365 DAYS PROJECT

2003   NOVEMBER 17   #321

Cactus Pryor, with Ralph Kies and his Piano - Tweedle Dee

In 1955 Laverne Baker had a hit with Tweedle Dee. If you haven"t heard it, it"s worth seeking out; she had a great voice and recorded with a hot band. This version of the song is a little different, though. Cactus Pryor (who is apparently a beloved figure in Austin, Texas radio) tossed out the nifty R&B/samba arrangement from Baker"s recording and replaced it with Chopin's Prelude No. 20 (Op. 28). He kept the seriously silly lyrics, though, and gave them a slightly different reading.

This record has been in my home since my early childhood. My Dad worked at a radio station in the 50"s, and I"m pretty sure that"s where he got it. My sibs and I played it almost to death over the years, and somehow I ended up with it. I"ve heard it hundreds of times over more than four decades, and it still makes me laugh.

- Palomino Royalle

Here are the lyrics, as near as I can make them out:

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dee,
I'm as happy as can be.
Jimminy crickets, jimminy jack,
You make my heart go clickety-clack.

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dee,
Give it up, give it up,
Give your love to me.
Tweedle dee dot, tweedle dee dee dot.
Gimme gimme gimme,
Give me all the love you've got.

Humpty um bum bum.

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dum,
I'm a lucky so-and-so.
Hubba hubba honey dew,
I'm going to keep my eyes on you.
Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dum.

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dot,
How you going to keep that honey you got.
Hunkies hunkies pieces bite,
I'm going to see my honey tonight.

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dot,
Give that kiss to me before you go.
Tweedle dee dum, tweedle dee dee dum,
Lookie lookie lookie,
Look at that sugar plum.

Humpty um bum bum.

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dum,
You're as sweet, you're as sweet as bubble gum.
Mercy, mercy, pudding pie,
You got something that money can't buy.

Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee, Tweedle dee dum.

TT-2:37 / 2.4MB / 128kbps 44.1khz
45rpm Single, 4 Star Records


(Image courtesy of Palomino Royalle)