C'è la luna mezzo mare

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"Luna mezz'o mare"
Song by Paolo Citorello
LanguageSicilian
English titleMoon amid the sea
Released1927 (1927)
Recorded1927
GenreTarantella

"Luna mezz'o mare" (Moon amid the sea) is a comic Italian song. It was written in 1927 and has gotten worldwide popularity. It is often sung at Italian-American weddings. The song has been translated and made into hit songs. Hit versions include "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)" by Rudy Vallée and "Lazy Mary (Luna Mezzo Mare)" by Lou Monte. The song appears in The Godfather.

Notable recordings[change | change source]

The song has been notably recorded with the following performers and titles:[1][2][3]

  • 1927: Paolo Citorello, "Luna mezzo mare" – original copyrighted version
  • 1929: Paolo Citorello, "Mamma a cu m'addari"
  • 1930: Paolo Citorello, "Mi vulissi maritari"
  • 1930s: Paolo Dones, "A luna 'mmenzu 'u mari"
  • 1928: Rosina Trubia Gioiosa, "Mi vogghiu maritari"(Brunswick E26617-E26618 10-in. 2/23/1928 Mi vogghiu maritari Rosina Trubia Gioiosa Female vocal solo, with orchestra.
  • 1930s: Silvia Coruzzolo, "A luna mezzo o mare"
  • 1930s: I Diavoli, "La luna in mezzo al mare (A luna mmezzu 'u mari)"
  • 1938: Rudy Vallée, "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)" – #8 U.S. peak in Your Hit Parade; not to be confused with the folk ballad, "The Butcher's Boy"
  • 1938: Dick Robertson, "Oh, Ma, Ma (The Butcher Boy)"
  • 1938: George Hall, "Oh! Ma Ma (The Butcher Boy)"
  • 1938: Gracie Fields, "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)"
  • 1938: The Andrews Sisters, "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)"
  • 1938: Glenn Miller, "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy) / Marie"
  • 1940: Trio Lescano, "La luna in mezzo al mare"
  • 1946 Rose Marie, "Chena A Luna"
  • 1951: Louis Prima, "Zooma Zooma"
  • 1951: Dean Martin, "Luna mezzo mare"
  • 1958: Lou Monte, "Lazy Mary (Luna mezzo mare)" – #12 U.S. peak in Billboard; not to be confused with the nursery rhyme "Lazy Mary, Will You Get Up"
  • 1960: The Mills Brothers, "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)"
  • 1972: Louis Prima, "Che la luna"
  • 1973: Salix Alba, "Oh Mama"
  • 1983: The Star Sisters, "Oh, ma-ma! (The butcher boy)"
  • 1999: Frank Simms, "Luna mezzo mare"
  • 2005: Patrizio Buanne, "Luna mezz'o mare"
  • 2015: Famiglia Amica Valenza, "C'e la luna mezz'o mare"

References[change | change source]

  1. Shannon, Bob; Javna, John (1986). Behind the Hits: Inside Stories of Classic Pop and Rock and Roll. Warner Books. ISBN 978-0446381710. Archived from the original on March 28, 2010.
  2. Rypens, Arnold (2010). The Originals: Prequel of the Hits. EPO. ISBN 978-9090256832. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  3. "Famiglia Amica Valenza: Canzone Napoletana". MTV. Retrieved January 13, 2016.