, but still

that damned Pinco Panco burned them all.

Then what did he do?

You all know!

He made another little house in Canada, with tanks, fish, and many lilacs,

and all the girls who passed that way

said: “What a beautiful little house in Canada!”

(repeat ad nauseam…)

if you find this useful and want more, let me know!

1 comment

  1. Che divertimento! I love this silly song- meaningless, but enchanting. And thank you for all of the posts, esp. those on learning Italian through songs. Sitting her with my classicist husband, he is encouraged at how little the basic themes of Italian poetry have changed since ancient times- the casetta in Canada ditty, notwithstanding!

    Grazie mille!

    Susan

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.