Tu vuò fà l'americano

"Tu vuò fà l'americano" (English: You pretend to be American) is a Neapolitan language song by Italian singer Renato Carosone.

The lyrics are about an Italian who imitates the contemporary American lifestyle and acts like a Yankee, drinking whisky and soda, dancing to rock 'n roll, playing baseball and smoking Camel cigarettes, but still depends on his parents for money.[1] The song is generally considered a satire on the process of Americanisation that occurred in the early post-war years, when southern Italy was still a rural, traditional society.[2]

Carosone himself wrote that his songs "were deeply based on the American dream, interpreting jazz and its derivatives as a symbol of an America, lively land of progress and well-being, but always Neapolitan-style, folding that symbol in a sly parody of its customs".[3] According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, "Tu vuò fa l'americano" is the symbol of Carosone's artistic parabola, as he retired from music in 1960, just four years after releasing the song.[4]

Puorte 'e cazune cu nu stemma arreto... 
na cuppulella cu 'a visiera aizata... 
passa scampanianno pe' Tuleto 
comm'a nu guappo, pe' se fa' guarda'...

Tu vuo' fa' ll'americano 
mericano, mericano... 
sient'a mme chi t' 'o ffa fa'? 
tu vuoi vivere alla moda, 
ma se bevi "whisky and soda" 
po' te siente 'e disturba'... 
Tu abball' o' rocchenroll 
tu giochi a baisiboll... 
ma e solde p' e' Ccamel 
chi te li da? 
la borsetta di mamma!?

Tu vuo' fa' ll'americano 
mericano, mericano... 
ma si' nato in Italy! 
sient' a mme: nun ce sta niente 'a fa' 
ok, napulitan! 
tu vuo' fa' ll'american 
tu vuo' fa' ll'american!

Come te po' capi' chi te vo' bbene 
si tu lle parle miezo americano? 
quanno se fa ll'ammore sott' 'a luna 
comme te vene 'ncapa 'e di' "I love you"? 
Tu vuo' fa' ll'americano 
mericano, mericano...(ecc.)