Gimme Dat Ding

"Gimme Dat Ding" is yet another weird 1970s song that I had never heard prior to the rebroadcasts of old AMERICAN TOP 40 shows on local radio station 92.9. In fact, "Gimme Dat Ding" was headed up the charts on the very first AT40 show on July 4, 1970 - which I just got to hear not long ago. It managed to make it all the way to #9 on the Billboard chart, which I find both heartening and a little stunning.

"Gimme Dat Ding" is by a band called the Pipkins, which wasn't even a real band at all at first. It was actually a studio project featuring the duo of Roger Greenaway and Tony Burrows. Burrows is one of those guys (like Paul Carrack in later years) that sang on multiple hit songs for multiple groups, but never became world famous in his own right. Burrows can also be heard on such tunes as Edison Lighthouse's "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" and The First Class' "Beach Baby".

I like to call "Gimme Dat Ding" one of the smartest dumb songs I've ever heard. Seriously, it's goofy to the nth degree, yet it uses a hard word like "metronome" at the same time. It was written by the duo of Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood, both of whom produced songs that are much better known than this little novelty number. When I first heard it, I thought maybe Wolfman Jack supplied the gravelly-voice, but alas, it was not to be. Not that there aren't plenty of songs that do feature the Wolfman.

Little did I know (until I researched it) that "Gimme Dat Ding" was originally written for a musical and later used on a kid's show, too. But it was as incidental music (instrumental version) for THE BENNY HILL SHOW that it founds its most lasting fame. Seriously, who knew?

I have a bonus for you guys today. I am sure you'd like to hear the song if you never have, and this homemade Youtube video shall suffice. Now, if you are like me, you will be left with an additional question after viewing that piece. Who is the girl in the green top???? It's this lady right here. Holy smokes, she is an amazing dancer. Her steps are culled from this dance to Artie Shaw's "Diga Diga Doo". So even if you don't like "Gimme Dat Ding", there is something for you, too!