25 Best Songs About Rome

Who doesn’t love Rome. Many musicians clearly do, as many have penned songs about this great city.

If you’re looking for some to add to your playlist, below are the top songs about Rome.

Romance in Rome – Petula Clark

1960s

In Rome, you can celebrate a dreamy love for the city and a different yet just as captivating love for your partner. ‘Romance in Rome’ is a song that erases all your worries, albeit momentarily, to enjoy love and life’s little pleasures.

In the lyrics, Petula Clark tells you not to focus too much on what tomorrow brings but instead embrace what today is about. This song may have been released in the 60s, but it still proves relevant today. Petula Clark is a long-reigning British singer and actress who is the brains behind Romance in Rome.

Three Coins in the Fountain – Frank Sinatra

1955

Tossing a coin into the fountain is an age-old tradition most people in Rome, Italy, and other places across the globe view as an offering to the water that can make any wish come true. Most people wish for love, money, wealth, and so on.

With this in mind, Frank Sinatra, a celebrated entertainer in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, released ‘Three Coins in the fountain’ to encourage the superstitious lot not to lose hope in their hopes and dreams.

Fontana Di Trevi – Achille Togliani

2012

Roman water fountains are true works of art. Whether you see one in a picture, a video, or right in front of you, the memory will forever be etched in your mind. Rome boasts the most magnificent fountains in the world.

Achille sings his heart out in this song, confessing his love and passion for Rome and its breathtaking fountains. The song expresses his relentless quest to find the love of his life. He professes his undying love in front of a fountain.

On an Evening in Roma (Sott’ er Celo di Roma) – Dean Martin

1961

This beautiful serenade celebrates Rome as the eternal city of love. Switching between English and Italian, Dean Martin weaves the lyrics to paint a beautiful picture of warm evenings after long walks shadowed by Tiber trees.

If you are looking for a slow romantic tune to grace your special evening alone or with a loved one, this is it!

Fall of Rome – Shawn Colvin

2012

The Roman empire was a mighty era that stood firm for over ten centuries before falling in 476 CE. Shawn Colvin’s song, ‘Fall of Rome,’ commemorates the greatness of Rome in those pre-medieval times.

She uses the song’s title as a metaphor to decry and refer to the same feelings people felt after the destruction of Pompeii and when the Titanic ship sank.

Autumn in Rome – Peggy Lee

1954

If you love Jazz, you’ll love ‘Autumn in Rome’ by Peggy Lee. Peggy was a talented musician who dominated the music scene in the 50s and 60s. The American singer seems to have fallen in love with Rome, as most of her songs are about Rome.

In fact, this emotional song expresses how she fell in love with a particular person in La Bella Cittá, a town in Roma.

The Roman Road – Super Furry Animals

2001

While not palatable for most people’s tastes in music, ‘The Roman Road’ is still a song worth listening to. It can be hard to understand how and why the lyrics describe fighting German planes with kites and narrating stories about the universe's shape to goats.

It’s a song about Rome that expresses how everything is connected. The song narrates how everything leads to Rome, where you can dream and find a reason to live.

Roman Guitar – Lou Monte

1956

‘Roman Guitar’ is a spectacular song that blends Italian and English so effortlessly. The electric Latin melodies and guitar playing in the background make for the best romantic song for a slow evening with your partner.

Lou Monte comes second to none in Italian music, covering different topics from guitars, trees, fountains, wind, etc.

When in Rome – Tony Bennett and Bill Evans

1953

Initially sung by Peggy Lee in 1964, ‘When in Rome’ is an epic song that Tony and Bill again covered in 1964 as a break-up song.

In the song, the main character describes his plans to pursue romantic interests with a stranger during a vacation in Rome. He asks his lover not to get angry as he’s only trying to follow the norm.

Heart of Rome – Elvis Presley

1971

He’s not called the king of Rock and Roll for no reason. Elvis indeed dominated the 70s and 80s music scene in the US and across borders. One of his best songs is ‘Heart of Rome,’ a tell-all song about Elvis being dumped by his lover in Rome.

He asks what a man is to do in such a scenario, a problem he solves by recommending prayer and throwing coins in fountains as if to make a wish to have her back.

Knowledge Is Power – The Ethiopians

1999

This song by the Ethiopians takes a different trajectory, which seeks to draw from the endless fountain of knowledge that ancient Romans seemed to possess.

‘Knowledge is Power’ may not be a love song like most songs about Rome, but it certainly hits the right spots for music enthusiasts.

Arrivederci Roma – Nat King Cole

2008

Orchestral Jazz is unlike other music genres that fail the test of time. When you listen to Nat King Cole’s Arrivederci Roma, you already know that people will still listen to this song for decades.

This song is like a love song serenading Rome as a magical, endearing place that you have to bid farewell to come back again when time allows.

You Get to Rome – Jim James

2018

This song by Jim James is exactly what you need on a road trip. It gets your blood rushing and excited for what’s coming when you reach your destination.

Jim James is the lead vocalist and guitarist of My Morning Jacket, a rock band based in Louisville, Kentucky. He’s also a revered songwriter whose strengths are clear, as seen in this song.