What Makes an Italian Man Sing?

Scene 1: Sergio's barber shop on Via Isonzo Saturday afternoon. While getting my bi-monthly haircut, Sergio, who is in his 80's, slowly worked to make the line on the back of my head as straight as an arrow. We talked about various things like family, Berlusconi recently being re-elected and how furbo Italians are. As he continued clipping and talking, he began to enter, as often happens, into his pessimistic outlook concerning Italy. He talked about how beautifully dangerous Naples is and how it is getting worse. He continued on, talking about how his wife is sick and cries all day, about how bad the young generation is and how no one sings anymore...and in the midst of his lament, he began to croon, in a soft, shaky voice...

O sole mio sta 'nfronte a te! O sole O sole mio sta 'nfronte a te! sta 'nfronte a te!

Scene 2: Stadio del Conero yesterday afternoon. I've been wanting to take Jaker to a soccer game now for months. Today was the day. Ancona is in second place in the C-League and A.C. Pistoiese was in town to play them. Brian and his boys came with us. We sat in the curva nord, which is where the cheap seats are behind the goal where the wild crowd sits. The fans of the visiting team sit in the curva sud. There was a handful of them. We sat off to the side and watched the most passionate fans who stand on their seats the entire game. (There are hundreds of them.) We donned what red we had and watched the scene before the game began. Posters were taped to the bullet-proof glass that separates fans from field, flags were unfurled and the cheer-leaders (middle-aged men with VERY hoarse voices) took their places. At the kickoff the crowd waved their scarves, raised their hands and voices and began to sing...

Ancona ale ooooo Ancona ale . . . Ancona ale siamo sempre con te ..... ovonque sarai io ci saro' Ancona cn te io sempre saro' in casa o in trasferta stai sicura ke . . . prendo la sciarpa e corro da te! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO