Santa Lucia

Santa Lucia, a classic, by Enrico Caruso. Art for the ears indeed.

The tune is probably very identifiable to Tom & Jerry fans. Then again, most classical tunes are familiar because a lot of us have watched them for so long.

A song can take you away to a different place. It may be good or it may be bad. It may bring back memories, or it may just clear your mind and take you away, and create a world right there in your mind. A scenic place, full of serenity. That is what it does to me.

When I first heard the original composition by Enrico Caruso in it's entirety, I was whisked away to scenes of Venice, amidst the canals. I watched in my mind's eye the scenery, the intricate craftsmanship and detail in the construction. I admire the way the sunlight reflects the magnificence of the years gone by, it's cold times, and through those, I see remnants of such great historic magnitude.

My Venetian boat floats gently, deeper into the cityscape. I feel relaxed. At peace.

Caruso's voice echoes in my head, and as it climbs during the chorus, suddenly the scene just changes. In the blink of an eye, the city is nowhere to be scene, the canals have been replaced by a winding stretch of tarmac, and Venice has suddenly transformed into Italian countryside. Most importantly, my gondolier is now a Ferrari. I can't tell which one it is, because at those speeds, all I can think of is keeping that superfast work of art on the road, lest it turn into one of the most expensive pieces of scenery ever. The whistles and screams from the engine tells me I'm sitting in front of a turbocharged V8. It's a Ferrari F40, F50 maybe.. For once, I don't care! I don't care if it's a 288GTO, an F40 or an F50! I don't care if I have 400 horses or over 500! All I know is I'm screaming up a very scenic mountain pass, yet I can't take a break to look at the scenery, lest, as I said earlier, I become a part of it. The fresh countryside air fills my lungs, and I breathe rather deeply, and even more rapidly, as my heart pumps faster, just like that big V8 behind me! Bliss.

And then the song's over. Dream while the music's still playing. I'll keep doing that..