They come from the sole release from a couple styling themselves
Sir Anthony Lanza Cocozza and the Countess Elaine Lanza Cocozza, the unwieldy titled
This Album is a Tribute In Memory to the Great Mario Lanza, although I believe
that on the disc’s labels the album has the more sensible title A Tribute To
My Brother Mario Lanza. Cocozza was Mario Lanza’s family name: he adopted
his mother’s maiden name, Lanza, when he was on the path to stardom.
Self-styled poet Anthony Lanza Cocozza claims to have been
Mario’s half-brother. He was not, unless of course he was born as the result of
Mario’s dad having an illicit affair, as Mario’s parents only had one child, although
he does appear to have been related in some way: there are (or were) a lot of
Cocozzas in the States, and I really do not have the time to check every family
tree. It is, of course, perfectly possible that he was brought up believing he
was related to the great singer, having been told a tall tale by one of his
parents. That’s something we can only speculate about.
Our boy seems to have styled himself ‘sir’, believing that
he had the right to do so, having married a countess. He didn’t, and anyway, the
British honours system does not work like that: marrying someone with a title
does not automatically entitle you to share in your spouse’s good fortune.
Elaine also claimed that she had a successful career as a
singer prior to her marriage, but I can find little evidence to support that.
She did audition to become the singing ringmaster for the Ringling Bros. and
Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1981, and excitedly told the judges that, ‘I’m mad
about circuses. I used to ride bareback through the streets in parades as a
little girl.’ Hardly an act befitting for the granddaughter of a British
monarch, although at that same audition she also claimed that she had ‘sung in
movies and nightclubs and with Mario Lanza.’ At her behest, Anthony auditioned
that day too, singing a song of his own composition, although later muttering ‘I
wish I would have sung “Jamaica Far Away”.’
Ah, now there’s a tale. On their album, the pair duet on the
classic Jamaica Farewell, however for some reason the cover lists the song
as Jamaica Far Away. The album was not released until 1985, (on the
custom pressing subsidiary of Hip-Hop specialist Macola) although some have
speculated that it was recorded years earlier, and that theory may have some
weight. Given that we have proof that Anthony Cocozza had been mistitling the song
for at least five years prior to its release, it’s a distinct possibility.
Three years after the release of This Album is a Tribute
In Memory to the Great Mario Lanza, Anthony Lanza Cocozza was claiming to
have been running his own opera company in southern California. God knows what
his fellow singers and potential pupils must have thought of this cacophony.
Anyway, make your own mind up. Here, from the stunningly
inept This Album is a Tribute In Memory to the Great Mario Lanza, are a
couple of corkers, Jamaica Far Away and Yellow Bird. Enjoy!
Download Jamaica HERE
Download Yellow HERE
Can I just say THANK YOU.
ReplyDeleteNot for this post, For the constant work and uploads, Many a time I've been down or bored or both over the last ten years or so and each time you always have something in the archive that makes me laugh or wonder why.
Thanks, Tim. That's really kind of you to say. So glad you've been enjoying this nonsenses for all of these years!
DeleteMy Dad grew up listening to them sing in his family home.
ReplyDelete