C'è la luna mezzo mare

"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.

"Luna mezz'o mare"
Song by Paolo Citorello
Language	Sicilian
English title	Moon amid the sea
Released	1927 (1927)
Recorded	1927
Genre	Tarantella

Notable recordings

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"