Mambo Italiano
Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra Lyrics
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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 Sicialiano
Hey mambo, don't want to tarantella
Hey mambo, no more a mozzarella
Hey mambo! Mambo Italiano!
Try an enchilada with da fish a bac a lab and then a
Hey goombah, I love a how you dance a rhumbah
But take a some advice paisano
Learn how to mambo
If you gonna be a square
You ain't a gonna go nowhere
Hey mambo! mambo Italiano!
Hey mambo! mambo Iitaliano!
Go, go, Joe, shake like a Giovanno
Hello kess-a-deetch-a you getta happy in the feets a
When you mambo Iitaliano
Shake-a Baby shake-a cause i love a when you take a me
Mama say "stop-a or I'm gonna go to papa"
And a hey ja drool you don't a have to go to school
Just make-a wid da 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 Iitaliano
Hey mambo, Mambo Iitaliano
Ho, ho, ho, you mixed up Siciliano
It's a so delish a ev'rybody come copisha
How to mambo Iitalianoooooo!
'Ats nice!
UNH!
The lyrics of Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra's Mambo Italiano tells a story of a girl who has returned to Napoli because she misses the scenery, native dances, and charming songs. However, she realizes that something is wrong. This is the prelude to an energetic chorus that invites everyone to do the mambo, an Italian dance. It is a call to let loose and have fun. The lyrics cheekily blend Italian words with English words, using words that describe Italian cuisine and dances such as tarantella, mozzarella, and rhumbah.
The song Mambo Italiano is symbolic of the cultural shift that was happening in America after the Second World War. It is a song that represents the Italian American culture in the United States. The lyrics of the song reflect how Italian Americans were trying to integrate into the American way of life while still holding on to their original culture, in this instance, through dance. The upbeat tempo of the song and its catchy chorus make it an enduring classic that remains popular to date.
Line by Line Meaning
A girl went back to Napoli
A girl returned to Naples, Italy.
Because she missed the scenery
She missed the beauty of the place.
The native dances and the charming songs
She missed the traditional dances and songs of her homeland.
But wait a minute, something's wrong
She discovered that things were not as great as she remembered.
Hey, mambo! Mambo Italiano!
A call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Hey, mambo! Mambo Italiano!
A repeated call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Go, go, go you mixed up Siciliano
Encouragement to a person of mixed Italian heritage to dance the Mambo.
All you Calabraise-a do the mambo like crazy with a
Encouragement to people from Calabria, Italy to dance the Mambo with enthusiasm.
Hey mambo, don't want to tarantella
A preference for the Mambo dance over the traditional Tarantella dance.
Hey mambo, no more a mozzarella
A desire to try new things, like enchiladas with fish.
Hey mambo! Mambo Italiano!
A repeated call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Try an enchilada with da fish a bac a lab and then a
A suggestion to try something different, like a Mexican dish with fish.
Hey goombah, I love a how you dance rhumbah
Complimenting a close friend's dance moves.
But take a some advice paisano
Offering advice to a fellow Italian.
Learn how to mambo
It's important to learn how to dance the Mambo.
If you gonna be a square
If you're not familiar with Mambo, you'll be left out.
You ain't a gonna go nowhere
You won't be able to go anywhere if you can't dance Mambo.
Hey mambo! mambo Italiano!
A repeated call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Hey mambo! mambo Iitaliano!
A repeated call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Go, go, Joe, shake like a Giovanno
Encouragement to someone named Joe to dance like Giovanno.
Hello kess-a-deetch-a you getta happy in the feets a
A greeting to someone whose feet are happy when they dance.
When you mambo Italiano
The Mambo dance makes people happy.
Shake-a Baby shake-a cause I love a when you take a me
A desire for a dance partner to shake and dance with them.
Mama say "stop-a or I'm gonna go to papa"
A mother scolds a child for dancing too much.
And a hey ja drool you don't have to go to school
A suggestion to forget about school and just dance.
Just make-a wid da beat bambino
Focus on dancing and enjoying the rhythm.
It's a like a vino
Dancing is like wine, it gets better with age.
Kid you good a lookin' but you don't a-know what's cookin' till you
A compliment that says a person is attractive, but they don't know what's really going on until they learn to dance Mambo.
Hey mambo, Mambo Italiano
A repeated call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Hey mambo, Mambo Italiano
A repeated call to dance the Mambo, a popular Italian dance.
Ho, ho, ho, you mixed up Siciliano
Encouragement to a person of mixed Italian heritage to dance the Mambo.
It's so delish a everybody come copisha
The Mambo dance is very enjoyable and attractive to everyone.
How to Mambo Italianoooooo!
A joyous exclamation of how to dance the Mambo.
'Ats nice!
A happy affirmation that everything is going well.
UNH!
An exclamation of excitement or satisfaction.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB MERRILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind