The Black Cat Song That Lost Zecchino d’Oro but Won the World
This song debuted during the 11th edition of Zecchino d’Oro, broadcast in 1969, where it actually placed last—the winner was Tippy, il coniglietto hippy (Tippy, the Hippie Bunny). Despite this, the song went on to achieve great international success: it was translated into several languages and sold millions of records in Japan.
The song was performed by Vincenza Pastorelli, with lyrics and music by Francesco Pagano and Mario Pagano (credited together as “Framario”), Armando Soricillo, and Francesco Saverio Maresca. The Japanese debut single of Osamu Minagawa, released in 1969, was a cover of the song in Japanese titled Kuroneko no tango (黒ネコのタンゴ, “Black Cat Tango”). Minagawa’s version was later reinterpreted by Ami Tokito, Pink Martini, Turbo, and many others. In 1978, Enrique y Ana recorded a Spanish-language cover titled Quería un gato negro.
The last track of the 2013 album Hide by The Bloody Beetroots (Volevo un gatto nero (You Promised Me)) quotes the refrain of the original song. The Korean group Turbo also made a Korean-language cover, which in 2020 was revisited by the group Ateez on the TV show Immortal Songs, under the title The Black Cat Nero.
Lyrics
La la la la la la la la
Un coccodrillo vero
Un vero alligatore
Ti ho detto che l’avevo
E l’avrei dato a te
Ma i patti erano chiari
Un coccodrillo a te
E tu dovevi dare
Un gatto nero a me
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Mi hai dato un gatto bianco
Ed io non ci sto più
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Siccome sei un bugiardo
Con te non gioco più (la la la la la la la la)
Non era una giraffa
Di plastica o di stoffa
Ma una in carne ed ossa
E l’avrei data a te
Ma i patti erano chiari
Una giraffa a te
E tu dovevi dare
Un gatto nero a me
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Mi hai dato un gatto bianco
Ed io non ci sto più
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Siccome sei un bugiardo
Con te non gioco più (la la la la la la la la)
Un elefante indiano
Con tutto il baldacchino
L’avevo nel giardino
E l’avrei dato a te
Ma i patti erano chiari
Un elefante a te
E tu dovevi dare
Un gatto nero a me
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Mi hai dato un gatto bianco
Ed io non ci sto più
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Siccome sei un bugiardo
Con te non gioco più (la la la la la la la)
I patti erano chiari
L’intero zoo per te
E tu dovevi dare
Un gatto nero a me
Volevo un gatto nero, nero, nero
Invece è un gatto bianco
Quello che hai dato a me
Volevo un gatto nero
Ma insomma nero o bianco
Il gatto me lo tengo
E non do niente a te
La la la la la la la la
Lyrics
La la la la la la la la
A real crocodile,
A real alligator,
I told you that I had one
And I would give it to you.
But the deal was very clear:
A crocodile for you,
And you were supposed to give
A black cat to me.
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
But you gave me a white cat,
And I don’t like that anymore!
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
Since you’re a little liar,
I won’t play with you anymore! (la la la la la la la la)
It wasn’t a giraffe
Of plastic or of cloth,
But one of flesh and bone,
And I would give it to you.
But the deal was very clear:
A giraffe for you,
And you were supposed to give
A black cat to me.
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
But you gave me a white cat,
And I don’t like that anymore!
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
Since you’re a little liar,
I won’t play with you anymore! (la la la la la la la la)
An Indian elephant,
With its big canopy,
I had it in my garden,
And I would give it to you.
But the deal was very clear:
An elephant for you,
And you were supposed to give
A black cat to me.
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
But you gave me a white cat,
And I don’t like that anymore!
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
Since you’re a little liar,
I won’t play with you anymore! (la la la la la la la)
The deal was very clear:
The whole zoo for you,
And you were supposed to give
A black cat to me.
I wanted a black cat, black, black,
But instead a white cat
Was the one you gave to me.
I wanted a black cat…
But oh well, black or white,
I’ll just keep the cat
And give nothing to you!
La la la la la la la la
Source: Wikipedia
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