I’m a ding dong daddy from Dumas! [Satchmo wails]

YouTube:

I'm A Ding Dong Daddy · Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra

Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man 1923-1934

℗ Originally Released 1930 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Released on: 1994-09-27

Trumpet, Vocal: Louis Armstrong
Composer, Lyricist: Phil Baxter
Banjo, Steel Guitar: Ceele Burke
Drums: Lionel Hampton
Piano: L.Z. Cooper
Piano: Harvey Brooks
Alto Saxophone: Leon Herriford
Alto Saxophone: Willie Stark
Tenor Saxophone: William Franz
Trumpet: Leon Elkins
Trombone: Lawerence Brown
Executive Producer: Bruce Talbot
Mastering Engineer: Mark Wilder
Mastering Engineer: Tom Ruff

* * * * *

The song was written by Phil Harris and originally performed by Phil Baxter singing with the Phil Harris Orchestra back in 1928. The full lyrics are rather more elaborate than the truncated ones that Armstrong sings. He starts singing about a minute in and skips over the opening verse entirely, the one that introduces our rural Romero. He starts right in with the first of the "Ding Dong Daddy's." He gets about half-way in and switches to scat – to cover over just what? – before returning on a ding dong. He then scats a bit up to 1:39, when we have a sax solo. Armstrong picks up his trumpet at 1:55, taking a nice unaccompanied break at 2:05. Now listen to him wail over the band, draping himself all over the time, at 2:14, another break at 2:23, and repeat. Listen to what he does at 2:46. Damn!

I reckon you all don't know me at all
I just got here today
My home is way down in a little town
It's not so far away
Everybody for miles around
Calls me by my name
Now that I am in your fair town
You must do the same

For I'm a
Ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff
I'm a clean cut fellow from Horner's Corner
Your ought to see me strut
I'm a caper cuttin' cutie
Got a gal called Katie
She's a little heavy laden but I call her "Baby"
I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff
I'm a ping pong papa from Pitch Fork Prairie
You ought to see me strut
I'm a ding dong daddy
Got a whiz bang momma
She's a Bear Creek baby and a wampus kitty
I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff
I'm a popcorn popper and a big apple knocker
You ought to see me strut
I'm a mamma makin' man
And I just made Mary
She's a big blonde baby from Peanut Prairie
I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff

I'm a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff
I'm a peach-pie papa from Jackson's Hollow
You ought to see me strut
I'm a honey dippin' daddy
Got a hard hearted baby
She's a sheik shakin' Sheba but she can't shake me
'Cause I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff
I'm a jug jugglin' Jasper
From Flat Fork Flats, and
You ought to see me strut
I'm a corn-huskin' huskie
Got a gal called Cleta
She's a flip flop flapper
But her brains are in her fee
Oh, I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff
I'm a cider sipper
From Corn Cob Center
You ought to see me strut
I'm a high powered papa
Got a gal called Susie
She's a fast movin' mamma
But she can't love me, 'cause
I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
You ought to see me do my stuff