Lou Monte, born Louis Scaglione on (April 2, 1917 – June 12, 1989), was an Italian-American singer best known for a number of best-selling, Italian-themed novelty records which he recorded for both RCA Records and Reprise Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s. April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... Year 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of Sons of Italy, which is the largest Italian American fraternal organization in the United States. ... RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. ... Reprise Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, operated through Warner Bros. ...

Monte's first big hit came in 1954, with the release of his version of "Darktown Strutters' Ball." In 1962, Monte would release his first million-seller, "Pepino, the Italian Mouse." Sung in a pastiche of both Neapolitan and English, "Pepino" tells the humorous tale of a mischievous mouse who lives within the walls of a man's kitchen and who comes out at night to eat cheese, drink wine, frighten Lou's girlfriend when she comes over and befriends the cat, sent out to catch him. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Neapolitan (autonym: nnapulitano; Italian: ) is a Romance language spoken in the city and region of Naples, Campania (Neapolitan: Nàpule, Italian: Napoli); close dialects are spoken throughout most of southern Italy, including the Gaeta and Sora districts of southern Lazio, parts of Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata, northern Calabria, and northern and...

The "flip side" of the single featured another Italian-American hybrid novelty song called "What Did Washington Say (When He Crossed The Delaware?)." The song presumes that George Washington was cold, tired, hungry and without a change of underwear on his famous trip. At one point in the song, "Washington" complains that the pizzas his wife Martha baked were as "cold as ice." His solution? "Sell them to the Indians for only half the price." He then asks his boatsmen to row faster because "tonight I'm posing for my picture on the dollar bill." George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first President of the United States. ... Martha Washington Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 21, 1731 – May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States, and therefore is seen as the first First Lady of the United States (although that title was not coined until after her death; she was...

Monte's other famous novelty records include 'Dominick the Donkey', a holiday staple in many Italian-American households and "Pasquale, the Italian Pussycat," the sequel to "Pepino." Dominick The Donkey is a well known Christmas Song written by and sung by Lou Monte in 1962. ... Logo of Sons of Italy, which is the largest Italian American fraternal organization in the United States. ...

After his death his son continued to sing his songs in concert for some time.

He contributed to the founding of the Lou Monte, Jr. leukemia laboratory at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in memory of his son who died of the disease at age 21. The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, an umbrella designation used to refer to one of eight New Jersey state institutions of higher education in medicine. ...

Lou Monte is interred in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. Montclair is a a township and a Census Designated Place located in Essex County, New Jersey. ...

Trivia

• His version of the song, "Lazy Mary" is played at Shea Stadium at every seventh inning stretch.

William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium, is an American baseball stadium in Flushing, New York. ...

Controversy

Monte's works have been considered by some to degrading to both Italian-Americans and to Italians generally, as they potray Italy and Italians as backward, simple, and servile. Stylus magazine writer Dom Passantino assembled a staff pick of "The Top Ten Worst Ambassadors of Italian Culture Via Song," in which Monte was labeled, "the Italian Stepin Fetchit." ^[1] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

External link

• Dominick The Donkey Lyrics
• Official website