“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
Oh! Ma-Ma!
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And see who's looking in my window
It's the butcher boy and oh
He's got a bundle in his hand
Tell me why he winks his eye
Whenever he goes by my window
Daughter, daughter, he's in love
And you're in love, and love is grand
Hey Marie, I gotta da pork chop
Hey Marie, I gotta da lamb chop
Hm, you want to marry me?
The butcher boy, the butcher boy
She wants to marry the butcher boy
Oh, mama, oh, get that man for me
Oh, mama, how happy I will be
Tra-la-la and cheery-beery-bee
Oh, if I'm gonna marry
It's the butcher boy for me
Mama dear, come over here
And see who's looking in my window
It's the baker boy and oh
He's got a bundle in his hand
Hey, Marie, I gotta da fruitcake
Hey, Marie, I gotta da cheesecake
Oh, you want to marry me?
The baker boy, the baker boy
She wants to marry the baker boy
Oh, mama, oh, get that man for me
Oh, mama, how happy I will be
Tra-la-la and cheery-beery be
Oh, if I'm gonna marry
It's the baker boy for me
Mama dear, come over here
And see who's looking in my window
It's the fisher boy and oh
He's got a bundle in his hand
Hey, Marie, I gotta da codfish
Hey, Marie, I gotta da whitefish
Whoa, you want to marry me?
The fisher boy, the fisher boy
She wants to marry the fisher boy
Oh, mama, don't get that man for me
Oh, mama, I cannot marry three
Oh, mama, that would be bigamy
So, if I'm gonna marry
It's the father of the three
Oh, if I'm gonna marry
It's the father of the three
The Andrews Sisters's "Oh! Ma-Ma!" is a playful song about a young girl who wishes to marry one of two boys- the butcher boy or the baker boy. The lyrics center on the girl's search for the perfect man who can provide her with delicious food and a happy life. She sings, "Oh Ma-Ma! How happy I will be!" in anticipation of finding her ideal husband. She mentions various food items such as lamb chops, pork chops, fruitcake, and cheesecake, which are associated with the respective boys she wishes to marry.
The song's lyrics express the girl's simple desires and celebrate the joys of life's basic pleasures, such as good food and love. The use of playful and catchy rhyme schemes adds to the song's lighthearted tone. The energetic and upbeat tempo of the music along with the cheerful and harmonious voices of The Andrews Sisters further enhance the song's lively vibe.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Oh, catcha dat man-a for me!
Please catch that man for me
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
How happy I will be!
I will be very happy
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
I'll cheery-beery be!
I will be very cheerful and happy
Oh, if I'm gonna marry,
If I'm going to get married,
It's-a da butcher boy for me!
I want to marry a butcher boy
Hey, Marie!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da lamb chop!
I have a lamb chop
Hey, Marie!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da pork-a chop!
I have a pork chop
Hey, Marie!
Hey, Marie!
Marie!
Direct address to Marie
'Ya wanna marry me?
Do you want to marry me?
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Oh, catch-a dat man-a for me!
Please catch that man for me
Oh, Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
How happy I will be!
I will be very happy
Oh, Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
I'll cheery-beery be!
I will be very cheerful and happy
Oh, if I'm gonna marry,
If I'm going to get married,
It's-a da baker boy for me!
I want to marry a baker boy
Hey, Marie!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da fruitcake!
I have a fruitcake
Hey, Marie!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da cheesecake!
I have a cheesecake
Hey, Marie!
Hey, Marie!
Marie!
Direct address to Marie
'Ya wanna marry me?
Do you want to marry me?
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Oh, catcha dat man-a for me!
Please catch that man for me
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
How happy I will be!
I will be very happy
Oh Ma-Ma!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
I'll cheery-beery be!
I will be very cheerful and happy
Oh, if I'm gonna marry,
If I'm going to get married,
It's-a da butcher boy for me!
I want to marry a butcher boy
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lew Brown, Paolo Citarella, Rudy Vallee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@19gregske55
Just listen to the diction of The Andrews Sisters. Every word is distinct, is spite of the fast-paced tempo. The harmony of siblings is also a wonderful thing.
@initiativeplaytherapy88
My wife and I heard this for the first time today. When it got to the last verse, we were in stitches. 😂
@AAA-sy3jw
Excellent!.
👏👏👏
The Andrews Sisters
👑👑👑
@esmeraldai.7641
I love them. Thx!
@ChthonianRealm
in a later version they use the phrase "Butcher Boy".
@gavindajyajya
Git up Ron Wilkinson!! I hope you still have plenty of pictures of nurses! Hope you're well Sir.
@waltershumer4211
Che la Luna!
@Wolfhoundersful
Oh Ma-Ma!
Oh, catcha dat man-a for me!
Oh Ma-Ma!
How happy I will be!
Oh Ma-Ma!
I'll cheery-beery be!
Oh, if I'm gonna marry
It's-a da butcher boy for me!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da lamb chop!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da pork-a chop!
Hey, Marie!
Marie!
'Ya wanna marry me?
Oh Ma-Ma!
Oh, catch-a dat man-a for me!
Oh, Ma-Ma!
How happy I will be!
Oh, Ma-Ma!
I'll cheery-beery be!
Oh, if I'm gonna marry
It's-a da baker boy for me!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da fruitcake!
Hey, Marie!
I gotta da cheesecake!
Hey, Marie!
Marie!
'Ya wanna marry me?
Oh Ma-Ma!
Oh, catcha dat man-a for me!
Oh Ma-Ma!
How happy I will be!
Oh Ma-Ma!
I'll cheery-beery be!
Oh, if I'm gonna marry
It's-a da butcher boy for me!