Lou Monte, born Louis Scaglione on, 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. He also recorded on Roulette Records, Jubilee Records, Regalia Records, Musicor Records, Laurie Records, and AFE Records. Monte's first big hit came in 1954, with the release of his version of "Darktown Strutters' Ball".

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  • Lou Monte, born Louis Scaglione on, 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. He also recorded on Roulette Records, Jubilee Records, Regalia Records, Musicor Records, Laurie Records, and AFE Records. 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 Calabrese 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. 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. " Monte's other famous novelty records include 'Dominick the Donkey', a Christmas staple in many Italian-American households and "Pasquale, the Italian Pussycat", the sequel to "Pepino" followed by "Paulucci, the Italian Parrot" and Paul Revere's Horse (Ba-Cha-Ca-Loop). "Lazy Mary," a remake of the traditional Italian song "Luna Mezzo Mare", tells the tale of a conversation between a young woman who wishes to be married, and her mother. The somewhat risque song mixes English and Italian verses. The two use double entendre to compare the occupations with the sexual appetities of the various suitors. It was his first hit, peaking at number 12 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart. Lou made TV appearances on syndicated programming such as The Mike Douglas Show and the Merv Griffin Show. 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. Monte's 1971 recording "I Have An Angel In Heaven" was highly popular in the late 1980s-early 1990s satellite version of the "Music Of Your Life". Lou Monte is interred in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Upper Montclair, New Jersey.
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  • Lou Monte, born Louis Scaglione on, 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. He also recorded on Roulette Records, Jubilee Records, Regalia Records, Musicor Records, Laurie Records, and AFE Records. Monte's first big hit came in 1954, with the release of his version of "Darktown Strutters' Ball".
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  • Lou Monte
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