Sweet summer music

Ciao Bloggisti!

I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, which means that the only beach action I got was jumping through the sprinkler or wading in my Mr. Turtle pool. Woo hoo! To be honest, one year we did make it to legendary Wasaga Beach (aka Ontario’s Riviera). Yes, there were nice sandy beaches and cotton candy for sale. But it’s nothing like the gorgeous seaside my kids enjoy here in the Mediterranean.

Now that summer weather has finally arrived in Italy, people are heading to the nearest beaches to roast in the sun and swim in the balmy waters. The Milanese usually flock to Liguria or the Adriatic Riviera while Romans head to nearby Ostia or Fregene. Celebrities, soccer stars and their WAGS du jour always make sure the paparazzi get shots of them in Forte dei Marmi on the Tuscan coast or in Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda. And every year there is the dreaded summer song, or the tormentone d’estate. It’s usually a horrible dance song played to death on the radio, beaches and clubs that by August I’m ready to throw my stereo out the window.

But I’d like to look back to a simpler time, the 50s and 60s, during Italy’s post-war heyday. Italians made some great summer songs back then – classics like Sapore di Sale, Abbronzatissima, and Azzurro. Those are songs that still bring to mind lazy days on the beach and summer romances. Ah!

Singer Edoardo Vianello was the king of the summer song back in the 60s and I found this cute clip of his his bizarrely-named hit, Con Le Pinne, Fucile e Occhiali (literally, “With Fins, Spear Gun and Mask” ????). I like this video because it gives you a snapshot of Italian beach culture at that time. And isn’t it great to see women with curves for a change?

Enjoy!