AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lou Monte

Artist:Lou Monte

Song:Lazy Mary

Album:American Italian Style

Lou Monte sang Italian American novelty songs mostly in the 50s. He scored a few hits including the 1958 single Lazy Mary. A lot of Monte's recordings were Italian songs with English lyrics. He was born Louis Scagliione Apr. 2, 1917 in New York City. His parents were Italian immigrants. His mother died when he was two years old so he was raised by family in Lyndhurst, NJ. He started performing as a teen. Monte was in the US Army during WWII. Afterwards he returned to performing in clubs. He had his own show on Newark radio station WAAT. Monte was spotted performing in a club by RCA Records A&R man Joe Carlton who signed him to a record deal. Monte's 1954 single Darktown Strutters' Ball (Italian Style) reached #7 on the hit parade. The 1958 single Lazy Mary reached #12. The album Lou Monte Sings For You was released in 1957. Both of those singles were on the album. Lazy Mary was adapted from the Italian song C'e la luna mezzo mare. It was called Oh! Ma-Ma! when it was a hit for Rudy Vallee in 1938. Monte wrote the English lyrics for his version. RCA house producer Charles Reisman produced and arranged the record. Hugo Winterhalter produced Darktown Strutters' Ball. Apparently the New York Mets play Monte's recording of Lazy Mary during the seventh inning stretch. After five albums for RCA, Monte recorded for Roulette and then he signed with Frank Sinatra's Reprise label. His 1962 single Pepito the Italian Mouse turned out to be his biggest hit single. That is not on this 2CD comp from Jasmine as it only has Monte's RCA recordings. Monte's recording Dominic the Donkey is a Christmas perennial in Italian American households. Monte continued to record for small labels until his death on June 12, 1989 at age 72. Here's a video for Lazy Mary by Lou Monte.