Where Do You Work-a, John?

(Push-a Push-a Push)
The Delaware-Lackawan Song, 1926
Words and music by Mortimer Weinberg, Charley Marks and Harry Warren


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:


Lyrics

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!


Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: