What does 'gay tarantella' in That's amore mean?

Answer 1

A Gay Tarantella is not a lady from Taranto who prefers the company of her own sex. It is a dance that requires great energy. And gay here has the old fashioned meaning of cheerful and lively.

The dance was supposedly an antidote to the sometimes fatal sting of the Tarantula spider, the constant dancing acting to hold off the soporific effects of the spider venom. So if you didn't dance a Tarantella after being bitten you would slip into a coma and die.

That's Amore was Dean Martin's signature tune and is a lovely song, whether the story is true or not.

Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling

And you'll sing "Vita bella"

Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay

Like a gay tarantella

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fagiole

That's amore

When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet

You're in love

When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not

Dreaming signore

Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli

That's amore