Album Notes

Festivus Italiano is the newest CD by the fabulous San Francisco-based band, Bella Ciao. This incredible CD includes new arrangements of old Italian and Italian-American favorites from the late '50s and early '60s and the hottest in new Italian-American hits.

For information about the band, including videos, please visit www.ladyofspain.com or call Tom Torriglia at 415 440 0800.

Track # 1 Oh Marie. This iconic song gets a makeover that everyone loves. The song starts with Michelle singing a waltz version in Italian and then the second half explodes into a rocki' Prima-esque arrangement that will have you up and screaming. It totally rocks!

Track # 2 Sway. A classic arrangement with the Santana-esque gutar virtuosity of Rick Jones. Very haunting.

Track # 3 Civilization. This is a bouncy number originally done by Danny Kaye in the '40s. We've taken on an arrangement by Renzo Arbore that features everyone in the band singing. A great sing along.

Track # 4 Tintarella di Luna. A cool cover of the quintisential Mina rocker from the early '60s. I played this track at a bar in Camerano, Italy and the whole place was up dancing and singing. You will, too.

Track # 5 Mambo Italiano. Hey, mambo. Rick came up with a totally hot and new arrangement of this song that barely resembles the original. Michelle's vocals are all in Italian. You'll go, woah! when you hear this rendition.

Track # 6 On an Evening in Roma. It's just Rick on mando and Michelle on the vocal. Simple and nice.

Track # 7 It Had Better Be Tonight. This is the meglio stasera song from the soundtrack to the first Pink Panther movie. No, not Steve Martin, Peter Sellars. It's got a nice, jazzy groove to it.

Track # 8 Blame it on the Bossa Nova. Hey, baby, it's the dance of love. Fun and cute

Track # 9 Papa Loves Mambo. Great sax work and peppy background vocals make this a total party hit.

Track # 10 Quando, Quando, Quando. The king of the conga line. Put it on and watch people snake around the house.

Track # 11 Rina and Danielle. Let's polka! Poor Tom laments about what it's like to have two girlfriends.

Track # 12 Mambiambo. Mambiambo is the new dance craze. Get your elbows akimbo and start rockin'

Track # 13 The wine song is a bouncy sing along from Jim and Mary. Everyone loves wine.

Track # 14 Mamma. Michelle takes on this Connie Francis classic and belts a home run. Be sure to have a hankie with you if you listen to this incredible rendition of this gut-wrenching song.