Gracie Fields - Oh! Ma-Ma (1938)

Gracie Fields

"Oh! Ma-Ma (The Butcher Boy)"

Kristal 21830

Maybe you know the version by the Andrews Sisters?

Song by Lew Brown, Paolo Citarella, and Rudy Vallee

Many of us know the song as "Cc'è la luna n menzu ô mari."

That's Sicilian for 'There's the moon amid the sea."

It is sung in a Godfather movie.

This is a a mother-daughter "coming of age" song. The daughter wants to learn from the mother want the butcher boy wants. What is the meaning of the butcher boy's actions? The mother has to explain in plain language that the butcher boy has marriage in mind.

Mama dear, come over here
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