Tu si 'na cosa grande

"Tu si 'na cosa grande" (‘You are something great’) — the song that represented Italy to the world and made Claudio Villa's fortune

"Tu si 'na cosa grande" is one of the most famous and best-known songs in Italy, performed by Claudio Villa. The lyrics and music were written by Domenico Modugno and Franco Migliacci, who had already penned "Nel blu dipinto di blu", the celebrated "Volare".

The song was released in 1959 and immediately achieved huge success, quickly becoming a genuine symbol of Italy around the world. It tells of love for a woman seen in all her greatness and beauty, despite her small imperfections, and won over audiences thanks to its engaging melody and elegant orchestral arrangements.

"Tu si 'na cosa grande" marked a turning point in Claudio Villa's career, having until then made his name with Neapolitan song. Thanks to his remarkable performance, the Roman singer proved he possessed great versatility and expressiveness, moving with ease from the cheerful notes of Neapolitan song to the more complex melodies of Italian popular music.

The song had a considerable impact on the society of the time and, for many Italians, became a way to celebrate the beauty and character of their country, which was still searching for its own identity after the difficult post-war period.

"Tu si 'na cosa grande" has since been reinterpreted by numerous artists, such as Ornella Vanoni, Gigi D'Alessio and Michael Bublé, proving once again its extraordinary ability to move and engage different generations. Even today the song retains all its freshness and emotional power, and stands as a cultural and musical treasure to be preserved and passed down to new generations.

Tu si'
'na cosa grande pe' mme,
Mi7 Lam
'na cosa
ca me fa 'nnammura',
Rem
'na cosa
Sol7
ca si tu guarde a mme,
Do
me ne moro accussi'
Mi7
guardanno a te.
Lam
Vurria sape'
'na cosa da te,
Mi7 Lam
pecche' quann'io
te guardo accussi',
Rem
si pure
Sol7
tu te siente muri',
Do
nun m''o dici
Mi7
e nun m''o fai capi'
Lam
ma pecche'?
E dillo
'na vota sola...
Mim
si pure
Rem
tu stai tremanno,
Lam Mi7
dillo ca me vuo' bene...
Lam Mim
comm'io, comm'io,
Fa Mim
comm'io voglio bene a te.
Fa Rem Mi7

Tu si'
'na cosa grande pe' mme'
'na cosa
ca tu stessa nun sai,
'na cosa
ca nun aggio avuto mai,
nu bene accussi',
accussi' grande!
E dillo
'na vota sola...
si pure
tu stai tremanno,
dillo ca me vuo' bene...
comm'io, comm'io,
comm'io voglio bene a te.
Tu si'
'na cosa grande pe' mme',
'na cosa
ca tu stessa nun sai,
'na cosa
ca nun aggio avuto mai,
nu bene accussi',
accussi' grande!
Accussi' grande,
accussi' grande!

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