Mambo Italiano

Album

Single

Label

Columbia Records

Genre

Dance-pop

Composer(s)

Bob Merrill;Frankie Laine;William S. Fischer

Entered Chart

Nov 3, 1954

Peak Date

Nov 24, 1954

Released

October 11, 1954

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Columbia 40361

B-Side

"We'll Be Together Again"

"Mambo Italiano" was written by the songwriter Bob Merrill and first performed by Rosemary Clooney. Merrill, a lyricist, screenwriter, and theatrical composer, was more of a fixture of stage than radio, with a long string of Broadway hits to his credit including Funny Girl, Carnival!, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. He also wrote for the silver screen and television, ranging from W.C. Fields and Me to Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol. Allegedly, Bob Merrill literally scribbled the song on a napkin while dining at an Italian restaurant and phoned it in over the pay phone, humming the tune and everything. He was on deadline. Clooney herself was no stranger to the big or small screen, with her own share of film and TV credits including White Christmas, The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney, Red Garters, Radioland Murders, and even commercials for Coronet brand paper towels (she sang their jingle). Performers to cover this song include Dean Martin, Bette Midler, and Renato Carosone. The song was banned by New York's WABC radio because of its suggestive lyrics. The radio station didn't understand them and thought they might be suggestive. Clooney's label was forced to counter with statements from a professor of romantic languages and a Catholic priest, both of whom confirmed that the Italian lyrics were "in no way offensive or vulgar." Clooney sang this in the same mock Italian accent as in her 1951 #1 "Come-On-A My House." The Clooney family's connection with Italy has continued to this present day. Rosemary's nephew, the actor George Clooney, spends much of his time in the Lake Como area in northern Italy, where he owns a villa. According to the online version of Webster's Dictionary the song's origins lie in a traditional, danceable folk-like Italian song, but it was Merrill who put it on paper and made the song popular worldwide. "Mambo" was remixed and re-released by production team Shaft in 2000, reaching #12 on the UK singles chart. This was used in the opening credits of the 1988 comedy Married To The Mob, starring Michelle Pfeiffer as a mobster's widow who tries to leave the Mafia family after her husband's murder. It was also used in these movies: Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) Searching For Bobby D (2005) School For Seduction (2004) The Crew (2000) Mickey Blue Eyes (1999) Big Night (1996) Mermaids (1990) And these TV shows: Raising Hope ("Throw Maw Maw from the House, Part One" - 2012) Criminal Minds ("Proof" - 2011) Drop Dead Diva ("Change Of Heart" - 2011) Happy Endings ("Like Father, Like Gun" - 2011) The Simpsons ("The Italian Bob" - 2005) Dean Martin's 1955 recording was used in an Italian-themed commercial for Airbnb in 2022.

A girl went back to Napoli
Because she missed the scenery
The native dances and the charming songs
But wait a minute, something's wrong

Hey, mambo, mambo italiano
Hey, mambo, mambo italiano
Go, go, go you mixed up siciliano
All you calabrese do the mambo like a crazy with a-
Hey mambo, don't wanna tarantella
Hey mambo, no more a mozzarella
Hey mambo, mambo italiano

Try an enchilada with the fishy baccalà and then a-
Hey cumpa', I love a how you dance a rhumba
But take-a some advice, paesano
Learn-a how to mambo
If you gonna be a square
You ain't a gonna go nowhere

Hey mambo, mambo italiano
Hey mambo, mambo italiano
Go, go, Joe, shake like a Giovanno
Hello, che si dice, getta happy in the feets-a when you
Mambo italiano

Shake-a baby, shake-a 'cause I love-a when you take a me

Mama say stop-a or I'm gonna tell papa
And-a hey jadrool you don't-a have to go to school
Just make-a with the beat bambino
It's-a like a vino
Kid, you good a lookin' but you don't a-know what's cookin' till you

Hey mambo, mambo italiano
Hey mambo, mambo italiano
Ho, ho, Joe, you mixed up siciliano
It's a so delish-a everybody come, capisci
How to mambo italiano

'Ats nice (uh)