Lee Dorsey
Lee Dorsey (December 24, 1924 – December 2, 1986) was an American rhythm & … Read Full Bio ↴Lee Dorsey (December 24, 1924 – December 2, 1986) was an American rhythm & blues singer. His biggest hits were "Ya Ya" (1961) and "Working in the Coal Mine" (1966). Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint with instrumental backing provided by the Meters.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dorsey was a childhood friend of Fats Domino before moving to Portland, Oregon when he was ten years old. He served in the United States Navy in World War II and then began a career in prizefighting. Boxing as a lightweight in Portland in the early 1950s, he fought under the name Kid Chocolate and was reasonably successful. He retired from boxing in 1955 and returned to New Orleans, where he opened an auto repair business as well as singing in clubs at night.
His first recording was "Lottie Mo", for the small Valiant label in 1958, and he also recorded for the Rex label. These efforts were unsuccessful, but around 1960 he was discovered by A&R man Marshall Sehorn, who secured him a contract with Fury Records, owned by Bobby Robinson. After meeting songwriter and record producer Allen Toussaint at a party, he recorded "Ya Ya", a song inspired by a group of children chanting nursery rhymes. It went to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Although the follow-up "Do-Re-Mi" also made the charts, later releases on Fury were not successful. Dorsey returned to running his repair business, but also released singles on the small Smash and Constellation labels in 1963 and 1964.
He was then approached again by Toussaint, and recorded Toussaint's song "Ride Your Pony" for the Amy label, a subsidiary of Bell Records. The song reached no.7 on the R&B chart in late 1965, and he followed it up with "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", "Working in the Coal Mine" – his biggest pop hit – and "Holy Cow", all of which made the pop charts in both the US and the UK. Dorsey toured internationally, and also recorded an album with Toussaint, The New Lee Dorsey in 1966. In 1970 Dorsey and Toussaint collaborated on the album Yes We Can; the title song was Dorsey's last entry in the US singles chart. It was later a hit for the Pointer Sisters under the title, "Yes We Can Can". With declining sales, Dorsey then returned to his auto repair business.
In 1976 Dorsey appeared on the album I Don't Want to Go Home by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, which led to more recordings on his own with ABC Records, including the album Night People. In 1980, he opened for English punk band The Clash on their US concert tour, and also toured in support of James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Dorsey contracted emphysema and died on December 2, 1986, in New Orleans, at the age of 61.
Dorsey's songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Petula Clark ("Ya Ya Twist," a 1962 French version of "Ya Ya") and Devo ("Working in the Coal Mine"). "Ya Ya" was also covered on John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album. His version of the Allen Toussaint song "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)" is referenced in the Beastie Boys' song lyrics for "Sure Shot" - "...everything I do is funky like Lee Dorsey." "Ya Ya" was spoken by Cheech Marin in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, as he was waiting for his girlfriend.
Discography
Albums
Ya Ya (1962)
Ride Your Pony (1966)
The New Lee Dorsey (1966)
Working in the Coalmine (1967)
Yes We Can (1970)
Night People (1978)
Chart singles
"Ya Ya" U.S. Pop #7/R&B #1 (1961)
"Do-Re-Mi" U.S. #27/#22 (1962)
"Ride Your Pony" U.S. #28/#7 (1965)
"Get Out Of My Life, Woman" U.S. #44/#5/ UK #22 (1966)
"Confusion" UK #38 (1966)
"Working in the Coal Mine" U.S. #8/#5/UK #8 (1966)
"Holy Cow" U.S. #23/#10/UK #6 (1966)
"My Old Car" U.S. #97 (1967)
"Go-Go Girl" U.S. #62/#31 (1967)
"Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)" U.S. #95/#33 (1969)
"Yes We Can - Part 1" --/#46 (1970)
"Night People" --/#93 (1978)
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dorsey was a childhood friend of Fats Domino before moving to Portland, Oregon when he was ten years old. He served in the United States Navy in World War II and then began a career in prizefighting. Boxing as a lightweight in Portland in the early 1950s, he fought under the name Kid Chocolate and was reasonably successful. He retired from boxing in 1955 and returned to New Orleans, where he opened an auto repair business as well as singing in clubs at night.
His first recording was "Lottie Mo", for the small Valiant label in 1958, and he also recorded for the Rex label. These efforts were unsuccessful, but around 1960 he was discovered by A&R man Marshall Sehorn, who secured him a contract with Fury Records, owned by Bobby Robinson. After meeting songwriter and record producer Allen Toussaint at a party, he recorded "Ya Ya", a song inspired by a group of children chanting nursery rhymes. It went to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Although the follow-up "Do-Re-Mi" also made the charts, later releases on Fury were not successful. Dorsey returned to running his repair business, but also released singles on the small Smash and Constellation labels in 1963 and 1964.
He was then approached again by Toussaint, and recorded Toussaint's song "Ride Your Pony" for the Amy label, a subsidiary of Bell Records. The song reached no.7 on the R&B chart in late 1965, and he followed it up with "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", "Working in the Coal Mine" – his biggest pop hit – and "Holy Cow", all of which made the pop charts in both the US and the UK. Dorsey toured internationally, and also recorded an album with Toussaint, The New Lee Dorsey in 1966. In 1970 Dorsey and Toussaint collaborated on the album Yes We Can; the title song was Dorsey's last entry in the US singles chart. It was later a hit for the Pointer Sisters under the title, "Yes We Can Can". With declining sales, Dorsey then returned to his auto repair business.
In 1976 Dorsey appeared on the album I Don't Want to Go Home by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, which led to more recordings on his own with ABC Records, including the album Night People. In 1980, he opened for English punk band The Clash on their US concert tour, and also toured in support of James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Dorsey contracted emphysema and died on December 2, 1986, in New Orleans, at the age of 61.
Dorsey's songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Petula Clark ("Ya Ya Twist," a 1962 French version of "Ya Ya") and Devo ("Working in the Coal Mine"). "Ya Ya" was also covered on John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album. His version of the Allen Toussaint song "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)" is referenced in the Beastie Boys' song lyrics for "Sure Shot" - "...everything I do is funky like Lee Dorsey." "Ya Ya" was spoken by Cheech Marin in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, as he was waiting for his girlfriend.
Discography
Albums
Ya Ya (1962)
Ride Your Pony (1966)
The New Lee Dorsey (1966)
Working in the Coalmine (1967)
Yes We Can (1970)
Night People (1978)
Chart singles
"Ya Ya" U.S. Pop #7/R&B #1 (1961)
"Do-Re-Mi" U.S. #27/#22 (1962)
"Ride Your Pony" U.S. #28/#7 (1965)
"Get Out Of My Life, Woman" U.S. #44/#5/ UK #22 (1966)
"Confusion" UK #38 (1966)
"Working in the Coal Mine" U.S. #8/#5/UK #8 (1966)
"Holy Cow" U.S. #23/#10/UK #6 (1966)
"My Old Car" U.S. #97 (1967)
"Go-Go Girl" U.S. #62/#31 (1967)
"Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)" U.S. #95/#33 (1969)
"Yes We Can - Part 1" --/#46 (1970)
"Night People" --/#93 (1978)
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Lee Dorsey Lyrics
A Lover Was Born When Mom and Papa first laid eyes On me right from…
Ay-La-Ay Oh, well, I'm sittin' here, la, la Waiting for my ya…
Behind The 8 Ball I'm behind the eight ball I'm behind the eight ball I'm behi…
Can I Be the One Now's the time for all good men to get together with…
Can You Hear Me Can you hear me? (yeah) Can you hear me? (yeah)…
Candy Yam Who lifts me up when I'm down? Who's the one…
Chin Chin With my handy hand And my chinny chin chin I just found…
Confusion Confusion, baby (confusion) Confusion, baby (confusion) (C…
Do Re Me Do re mi fa so la ti My over there…
Do- Re- Mi Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti My over there was passing me She got …
Do-Re-Me Do re mi fa so la ti My over there…
Do-Re-Mi Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti My over there was passing me She got …
Dó-Ré-Mi Do re mi fa so la ti My over there was…
Eenie Meenie Mini Mo Eenie Meenie Mini Mo I got two girls and I just…
Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky Everything I do gohn be funky Everything I do gohn be Funk…
Freedom For The Stallion Freedom for the stallion Freedom for the mare and her colt …
Get out of My Life Woman Get out my life, woman; you don't love me no…
Give It Up (Give it up, to give it up) You know what's on…
Give Me You Don't you give me no money Give me love, love, love That's…
Go Go Girl Go-go, go-go girl, you drive me wild Shake it, shake it,…
God Must Have Blessed America God must have blessed America For us to have so many…
Holy Cow I can't weep and I can't eat Since you walked…
Ixie Dixie Pixie Pie Ixie Dixie Pixie Pie My what a twinkle in your eye A…
Lottie Mo Oh Lottie Mo, oh Lottie Mo Oh Lottie Lottie Mo…
Love lots of Lovin Love lots of lovin' Love lots of lovin', ooh yeah If you…
Mess Around The way you tell me you love me It don't go…
My Old Car 20 long miles from town, my old car broke down…
Neighbor's Daughter Oh oh oh oh... Oh oh oh ouh ouh oooh Oh oh…
Night People Night people hanging out, looking at each other Waiting for …
On Your Way Down Sunrise, sunset Since the beginning it hasn't changed yet …
One And One One and one is two Two and two is four The more…
Operation Heartache (Operation heartache, operation heartache) My shoes won't wa…
Organ Grinder Swing Who's that coming down the street? Good old organ grinder Pe…
People Gonna Talk People gonna talk about the things you do They're gonna tal…
Ride Your Pony (Ride your pony) get on your pony & ride; all…
Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley Sneakin' Sally through the alley Tryin' to keep her out of…
Tears Tears and more Tears Wake up early in the morning I got you on my…
The Kitty Cat Song I′ve got a little kittycat that never chased a mouse All…
Who's Gonna Help We may seem happy like everything's alright But from the out…
Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further? We may seem happy Like everything's alright But from the out…
Work Work Work Work work work Work work work I look for a job both…
Workin' In A Coal Mine Workin' in the coal mine Goin' down, down, down Workin' in…
Working In A Coal Mine Working in the coal mine Going down, down, down Working in t…
Working In A Coalmine Workin' in a coal mine Goin' down, down, down Workin' in a…
Working In a Coalmine (Original) Workin' in the coal mine Goin' down, down, down Workin' in a…
Working in the Coal Mine Workin' in a coal mine Goin' down, down, down Workin' in a…
Ya Oh, well, I'm sittin' here, la, la Waiting for my ya…
Ya Ya - Original Oh well, I'm uh, sitting here la, la Waiting for my…
Ya Ya Twist Oh, well, I'm sittin' here, la, la Waiting for my ya…
Yes We Can Now's the time for all good men to get together with…
Yes We Can Part 2 Now's the time for all good men to get together with…
Yes We Can Pt. 1 Now's the time for all good men to get together with…
Yes We Can Pt. 2 Now's the time for all good men to get together with…
Yum Yum A-yum a-yum a-yum my sugar plum Yum yum (yum yum) Yum yum…