C'è la luna mezzo mare
| "Luna mezz'o mare" | |
|---|---|
Wedding scene from The Godfather (1972) | |
| Song by Paolo Citorello | |
| Language | Sicilian |
| English title | Moon amid the sea |
| Released | 1927 |
| Recorded | 1927 |
| Genre | Tarantella |
"Cc'è la luna n menzu ô mari" (Sicilian for 'There's the moon amid the sea'), mostly known in the English-speaking world as "C'è la luna mezzo mare", "Luna mezz'o mare" and other similar titles, is a comic Sicilian song with worldwide popularity, traditionally styled as a brisk 6
8 tarantella. The song portrays a mother-daughter "coming of age" exchange consisting of various comic, and sometimes sexual, innuendos. It is frequently performed at Italian-American wedding receptions and other festive occasions. Hit versions have included "Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)" by Rudy Vallée and "Lazy Mary (Luna Mezzo Mare)" by Lou Monte.