A popular song from 1912.
Words and Music by Irving Berlin.
Cover Art by Gene Buck.
Cover Art by E.H. Pfeiffer.
Copyright ©14 Jan 1912.
Sheet Music from the collection of Michael Deatz.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Antonio, long ago
Buy a mandolin what can’t be beat
He right away, learn to play
On the mandolin so nice and sweet
He’s got a gal what’s a swell and a beautiful
And every day
She make a drop in the shop
To Tony and say dis-a-way, dis-a-way
Chorus
“Pick, pick, pick, pick
On the mandolin, Antonio
Swing wid da fing’ on the string like dis
Soon make a tune on da nice new mandolin
Quick, quick, quick, quick
Wid the mandolin, Antonio
My sweet Italian love
If you want a kiss from a miss
Just like a dove
Pick, pick, pick, pick
On the mandolin, Antonio
- Antonio, he’s a go
Wid his mandolin to see his gal
He sings a sing, some-a-thing
Like a serenade so nice and swell
He shake a shake till he wake a policeman
Who sleep in bed
He break the thin mandolin
On Tonio’s head, then he said, then he said
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: