(Adding categories) |
(→Chart Performance: Grammy nomination.) |
||
| Line 79: | Line 79: | ||
== Chart Performance == |
== Chart Performance == |
||
| − | Credited as David Seville on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, the single was considered a major surprise hit on the charts where it peaked at #1, stayed at #1 for two weeks and became Seville's first #1 single. The single also peaked at #1 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart and on the Cash Box chart as well. The single sold over 1 million copies in the United States. |
+ | Credited as David Seville on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, the single was considered a major surprise hit on the charts where it peaked at #1, stayed at #1 for two weeks and became Seville's first #1 single. The single also peaked at #1 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart and on the Cash Box chart as well. The single sold over 1 million copies in the United States. The song was nominated for a Grammy award in 1959 but didn't win it.<ref>[http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1959-may-238.html May 1959 Grammy Awards], Awardsandshows.com, Retrieved 2014-08-11.</ref> |
== Chipmunk Versions == |
== Chipmunk Versions == |
||
Revision as of 16:36, 11 August 2014
WITCH DOCTOR (David Seville) 1958 original version
1958 version
"Witch Doctor," released in 1958 as a single, is a song originally written and performed by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. Bagdasarian, the creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks, is better remembered by his stage name, David Seville. Later in the franchise, The Chipmunks would preform in various versions of his hit song.
Lyrics
I told the witch doctor I was in love with you I told the witch doctor I was in love with you And then the witch doctor, he told me what to do He said that Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang I told the witch doctor you didn't love me true I told the witch doctor you didn't love me nice And then the witch doctor, he gave me this advice He said that Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang You've been keeping love from me Just like you were a miser And I'll admit I wasn't very smart So I went out and found myself A guy that's so much wiser And he taught me the way to win your heart My friend the witch doctor, he taught me what to say My friend the witch doctor, he taught me what to do I know that you'll be mine when I say this to you Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang You've been keeping love from me Just like you were a miser And I'll admit I wasn't very smart So I went out and found myself A guy that's so much wiser And he taught me the way to win your heart My friend the witch doctor, he taught me what to say My friend the witch doctor, he taught me what to do I know that you'll be mine when I say this to you Oh baby Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bang (Repeat 3x)
Song Information
The song tells the story of a man who loved a woman who did not return his affections. Longing for her companionship, the man went to see a witch doctor for advice on the situation. The wise witch doctor offered his advice saying, "Oo ee, oo ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang" (which is repeated four times as the chorus of the song). At the middle of the song the man tells the woman he loves about his asking the witch doctor for advice.
The "witch doctor" was in fact Bagdasarian's own voice sped up to double speed, a technique he would later exploit to create Alvin and the Chipmunks (and had also used on at least one other pre-Chipmunk song, "The Bird on My Head"). Because of this, it is often referred to (even in later compilations) as the first song by the Chipmunks; this is not precisely true. For one, only one sped-up "chipmunk" voice is featured instead of three. Furthermore, Bagdasarian (as Seville) insisted that it was not technically a Chipmunks song in an episode of The Alvin Show when he exclaims "I made that record once!" and Alvin responds "But not with us!" The first true song by the "group" was "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)".
Chart Performance
Credited as David Seville on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, the single was considered a major surprise hit on the charts where it peaked at #1, stayed at #1 for two weeks and became Seville's first #1 single. The single also peaked at #1 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart and on the Cash Box chart as well. The single sold over 1 million copies in the United States. The song was nominated for a Grammy award in 1959 but didn't win it.[1]
Chipmunk Versions
- Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. re-recorded the song in 1960 featuring Alvin and the Chipmunks and included it on their second album, Sing Again with The Chipmunks, in addition to multiple future albums such as the Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky After All These Years. This version was adapted into one of the musical segments featured in The Alvin Show episode Dude Ranch, the Alvin and the Chipmunks episode The Chipmunks Story, and the Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel video game.
- A new version was recorded in November 1988 featuring The Chipmunks' parodies of famous rock stars and is part of the Rockin' Through the Decades album.
- The Chipmunks released a dance version in 1996 on the Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes album.
- In 2007, The Chipmunks recorded another dance version for the first CGI/live-action film Alvin and the Chipmunks, included on the Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. This version featured Chris Classic and is included in the Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked video game.
- The Chipettes, for the first time, preform in a new remix of "Witch Doctor" with The Chipmunks in the 2012 single "Witch Doctor 2.0".
Cover Versions
- The first cover version was done in 1958 by the British musician Don Lang and succeeded to the UK Top 10. Since its release, the song has been covered by several bands, including Sha Na Na and the Danish band Cartoons in 1998. The Cartoons' cover was also featured in the Dance Dance Revolution series, starting with DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix (A loosely based song interpreted by Banya was also featured in the Pump It Up Dancing Game). It was also sung in Spanish by Manuel "El Loco" Valdes (Tin Tan's brother) in a movie.
- There was also a version of the song included in the compilation album call Doo Wop Halloween Is A Scream by Frankie & Fashions. [2]
- A modified version was also used in a commercial for Tab soda, with "ting tang" being replaced by "Tab taste".
- The song was also used in a commercial for the Nintendo game Dr. Mario.
- In the episode "The Bend In The River" of The A-Team, Murdock wears a mask, singing the song to himself and B. A. Baracus.
- Kidz Bop covered this song on the 2004 album Kidz Bop Halloween. [3]
References
- ↑ May 1959 Grammy Awards, Awardsandshows.com, Retrieved 2014-08-11.
- ↑ Album Back Cover, Amazon.com, Retrieved 2013-08-13.
- ↑ Track Listing, Amazon.com, Retrieved 2013-08-13.