Where Do You Work-a, John? (Push-a Push-a
Push) (The "Delaware-Lackawan" Song)
Lyric: Mortimer Weinberg & Charley Marks
Additional lyrics: Ernie Krickett
Additional British lyrics: Eddie Stamper
Music: Harry Warren
Year: 1926
Original publisher: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc.
American version:
Verse:
Long time ago, John and-a Joe
Come from sunny Italy
To-a try-a to get-a the dough.
Joe go away, John he's-a stay,
When they meet the other day,
Here's-a what-a they got-a to say:
Chorus 1:
Where do you work-a, John?
On the Delaware Lackawan;
What do you do-a, John?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, John?
I push, I push-a da truck,
Where do you push-a, John?
On the Delaware Lackawan-awan-awan-awan,
The Delaware Lackawan.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Chorus 2:
Where do you work, Marie?
In the telephone company;
What do you do, Marie?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push, Marie?
I push, I push-a da plug,
Where do you push, Marie?
In the telephone company-anee-anee-anee,
The telephone company.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Chorus 3 (optional):
Where do you work-a, Wop?
In da big-a da barber shop;
What do you do-a, Wop?
I strop-a, strop-a, strop.
What do you strop-a, Wop?
I strop da raze on da strop,
Where do you strop-a, Wop?
In da big-a da barber shop-da, shop-da, shop-da, shop,
Da big-a da barber shop.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Chorus 4 (optional):
Where do you work-a, Tess?
On-a Broadway on da west,
What do you do-a, Tess?
I press-a, press-a, press.
What do you press-a, Tess?
I press, I press-a da dress,
Where do you press-a, Tess?
On-a Broadway on da west-da, west-da, west-da, west,
On Broadway on da west.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Chorus 5 (optional):
Where do you work-a, Joe?
For the city I shovel snow,
What do you do-a, Joe?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, Joe?
I push, I push-a da shov'
Where do you push-a, Joe?
For the city I shovel snow, o-oh, o-oh, o-oh,
The city I shovel snow.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Chorus 6 (optional):
Where do you work-a, Jerry?
On the Lackawanna ferry,
What do you do-a, Jerry?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, Jerry?
I push, I push-a da gates,
Where do you push, Jerry?
On the Lackawanna ferry-da, ferry-da, ferry-da, ferry,
The Lackawanna ferry.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Chorus 7 (optional):
Where do you work-a, Gus?
On da big-a da Jitney bus;
What do you do-a, Gus?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, Gus?
I push, I push-a da clutch,
Where do you push-a, Gus?
On da big-a da Jitney bus-da, bus-da, bus-da, bus,
Da big-a da Jitney bus.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Italian chorus - Phonetic (optional):
(Talk:) And this is how an Italian friend of mine sings this song:
(Sung:) Ah-dough fa-teeka, Jew-wan?
Me work in da Lackawan,
Kee noon tay kapisco, Jew-wan?
Mee push, mee push, mee push.
Mah two kay push-a, Jew-wan?
Mee push, me push da truck-o,
Wait-a minoots, Jew-wan,
Port-ah may poor-ah push-ah, push-ah, push-ah, Jew-wan,
Ay port-ah ah may ah push-ah.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Italian chorus (optional):
Addo fatiche, Giuvan'?
Mi work in da Laccuan'
I nun te capisco, Giuvan'?
Mi pusce, mi pusce, mi pusce.
Ma tu che pusce, Giuvan'?
Mi pusce, mi pusce di trocco,
*(Ueni minuzz') Giuvan'?
Porta me pur a puscia-puscia-puscia-Giuvan',
E porta a me a puscia.
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah!
*- (Aggio pacienze)
British version:
Verse 1:
Long time ago, John and-a Joe,
Come from sunny Italy
To-a try-a to get-a the dough.
Joe go away, John he's-a stay,
When they meet the other day
Here's-a what-a they got-a to say:
Chorus 1:
Where do you work-a, John?
On the Delaware Lackawan.
What do you do-a, John?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push-a, John?
I push, I push-a da truck.
Where do you push-a, John?
On the Delaware Lackwan
Awan-awan-awan,
The Delaware Lackawan. Yeah!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Verse 2:
John say "Marie, you come with me,
And I get-a you a job
Where you make-a da lots of money."
She tell him "Hey! How much they pay,
'Cause I got a good-a job
And-a John he's-a yell right away:
Chorus 2:
Where do you work, Marie?
In the telephone company.
What do you do, Marie?
I push-a, push-a, push.
What do you push, Marie?
I push, I push-a da plug.
Where do you push, Marie?
In the telephone company,
A-nee, a-nee, a-nee,
The telephone company. Bizzee!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Patter:
Four o'clock, my wife-a she's-a push me on the floor,
Fill da dinner pail for me and-a push-a me through-a the door.
Five o'clock, I catch da hand truck wid-a big-a mob,
Then I push and push and push to-a get-a me to-a the job.
Six o'clock, I meet da boss, Mister Batcheegaloop,
Den I push da time-a clock and-a grab-a da shovel-a scoop.
Six a seven eleven o'clock, I push da truck around,
Twelve o'clock, I stop and push-a da bread and garlic down!
One o'clock, I start to work-a just-a like before,
Two o'clock, I push and push and-a then I push some more.
Three o'clock, I take da rest and then some wise-a guy
Tell da boss and then da boss he's-a push-a me in the eye.
Four o'clock and five o'clock, and then the whistle blow,
I push da clock and take da car, and-a then back home I go.
Then my wife say push-a da baby carriage, I say, "What?"
Nunja talk-a "push" to me, too much is-a good-a for not. Hey!
[Chorus]
Extra choruses (British):
Chorus 3:
Where do you work-a, Mike?
With a butcher in Heckmondwike!
What do you do-a, Mike?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Mike?
I push, I push-a da bike!
Where do you push-a, Mike?
With a butcher in Heckmondwike,
A-wike, a-wike, a-wike,
A butcher in Heckmondwike!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 4:
Where do you work, Louise?
Oh, I'm working at Selfridgees!
What do you do, Louise?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push, Louise?
I push da typewriter kees!
Where do you push, Louise?
Oh, you'll find me at Selfridgees,
Fridgees, fridgees, fridgees,
I'm working at Selfridgees!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 5:
Where do you work-a, Jim?
With a baker the name of Flynn!
What do you do-a, Jim?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Jim?
I push da currants all in!
Where do you push-a, Jim?
With a baker the name of Flynn,
O'Flynn, O'Flynn, O'Flynn,
A baker the name of Flynn!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 6:
Where do you work-a, Pam?
I nurse-a da baby, Sam!
What do you do-a, Pam?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Pam?
I push, I push-a da kid!
Where do you push-a, Pam?
In the park with a baby's pram,
A pram, a pram, a pram,
And nobody cares a fig!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 7:
Where do you work-a, Ben?
I work at a shop till ten!
What do you do-a, Ben?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Ben?
I push, I push-a da pen!
Where do you push-a, Ben?
Oh, I stick in the shop till ten,
Till ten, till ten, till ten,
Too late for a drink by then!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 8:
Where do you work-a, Jane?
On a little farm down the lane!
What do you do-a, Jane?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Jane?
I push da eggs in da shells!
Where do you push-a, Jane?
On a little farm down the lane,
The lane, the lane, the lane,
A little farm down the lane!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 9:
Where do you work-a, Jock?
In da big-a da barber's shop!
What do you do-a, Jock?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Jock?
I push-a da whiskers off!
Where do you push-a, Jock?
In da big-a da barber's shop,
A shop, a shop, a shop,
In da big-a da barber's shop!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 10:
Where do you work-a, Joan?
Oh, I sell-a da gramaphone!
What do you do-a, Joan?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Joan?
I push da records around!
Where do you push-a, Joan?
Where they sell-a da gramaphone.
A phone, a phone, a phone,
I sell-a da gramaphone!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 11:
Where do you work-a, Sam?
On the great-a big chara-bang!
What do you do-a, Sam?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Sam?
I push da fat women in!
Where do you push-a, Sam?
Oh, I push-a da chara-bang,
A-bang, a-bang, a-bang,
The great-a big chara-bang!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
Chorus 12:
Where do you work-a, Joe?
Where the big-a bananas grow!
What do you do-a, Joe?
I push-a, push-a, push!
What do you push-a, Joe?
I push them into their skins!
Where do you push-a, Joe?
Where the big-a bananas grow,
A-grow, a-grow, a-grow,
Down where the bananas grow!
Ah, ah, ah!
Hee, hee, hee!
Yoi, yoi, yoi!
I-O-U.
