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nap4414
06-02-2006, 05:05 AM
Hello,
I'am a researcher on the Italian-American immigrant repertoire from 20's - 30's.
I know that the american song "Where do you work-a John" , known also as The Delware-Lackawanna song" published in 1926, inspired a BettyBoop cartoon. Someone can help me, please?

I add below the text of the song.
Thank you very much
Giuliana Fugazzotto

Where do you work-a John? (Push-a, Push-a, Push)
Mortimer Weinberg, Charley Marks, Ernie Kricket, Harry Warren
1926

Long time ago, John and-a Joe
Come from sunny Italy
To-a try-a to get-a the dough.
Joe go away, John he's-a stay,
When they meet the other day,
Here's-a what-a they got-a to say:


Where do you work-a, John?
On the Delaware Lackawan;
What do you do-a, John?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, John?
I push, I push-a da truck,
Where do you push-a, John?
On the Delaware Lackawan-awan-awan-awan,
The Delaware Lackawan.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!


Where do you work, Marie?
In the telephone company;
What do you do, Marie?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push, Marie?
I push, I push-a da plug,
Where do you push, Marie?
In the telephone company-anee-anee-anee,
The telephone company.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!


Where do you work-a, Wop?
In da big-a da barber shop;
What do you do-a, Wop?
I strop-a, strop-a, strop.
What do you strop-a, Wop?
I strop da raze on da strop,
Where do you strop-a, Wop?
In da big-a da barber shop-da, shop-da, shop-da, shop,
Da big-a da barber shop.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!


Where do you work-a, Tess?
On-a Broadway on da west,
What do you do-a, Tess?
I press-a, press-a, press.
What do you press-a, Tess?
I press, I press-a da dress,
Where do you press-a, Tess?
On-a Broadway on da west-da, west-da, west-da, west,
On Broadway on da west.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!


Where do you work-a, Joe?
For the city I shovel snow,
What do you do-a, Joe?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, Joe?
I push, I push-a da shov'
Where do you push-a, Joe?
For the city I shovel snow, o-oh, o-oh, o-oh,
The city I shovel snow.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!


Where do you work-a, Jerry?
On the Lackawanna ferry,
What do you do-a, Jerry?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, Jerry?
I push, I push-a da gates,
Where do you push, Jerry?
On the Lackawanna ferry-da, ferry-da, ferry-da, ferry,
The Lackawanna ferry.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!


Where do you work-a, Gus?
On da big-a da Jitney bus;
What do you do-a, Gus?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, Gus?
I push, I push-a da clutch,
Where do you push-a, Gus?
On da big-a da Jitney bus-da, bus-da, bus-da, bus,
Da big-a da Jitney bus.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!



(Parlato:) And this is how an Italian friend of mine sings this song:
(Cantato:) Addō fatiche Giuvā?
Mi work in da Laccuan',
I’ nun te capisce Giuvā.
Mi pusce, mi pusce, mi pusce.
Ma tu che pusce Giuvā?
mi pusce de trucche,
Wait-a minuzz Giuvā,
Portame a pusciā, pusciā, pusciā, pusciā, Giuvā
Ai portame a pusciā.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!

Bikerbettyboop
06-02-2006, 10:21 AM
I would say that Moocher is a good one to answer this question... good luck finding the answer!! Sounds like a cool project and welcome to the Forum!

The Moocher
06-07-2006, 01:41 PM
I'm not sure, but I think it might be Any Rags.

Sorry, I'm off on vacation right now and don't have time to check further in the meanwhile. If you find the answer for certain please post it.

Mooch

GreenEyedBetty
06-07-2006, 04:08 PM
This Talkartoon, published in 1931, is Betty Boop's 11th cartoon appearance. The cartoon takes place at a masquerade ball, with Betty dressed as a queen wearing a small black mask. She passes by a stage on which Bimbo is leading a band, slips her gown off her shoulder and writhes her bare shoulder at Bimbo, who definitely takes notice.
Then she sits on a throne next to the king. This king is a familiar Fleischer character who shows up in a number of Betty Boop cartoons, including Chess Nuts, Kitty from Kansas City, and Crazy Town. He has a long nose, a big chin, little round glasses, and a round, high forehead. In this cartoon, he has a prehensile, bird-infested beard which he uses to harass Betty Boop, chucking her under the chin, stroking her face and pinching her cheek while she tries to push him away. Finally, she whips out a pair of scissors and cuts off the end of the beard. Although she cuts off only the lower part, when the king is shown a few frames later, he has lost all his beard except for stubble.
Then Bimbo bounds up, and he and the king begin singing an odd song in Italian accents. The Fleischers did not list their guest performers in their credits for this cartoon, and we have not been able to discover who provided the voices for this interesting song. But we think it may be Harry Reser's Six Jumping Jacks, a novelty band from the 1920s and early thirties, with their drummer Tom Stacks doing some of the vocals. It sounds like them.

HOPE THIS HELPS!!!

GreenEyedBetty
06-07-2006, 04:11 PM
Oooooooops...forget To List The Name Of The Cartoon. It Was Called Mask-a-raid!

The Moocher
06-26-2006, 08:44 AM
Thanks, GreenEyedBetty.

Yes it was Mask-a-Raid. I was wrong again!

Mooch

Boopington Rose
03-09-2007, 07:31 PM
I hope there was nothing anti-Italian in the cartoon....:(

someone200
05-03-2007, 03:47 PM
I liked mask a raid. I never knew the song was a steriotype :O

The Boop oop a Doop Girl
04-25-2010, 03:19 PM
i liked mask a raid, and i dont see anything wrong in a little song :D