♫ Do Wah Diddy Diddy ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

Let’s just kick back and have a fun song tonight, shall we?  I bet all of you over a certain age will remember this one!

This was written by the songwriting team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, who were looking to recreate the gibberish gold they struck on The Crystals hit Da Doo Ron Ron. They stumbled upon Da Doo Ron Ron, but found that creating a nonsense phrase on purpose was not easy, as it had to sound good and sing well. They settled on Do Wah Diddy, and pictured it as another girl group hit. It was first recorded (as Do-Wah-Diddy) in 1963 by The Exciters, who were coming off their hit song Tell Him.

This female version (“There he was, just walking down the street…”) topped out at #78, but got the attention of the British group Manfred Mann, who started performing it at their shows. Since The Beatles had some success covering songs by American girl groups (The Shirelles Boys and The Marvelettes Please Mr. Postman), Manfred Mann decided to give it a shot and recorded Do-Wah-Diddy, adding their extra Diddy to make it Do Wah Diddy Diddy.

In the UK, where Manfred Mann was already established, the song topped the chart in July 1964. In the U.S., it took a little longer, but in October they had the #1 hit for two weeks, joining the British Invasion.

Do Wah Diddy Diddy
Manfred Mann

There she was just a-walkin’ down the street, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
Snappin’ her fingers and shufflin’ her feet, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
She looked good (looked good), she looked fine (looked fine)
She looked good, she looked fine and I nearly lost my mind

Before I knew it she was walkin’ next to me, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
Holdin’ my hand just as natural as can be, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
We walked on (walked on) to my door (my door)
We walked on to my door, then we kissed a little more

Whoa-oh, I knew we was falling in love
Yes I did, and so I told her all the things I’d been dreamin’ of

Now we’re together nearly every single day, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
A-we’re so happy and that’s how we’re gonna stay, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
Well, I’m hers (I’m hers), she’s mine (she’s mine)
I’m hers, she’s mine, wedding bells are gonna chime

Whoa-oh, I knew we was falling in love
Yes I did, and so I told her all the things I’d been dreamin’ of

Now we’re together nearly every single day, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
A-we’re so happy and that’s how we’re gonna stay, singin’ “Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do”
Well, I’m hers (I’m hers), she’s mine (she’s mine)
I’m hers, she’s mine, wedding bells are gonna chime

Whoa-oh-oh-oh, oh yeah
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do, we’ll sing it
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do, oh yeah, oh, oh yeah
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Ellie Greenwich / Jeff Barry
Do Wah Diddy Diddy lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management

72 thoughts on “♫ Do Wah Diddy Diddy ♫ (Redux)”

  2. Pingback: ♫ Do Wah Diddy Diddy ♫ (Redux) – MobsterTiger

  4. Interesting back story Jill, those were Jolly Times for chart music. For freaky lyrics, with an historical slant take their first hit ‘5-4-3-2-1’

    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Always onward, rode the six hundred
    (Five, four, three, two, one)
    Down the valley on their horses they thundered
    (Five, four, three, two, one)
    Ah, but once they’re down, they really blundered
    (Five, four, three, two, one)
    Uh-huh, it was the Manfreds
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    The soldiers waited at the gate for weeks
    (Five, four, three, two, one)
    In a wooden horse, to the city they sneaked
    (Five, four, three, two, one)
    Pulled out a man who wasn’t the Greeks
    (Five, four, three, two, one)
    Uh-huh, it was the Manfreds
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Five, four, three, two, one
    Uh-huh, it was the Manfreds
    Five, four, three, two, one

    Liked by 1 person

    • OH. MY. I had never heard that before, so naturally I had to go have a listen. And now, I shall need to find a way to erase that from my memory! And the writer of the lyrics … stoned on something and couldn’t seem to remember too many words, but he sure could count backward from five with tremendous skill! 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks, Roger!!!

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