Big and Tall Records: Come On Into My Shop - From 'The Barber Of Paducah' by McGonigle

Research and collaboration between Luigi Trasudante, famous Italian tenor, and composer Travis V. McGonigle continues on the opera 'The Barber Of Paducah'. As the composer continues to edit the never performed work first written in 1949, Mr. Transudante works with a local orchestra to record some highlights of the opera. The composer is in his 90's, and tires easily, so progress is slow. But he has a lot of determination to get the opera whipped into performing shape, as Mr. Trasudante has said if possible, he would like to stage the opera.

Travis V. McGonigle

Here we have the opening scene of the opera, set in the barbershop of the immigrant Italian barber
Luigi, who has recently moved to Paducah. He welcomes his new customers and offers them a plethora of services, some traditional barbering, some pretty sketchy, and some downright illegal. Mr. McGonigle says it's his take on a 'patter' song used in Italian opera by Rossini and others, a form that put great demand on the singer in speed, diction, and lung capacity. Things which Mr. Trasudante has in abundance!

We've tried to retain the accent of an Italian with the written lyrics, as some of the words don't rhyme without it. Mr. McGonigle was quite adamant about doing this, as he worked very hard to carry over the Italian character in the accent. Mr. McGonigle has stated that the opera is in many ways a parody of Italian opera that needs to shine through other facets of it.

My name’s Luigi, nice to meet you. First time in my place?

What is, I can do to you? I take care of you face....and so much more!

You wanna haircut, yes? I can cut you mop!

Wanna bet horses, yes? I place it on top!

How about some whisky? I got bottle over there!

You wanna bath yes? It’s under the stair!

Wanna shoe shine, eh? The chairs on a the wall,

You wanna anything, Anything at all!

Luigi can do it, and with a big smile!

I’ll do so gladly, Laugh all a the while!

You wanna piece of ass, eh? Luigi fix it for you!

She do anything, You want her to do!

Come on into my shop, the best one in town,

Offer you much more, than the one across town!

Card a game, shoot a da crap,

Play the ponies, take a da nap,

Wash a you ass, take a big sheet,

Cut a you nose hair, trim a you feet,

Trim you toes, shave a the dimple,

Blow nose, pop a da pimple,

Fold your hanky, get a corsage,

Sell a da beer, get a massage,

brush a you teeth, drink a the tea,

clean you ears, take a big pee,

listen to sport, tobacco to burn,

talk politics, gossip to learn,

trim ear hair, bottle to pass,

trim fingernails, wipe a you ass,

Trim a the beard, give you shave,

In a my shop, don’t have to behave,

Whatever you want, Luigi try,

Kiss a you wife, tell her by by

You come a my shop, I cut you mop,

I shave a you face, your bet I’ll sure place,

You want a whiskey, you feel a frisky,

Wanna some ass, I make come to pass!

Luigi! Luigi! Anything you want, you can get HERE!

My name’s Luigi, nice to meet a you. I never see you in my place.

What is, I can do to you? I take care of a you face., and so much more!

You wanna you eyebrows trimmed, See? I can cut a you brows!

Wanna bet the ponies, See? I can place it , you never lose!

How about a some bourbon? I got bottle over there!

You wanna ass hair trim See? Take off a underwear!

Wanna blow job a eh? The rooms on that wall,

You wanna anything, See? Anything at all!

Luigi can do it, and with a big a smile!

Come on into my shop, The best a one in town,

Offer you much more, Than the one across town!

Card a game, shoot a da crap, Play the ponies, take a da nap,

Wash you ass, take a big sheet, Cut a you nose hair, trim a you feet,