"Pepino the Italian Mouse" is a novelty song co-written by Ray Allen and Wandra Merrell and published in 1962. Italian American singer Lou Monte recorded and released the song on Reprise Records in 1962. Lou Monte's recording contains a high-pitched "mouse" voice in the style of Alvin and the Chipmunks. The song helped make Lou Monte famous and set the tone for the remainder of his career. The song contains both English and Italian verses. The song is controversial for its depiction of Italian culture. Monte's family collects royalty checks for the song. Songwriters Wandra Merrell and Ray Allen filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Trenton against the Woody Allen movie Broadway Danny Rose claiming the melody of the film's theme song, "Agita" borrowed 49 of the 52 notes in the verse of "Pepino, the Italian Mouse".