They had three major hits in the UK singles chart, all of them bubblegum pop classics: "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" (Number 1), "Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" (Number 2) and "Soley Soley" (Number 5), all in 1971. But in other European countries, their success continued well into 1972 and 1973, with songs like "Sacramento", "Samson and Delilah", "Bottom's Up" and "The Talk of All the USA".
Their enigmatic percussionist / lead vocalist was Sally Carr (born Sarah Cecilia Young on 28 March 1945, in Muirhead, Lanarkshire) (ex Part Four, Los Caracas), the rest of the band were, drummer Ken Andrews (born Kenneth Andrew Ballentyne, 28 August 1946, in Bearsden, Glasgow, Strathclyde) (ex Part Four, Los Caracas); guitarist / flutist Ian Campbell-Lewis (born Ian McCreadie, 15 July 1947, in Partick, Glasgow, Strathclyde) (ex Part Four, Los Caracas); bassist / vocalist Eric Campbell-Lewis (born Eric McCreadle, 17 June 1949, in Partick, Glasgow, Strathclyde) (ex Part Four, Los Caracas).
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep
Middle Of The Road Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Where's your mama gone?)
Little baby Don
(Little baby Don)
Where's your mama gone?
(Where's your mama gone?)
Far, far away
Where's your papa gone?
(Where's your papa gone?)
Little baby Don
(Little baby Don)
Where's your papa gone?
(Where's your papa gone?)
Far, far away
Far, far away
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Woke up this morning and my mama was gone
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
Where's your mama gone?
(Where's your mama gone?)
Little baby Don
(Little baby Don)
Where's your mama gone?
(Where's your mama gone?)
Far, far away
Where's your papa gone?
(Where's your papa gone?)
Little baby Don
(Little baby Don)
Where's your papa gone?
(Where's your papa gone?)
Far, far away
Far, far away
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Woke up this morning and my mama was gone
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
Let's go now
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Woke up this morning and my mama was gone
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
Altogether now
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Woke up this morning and my mama was gone
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
One more time now
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Woke up this morning and my mama was gone
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
Let me hear y'all sing it now
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Woke up this morning and my mama
was gone
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" by Middle Of The Road is a catchy pop song with simple, repetitive lyrics that tell the story of a lost mother. The song begins with the singer asking "Where's your mama gone?" and "Where's your papa gone?" to a character named Little baby Don. The answers are always "Far, far away," creating a feeling of distance and separation. The use of children's names and the repeated question and answer structure of the lyrics conjure up images of a nursery rhyme or playground song. This childlike quality is emphasized by the use of the made-up words "chirpy chirpy cheep cheep" which acts as a refrain throughout the song.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals that his own mother had been singing the same "chirpy chirpy cheep cheep" tune the night before, but has since disappeared. The upbeat melody and cheerful "ooh-we" interjections create a stark contrast to the sad subject matter of the lyrics. The repetition of the chorus and the overall simplicity of the lyrics could be interpreted as a reflection of the young age of the characters in the song and their difficulty in processing loss and separation.
Overall, "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" is a prime example of the bubblegum pop genre popular in the 1970s. Its catchy hook and lighthearted melody made it a hit upon its release and it has since become a beloved classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Where's your mama gone?
Asking where the baby's mother went
(Where's your mama gone?)
Little baby Don
Referring to the baby by name
(Little baby Don)
Where's your mama gone?
Repeating the question about the baby's mother
(Where's your mama gone?)
Far, far away
Stating that the mother went very far away
Where's your papa gone?
Asking where the baby's father went
(Where's your papa gone?)
Little baby Don
Referring to the baby by name
(Little baby Don)
Where's your papa gone?
Repeating the question about the baby's father
(Where's your papa gone?)
Far, far away
Stating that the father went very far away
Last night, I heard my mama singing a song
The baby recalls hearing their mother singing a song last night
Ooh-we, chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep
Recalling the sound of the song the mother was singing
Woke up this morning and my mama was gone
The baby realizes their mother has left in the morning
Chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep, chirp
Recalling the sound of the bird chirping
Let's go now
Encouraging the listener to proceed with the song
Altogether now
Encouraging everyone to sing together
One more time now
Encouraging another round of singing
Let me hear y'all sing it now
Encouraging the audience to sing the song
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Giuseppe Cassia, Harold Stott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David van Iwaarden
on Union Silver
Beautifull song. Is Union Silver a coalmine?