This story happened in a summer evening in 1880, at Castellammare di Stabia.The prince of Moliterno decided to give a wonderful party on the sea with boats and sailing vessels covered of thousands of lights. For the occasion, the prince invited two young artists, Luigi Denza, a famous musician, and Peppino Turco, a famous journalist.

The prince ordered them to compose a new song for the occasion. Denza and Turco were two inseparable friends, they accepted the invite but ....how was it possible to write a song in so short time? They had no ideas,yet.

In those days, it was inaugurated the funicular for reaching the top of Vesuvio. Many people went and saw it. Turco decided to go there,too. When he went back to Castellammare di Stabia, he was so excited for the funicular that wrote verses for a song. Immediately Turco went to Stabia Hall, the most famous and fashionable club, and gave those words to his dearest friend, Luigi Denza.

As soon as Denza read the words,he put the notebook in his pocket and went home quicly. He opened his piano and started writing the music all night long. The neighbourhood left their affairs and listed that strange and funny music.

Next evening, Denza played the new song at the club. Many ladies were around him waving their fans because it was too warm. The club was crowded. Men stopped playing cards and jointed that chorus. Everyone sang. It was a triumpf! That evening also waiters sang and whistled while were walking home.

Some evenings later during prince's party, all the crew on boats and sailing vessels, sang Funiculi' funicula'.

This song is still sung not only in Castellammare di Stabia but all over the world. Edward Oxenford, an English songwriter and translator of libretti, published a version which became somewhat traditional in English-speaking countries.Six years after Funiculì, Funiculà was composed, German composer Richard Strauss heard the song while on a tour of Italy.. Thinking that it was a traditional Italian folk song, he later incorporated it into his Aus Itaien symphony. To his great embarrassment, Strauss realised his mistake when an angry Denza filed a lawsuit against him. Denza won the lawsuit, and Strauss was forced to pay him a royalty fee every time the Aus Italien was performed in public.

Original Neapolitan lyrics

Aieressera, oì nè, me ne sagliette,tu saie addò?Addò 'stu core 'ngrato cchiù dispietto farme nun pò!
Addò lo fuoco coce, ma si fuie
te lassa sta!
E nun te corre appriesso, nun te struie, 'ncielo a guardà!...
Jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
funiculì, funiculà!

Nè... jammo da la terra a la montagna! no passo nc'è!
Se vede Francia, Proceta e la Spagna...
Io veco a tte!
Tirato co la fune, ditto 'nfatto,
'ncielo se va..
Se va comm' 'à lu viento a l'intrasatto, guè, saglie sà!
Jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
funiculì, funiculà!

Se n' 'è sagliuta, oì nè, se n' 'è sagliuta la capa già!
È gghiuta, pò è turnata, pò è venuta...
sta sempe ccà!
La capa vota, vota, attuorno, attuorno,
attuorno a tte!
Sto core canta sempe
nu taluorno
Sposammo, oì nè!
Jammo 'ncoppa, jammo jà,
funiculì, funiculà!