Verse 1: Josephine and Joe were so in love,
Oh, so in love, so much in love.
In the hall for hours they would stay.
When Josephine came in, she’d hear her mother say:
Refrain 1: Josefina, please no lean-a on the bell.
When you moosh, please no poosh on the bell.
I heard Missus Caruso telling Missus O’Flynn,
Somebody keeps ringing, but nobody comes in.
You can squeeze all you please, that’s all right.
But don’t keep us from sleep ev’ry night.
When you kiss in the hall, stay away from the wall.
Josefina, please no lean-a on the bell.
Patter 1: When you come-a from work and you want-a the sup’,
I’m-a cook-a the nice macaron’.
Then you make-a sit down, then you make the get up
For your feller he call on the phone.
You go to the park and you sit in the dark,
And you make what they call-a the pet.
It’s a lip-a-stick here and a lip-a-stick there,
You no get it from eatin’ spaghett’!
Patter 2: You-a say-a good night about ’leven o’clock,
That’s-a what a good gal-a should do.
But you take-a too long when you say the good night.
You no finish till half-a past two.
Say why you no bring-a your feller upstairs?
Ravioli with peppers I cook.
You can make-a the love with the kiss and the hug,
And the mom and the pop they no look.
Patter 3: Don’t I bring-a you up and I make-a you fat,
With the soup and the pasta fazool?
Now you stay up-a late and it make-a you thin.
What’s-a matter you make-a me fool?
Why you no get marriage and raise-a the fam’?
Then I make-a you promise I keep:
I’ll buy you the furnish’ and pay for your rent.
Then we all-a can get-a the sleep.
Chorus 2: Josefina, please no lean-a on the bell.
When you moosh, please no poosh on the bell.
I heard Missus Calingo say she’d call the police.
The landlord he say he’s gonna break-a the lease.
Hold the hand, that’s-a grand and delish.
Tell this guy I guess I no capish.
You eat garlic so strong, how can he kiss so long?
Josefina, please no lean-a on the bell.