Add to Playlist: Caruso by Lucio Dalla 🇮🇹

As soon as I hear the five opening notes, I am pulled into the magical world of “Caruso”. Dalla’s masterpiece starts by setting the scene in the coastal city of Sorrento, where the song was written: “Qui dove la mare luccica e tira forte il vento” [Here where the sea sparkles and the wind blows hard]. During his time at the Excelsior Vittoria hotel, Dalla just so happened to stay in the same room where, many years earlier, the great tenor Enrico Caruso had spent his last days before passing away. Inspired by stories of Caruso’s passionate relationship with a young woman leading up to his death, Dalla wrote his famous ballad.

While the lyrics are poetic and heart wrenching, “Caruso”‘s beauty truly transcends language. You don’t need to understand Italian to feel the love, passion and pain in Dalla’s music. The evocative melody and raw power of Dalla’s voice are enough to stir up the deepest emotions. In my opinion, this song of love and longing is one of the greatest of all time.

Lucio Dalla’s legacy in Sorrento

“Caruso” is undoubtedly Lucio Dalla’s biggest hit, and given its link to Sorrento you will find many tributes to the singer around the city.

Versions of “Caruso”

“Caruso” is a certified classic and has been covered by many artists. Here are some of my favourite versions:

The original recording and music video

Lara Fabian’s emotional performance

Lucio Dalla live – my favourite

My guitar cover (shameless plug)

Check out my Spotify playlist for more Italian classics!