Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation. According to biographer John Swenson, Haley later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. The spit-curl caught on as a 50's style signature, although Haley and others had worn the hairstyle much earlier.
In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called The Down Homers run by Kenny Roberts. It has often been reported in musical reference works that Haley's first professional recordings were made with the Down Homers on a pair of singles released in 1946 by Vogue Records. This was later debunked by Roberts and others, stating Haley had already left the group by the time the singles were made. In the early 2000s, however, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered and Haley is definitely present as he is identified by name and sings a solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel"; these recordings were commercially released for the first time in 2006.
After gaining experience with the Down Homers, Haley set out on his own, forming several groups such as the Range Drifters and the Four Aces of Western Swing. With the Four Aces, he made a number of regionally successful country music singles in the late 1940s for Cowboy Records while working as a touring musician and later a radio DJ at WPWA. (Many of Haley's early recordings from this period would not be released until after his death.) After disbanding the Four Aces and briefly trying a solo career using the names Jack Haley and Johnny Clifton (as chronicled in the biography Sound and Glory), Haley formed a new group called The Saddlemen in either 1949 or 1950 (sources vary as to the exact year); this new group recorded for several labels, including one single for Atlantic Records, Haley's first exposure to a major national record company. In 1951, Haley was signed to Dave Miller's Philadelphia-based Holiday Records and began to change musical styles, recording cover versions of "Rocket "88"" (previously recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats), and in, 1952, "Rock the Joint", previously recorded by several bands including Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians. (By the time of "Rock the Joint", Haley had graduated from Holiday Records to Miller's larger Essex label.) The relative success of these recordings (both sold in the 75,000-100,000 copy range in the Pennsylvania-New England region) convinced Haley that his new and as-yet officially unnamed hybrid of country and rhythm and blues could be a commercial success.and some of his family lives in oklahoma and there is a road named after his family.
Dipsy Doodle
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Dipsy Doodle will get in your hair
And if it gets you, it couldn't be worse
The things you say will come out in reverse
Like "You love I and me love you"
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
The Dipsy Doodle is easy to find
You never know it until it's too late
And then you're in such a terrible state
Like "The moon jumped over the cow, hey diddle"
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
When you think that you're crazy
You're the victim of the Dipsy Doodle
But it's not your mind that's hazy
It's your tongue that's at fault, not your noodle
You better listen and try to be good
And try to do all the things that you should
The Dipsy Doodle will get you some day
You'll think you're crazy, all the things that you say
Like "Rockin' not I and rollin' goodbye"
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
Well, when you think you're crazy
You're the victim of the Dipsy Doodle
But it's not your mind that's hazy
It's your tongue that's at fault, not your noodle
You better listen and try to be good
And try to do all the things that you should
The dipsy doodle will get you some day
You'll think you're crazy, all the things that you say
Like "Roll, rattle and shake alligator"
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
The song "Dipsy Doodle" by Bill Haley warns of the dangers of the Dipsy Doodle, a phenomenon that makes people say things backwards or in a nonsensical way. The song suggests that the Dipsy Doodle is a condition that one can fall under, almost like a spell or curse, and it is something to be feared and avoided. The lyrics describe how the Dipsy Doodle takes over one's mind and tongue, causing them to say things like "You love I and me love you", "The moon jumped over the cow", or "Rockin' not I and rollin' goodbye".
The song's message is both cautionary and humorous, warning listeners to be careful of the Dipsy Doodle while also making light of the silly things one might say while under its influence. The warning to "listen and try to be good" suggests that the Dipsy Doodle might be avoided or overcome by making good choices and staying mentally focused.
Line by Line Meaning
The Dipsy Doodle is the thing to beware
Pay attention to the Dipsy Doodle because it can cause trouble
The Dipsy Doodle will get in your hair
Once the Dipsy Doodle affects you, it will be difficult to shake off
And if it gets you, it couldn't be worse
The consequences of the Dipsy Doodle are terrible
The things you say will come out in reverse
The Dipsy Doodle affects your speech, causing you to say things in reverse order
Like "You love I and me love you"
This is an example of how the Dipsy Doodle can affect your speech, causing you to say the opposite of what you mean
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
This is how the Dipsy Doodle operates
The Dipsy Doodle is easy to find
The Dipsy Doodle is always there, lurking in the back of your mind
It's almost always in back of your mind
The Dipsy Doodle is a constant presence, even if you're not aware of it
You never know it until it's too late
The Dipsy Doodle can suddenly affect you without warning
And then you're in such a terrible state
Once the Dipsy Doodle affects you, you will be in a bad way
Like "The moon jumped over the cow, hey diddle"
This is an example of how the Dipsy Doodle can cause you to say nonsensical things
When you think that you're crazy
If you feel like you're losing your mind, it may just be the Dipsy Doodle affecting you
You're the victim of the Dipsy Doodle
The Dipsy Doodle is something that happens to you, not something you choose to do
But it's not your mind that's hazy
The problem is not with your mental state, but with the way the Dipsy Doodle affects your speech
It's your tongue that's at fault, not your noodle
It's not your brain that's to blame, but your tongue
You better listen and try to be good
Be aware of the Dipsy Doodle and try to avoid it
And try to do all the things that you should
Take care of yourself and be responsible
The Dipsy Doodle will get you some day
It's inevitable that the Dipsy Doodle will affect you at some point
You'll think you're crazy, all the things that you say
The Dipsy Doodle can make you feel like you're losing your mind because of the things you say
Like "Rockin' not I and rollin' goodbye"
This is another example of how the Dipsy Doodle can affect your speech, causing you to say nonsensical things
Well, when you think you're crazy
If you're feeling like you're losing your mind
You're the victim of the Dipsy Doodle
The Dipsy Doodle is the cause of your confusion
But it's not your mind that's hazy
The problem is with the way the Dipsy Doodle affects your speech, not your mental state
It's your tongue that's at fault, not your noodle
Your tongue is responsible for the nonsensical things you say
You better listen and try to be good
Be aware of the Dipsy Doodle and try to avoid it
And try to do all the things that you should
Take care of yourself and be responsible
The dipsy doodle will get you some day
The Dipsy Doodle will inevitably affect you at some point
You'll think you're crazy, all the things that you say
The Dipsy Doodle can make you feel like you're losing your mind because of the things you say
Like "Roll, rattle and shake alligator"
This is another example of how the Dipsy Doodle can cause you to say nonsensical things
That's the way the Dipsy Doodle works
This is how the Dipsy Doodle operates
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Larry Clinton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@featherzkiss
This is the song that Otis sings when he gets stone drunk on the Andy Griffith Show!
@Aisha-721
LOL!
@lateforbreakfast
I was 11 going 12 when Bill Haley and His Comets were at the height of their career, my older sister bought bill Hayley and His comets LP and we played it to death..I always referred to Bill Haley as being the Happy Rock and Roll Singer because all his songs were happy ones, this one being in that happy vien...
@daviddenoia2468
OTIS CAMPBELL REALLY ROCKS THIS SONG OUT THE BEST!!!
@jaymcintyre773
Yes!
@jackpinesavage1628
"Take me drunk, I'm home!" - Otis Campbell.
@troyglaus7029
How many people here are from Mayberry?
@corwinorr
Never before heard their recording of this classic swing song, but i always thought the background guitar riff from Rock Around the Clock sounded like it was taken from the Dipsy Doodle.
@TheDipsyDoodler
Just found my new favourite song :O
@shawnkelly1357
A real Swing classic, perfect for both Balboa and the Lindy Hop