The Grand Canal lyrics
The Grand Canal
Guido & Spa People This is the grand canal. (la la la la la
la)
Its resemblance to life is not obscure.
It is filled with the milk of human kindness
In spite of the fact it?s? really a sewer.
But don?t let that spoil your morale.
It?s a grand canal.
Guido This is a gondolier.
Seeking love is the center of his life.
But he never will go as far as wedlock
That would really annoy his present wife.
He strums his plaintive pastorale.
All On the grand canal
Look at the people in the square,
Look at the steeple in the air.
Can you deny that it?s a stunning view?
Faces are brimming with delight,
Children are swimming late at night.
Why don?t you try that? It is fun,
And who can? it harm to feel its charm?
Guido & Germans
I love it, i love it,
I love it i do
On the grand canal.
I love it, i love it,
I?m happy with you
On the grand canal.
On the grand canal.
Others
Row me, row me
Down the grand canal,
Row me with my gal.
Row me, row me
Down the grand canal,
Be my bosom pal.
Grand canal.
Guido And this is a courtesan (she is a courtesan).
It?s a shame people think that she?s a leech.
True, she once in a while destroys a marriage,
But other than that she?s really a peach.
All Sweet as the sweetest madrigal
On the grand canal.
Guido All right, everybody, get out of the water! (to the
Germans) Frauleins, get your tambourines, get ready for
the next scene. (seeing Claudia in her costume) Ah,
Claudia! Sei bellissima! Il costume e perfetto!
(Claudia and Guido argue, dialogue overlapping:)
Claudia Davvero? Ma non voglio mettere questo costume! Lo
sai perche? Perche questo e il costume the ho meso in
?Via Veneto,? nel ?Giardino dei Terrestri? e nella
?Cattedrale dei Sogni.? Non me to metto piu! Ne ho
avuto abbastanza di questa parte!
Guido (simultaneously) Ma the dici? Questo e un costume
bellissimo! Fantastic! Incredible! Sei impazzita?
(English Translation: What are you talking about? This
is a beautiful costume! Fantastic! Incredible! Have you
gone crazy?)
Claudia (tears off her costume, throwing it on ground)
Guido, you promised me another role! That?s why I
agreed to stay! I won?t play this role anymore! (She
storms off.)
Guido (calling off) All right, all right! I?ll give you a
different role! You can play... (Seeing Luisa, an idea
strikes.) ... you can play Beatrice, Casanova?s wife.
It?s a wonderful role, very challenging.
Claudia (re-enters) Va bene! (She exits.)
Guido (in mocking imitation) Va bene! (picks up costume)
Five million lire! (Spa People pass, rehearsing a
number. La Fleur is with them.)
La FleurContini, you?re a genius.
Guido (another idea) That?s because you are such an
inspiration, Madame La Fleur. Why don?t you try on this
costume ... Perfect! You?re in the film! (La Fleur
exits. Guido runs to kiss Luisa, then returns to the
Germans, who are entering with tambourines. NECROPHORUS
enters and watches. To Germans.) Frauleins, grazie.
This is a very sexy Italian dance. It is called the
tarantella ...
GERMANS. Tar-an-tella ...
Guido ... Yes. And it?s in celebration of the bite of the
Devil. Watch carefully. (Guido performs Sarraghina?s
tambourine routine.) You do it! (Germans give it a try;
not too good.)
Guido (to audience) Numerous rehearsals later. (Spa People
rush on and join the Germans in the Sarraghina
tambourine routine. Suddenly Carla enters with divorce
papers, wending her way through the rehearsal, ending
up near Luisa. Guido sees her and pulls her away from
Luisa. Snatches of their argument are heard over
the music and dancing. ) What the hell are you doing
here? Why are you talking to my wife?
Carla Guido, my divorce! It?s final!
Guido Divorce? I said nothing about a divorce! I?m not
Leaving my wife! Are you crazy? Now get out of here!
(Guido throws down the divorce papers and goes back to
the rehearsal. Carla is in shock. She slowly picks up
the papers as-)
Guido & Some Others
This is the grand Row me, row me
canal Down the grand canal.
Its resemblance to
life Row me with my gal.
Is not obscure. Row me, row me
Down the grand canal.
It is filled with the
milk
Of human kindness Be my bosom pal.
In spite of the fact
It?s really a sewer.
All But don?t let that spoil your morale.
It?s a grand canal.
Guido Everybody, change your costumes for the boudoir
rehearsal! (He and the others exit. Carla, stunned and
humiliated, tries to smoothe her crumpled divorce
papers. Spa Lady enters in boudoir costume.)
Last Update: June, 22nd 2013