The band was originally formed in 1989 by leader Scott Morris. He and Kurt Sodergren are the two "original" members, with the rest of the band joining later on. The band concentrated on the swing of the 1940s and '50s, playing clubs and lounges in their early years.
The band launched two CDs, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Watchu' Want for Christmas? under their own label (Big Bad Records) before getting their big break when their songs "You & Me & The Bottle Makes Three Tonight (Baby)" and "Go Daddy-O" were featured in the 1996 comedy Swingers.
From there they were signed by Capitol Records. With Capitol the band released Americana Deluxe (also known as a second Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) and This Beautiful Life. The band has continued their tours, performances and album releases Save My Soul, Live, and Everything You Want For Christmas, with one high point being their appearance at the 1999 Super Bowl half-time show.
Over the last few years, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has experienced great success playing on the Pops programs of American Symphony Orchestras and regular US tours.
Most recently, BBVD released a tribute album titled How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway. As part of the live concerts promoting this recent album, the band continues to perform new material, including the track "5-10-15 Times I Love You" which frontman Scotty Morris says will be recorded as part of a new album in early 2011.
Band Members:
* Scott Morris "Scotty" (vocals and guitar) - core member
* Kurt Sodergren (drums and percussion) - core member
* Dirk Shumaker (string bass) - core member
* Andrew Rowley "Andy" (baritone saxophone) - core member
* Glen Marehevka "The Kid" (trumpet) - core member
* Karl Hunter (saxophone and clarinet) - core member
* Joshua Levy "Josh" (piano) - core member
* Tony Bonsera (lead trumpet)
* Alex Henderson (trombone) (also part of The Brian Setzer Orchestra)
** Ron Blake (former lead trumpet) left Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to go on tour with Green Day.
Ol' MacDonald
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And on this farm there was a chick
Purtiest chick I know
With a little curve here and a little curve there
This chick, she had curves everywhere
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
And oh, this chick, she had a walk E-I-E-I-O
Swingin' to and fro
With a little wiggle here and a little wiggle there
Man, this chick had moves to spare
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
When she went walking into town E-I-E-I-O
The local gentry popped their eyes
Tarnation! What a show!
With a gol-dang here and a gosh darn there
Heavens to Betsy, I do declare!
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
There was a barn dance Saturday night E-I-E-I-O
And fellas came from miles around just to see her do-si-do
With a promenade here, and a promenade there
At a square-dance, man, this chick's no square
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
I used to be a travelin' man E-I-O
Until I hit MacDonald's place things were mighty slow
With a little chick here and a little chick there
I didn't have a real chick anywhere
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
This farmer's daughter knocked me out E-I-E-I-O
I asked MacDonald for her hand and he hollered go
With a little curve here and a little wiggle there
A gol-dang here and a gosh darn there
A do-si-do here and a promenade there
I got my own private county fair
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-O-I-A
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-O-I-A
That's right, MacDonald! It's all or nothin', baby!
The lyrics of "Ol' MacDonald" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tell a story of a farmer and his farm, but more specifically about the stunningly beautiful chick that inhabits it. The song is written in a classic blues style, with exaggerated descriptions of the curves and movements of the chick as she walks around. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a sultry, confident woman who knows how to turn heads, and the singer clearly can't resist her charms.
The catchy chorus of "E-I-E-I-O" is a nod to the classic children's nursery rhyme "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," but the rest of the song is definitely not for kids. The exaggerated and playful descriptions of the woman invite listeners to picture her for themselves, and in doing so, the song becomes a celebration of female beauty and empowerment. While some may find the lyrics objectifying or sexist, others argue that they are meant to be playful and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Line by Line Meaning
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
This song tells the story of Ol' MacDonald and his experiences on his farm.
And on this farm there was a chick
There was a beautiful girl on Ol' MacDonald's farm.
Purtiest chick I know
The girl was the prettiest one the singer had ever seen.
With a little curve here and a little curve there
The girl had a curvy figure that caught the singer's attention.
This chick, she had curves everywhere
The girl's curves were present all over her body.
And oh, this chick, she had a walk E-I-E-I-O
The girl had a mesmerizing walk that caught everyone's attention.
And how this walk would drive em wild
The girl's walk would leave people entranced.
Swingin' to and fro
The girl's walk had a swaying motion.
Man, this chick had moves to spare
The girl had a lot of mesmerizing moves.
When she went walking into town E-I-E-I-O
The girl went into town and caught everyone's attention.
The local gentry popped their eyes
The people in the town were surprised by the girl's beauty.
With a gol-dang here and a gosh darn there
People were expressing their surprise with various expressions.
Heavens to Betsy, I do declare!
One person was so surprised, they exclaimed an expression of shock.
There was a barn dance Saturday night E-I-E-I-O
There was a barn dance on Saturday night.
And fellas came from miles around just to see her do-si-do
Men came from far away to dance with the girl.
With a promenade here, and a promenade there
People danced with the girl and enjoyed themselves.
At a square-dance, man, this chick's no square
The girl was a great dancer and enjoyed herself too.
I used to be a travelin' man E-I-O
The singer used to travel a lot.
Until I hit MacDonald's place things were mighty slow
Until he reached Ol' MacDonald's farm, he did not have much to do.
With a little chick here and a little chick there
The singer met a few girls but none of them stood out.
I didn't have a real chick anywhere
He was not interested in any girl until he met the girl on Ol' MacDonald's farm.
This farmer's daughter knocked me out E-I-E-I-O
The girl on Ol' MacDonald's farm won the singer's heart.
I asked MacDonald for her hand and he hollered go
The singer asked Ol' MacDonald for permission to marry his daughter, and Ol' MacDonald accepted.
A gol-dang here and a gosh darn there
Ol' MacDonald was happy with the situation.
A do-si-do here and a promenade there
The singer and the girl enjoyed dancing together.
I got my own private county fair
The singer felt like he had won a great prize.
Ol' MacDonald had a farm E-I-O-I-A
Ol' MacDonald had a farm, and the singer now had a loving wife.
That's right, MacDonald! It's all or nothin', baby!
The singer was grateful to Ol' MacDonald.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Alan Bergman, Lew Spence, Marilyn Bergman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind