Bette Midler

Released: September 30, 2003

Songwriter: Bob Merrill

Producer: Barry Manilow Robbie Buchanan

A boy went back to Napoli
Because he missed the scenery
The native dancers and the charming songs
But wait a minute, something's wrong

Hey! Hey!
Now it's hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!
Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!
Go, go, Joe, you mixed up Sigiliano
All you Calabrese do the mambo like crazy

And hey Mambo! Don't wanna tarantella
Hey Mambo! No more-a moozzarella
Hey Mambo! Hey Mambo Italiano
Try an enchilada with a fish-a-barcalada

Hey goombah!
I love-a how you dance rumba
But take-a some advice paisano
Learn how to mambo
If you're gonna be a square
You're never gonna go nowhere

Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!
Hey Mambo, hey Mambo Italiano!
Go, go, Joe, shake-a like a Gioviano
Hello quesadicha
You getta happy in the feets-a
When you Mambo Italiano!

Shake-a baby, shake-a
'cause I love-a when you take-a me

Hey Jagool!
You don't-a have to go to school
Just make a little beef flambino
It's-a like-a vino
Kid you're good-lookin'
But you don't know what's-a cookin' till you
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

Shake-a baby, shake-a
'cause I love it when you take-a me
By the pizzeria down-a where I'm gonna be-a
Don't ya tell your mama
Mama's gonna tell-a papa
There's-a nothin' to it
Come on baby let's-a do it!

Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!
Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!
Go, go, Joe, you mixed up Sigiliano
It's-a so delish-a, everybody gonna preshi-ada
Mambo Italiano!

Do the mambo!

Bette Midler is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, comedienne and actress. Named in honor of Bette Davis, Midler’s career began performing off-broadway until she developed the stage persona The Divine Miss M while singing at the world-famous Continental Baths gay bathhouse. A pre-fame Barry Manilow, the venue’s in-house piano player, produced her Grammy-nominated debut album which scored three US top 40 singles including the Grammy-nominated “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”. Midler took home the Best New Artist Grammy that year, her first of three career wins.

Throughout the 1970s, Midler found further success with music, Broadway, television and film. The Rose, Midler’s 1979 acting debut, earned her both Oscar and Academy Award nominations, and its namesake song won her a Golden Globe and another Grammy – also giving Midler her first success overseas.

The early 1980s proved less successful for Midler with four under-performing singles and a box office flop with the film Jinxed. However, the second half of the decade would prove far more fruitful with a handful of very successful films including Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune and Beaches, the latter featuring a chart-topping cover of “Wind Beneath My Wings” that won Midler her third Grammy and is considered one of the greatest songs in American film history.

more tracks from the album

Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook

From the album

Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook (2003)

Bette Midler popular songs

Mambo ItalianoBette Midler

Bette Midler

Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook