Day's film career began during the latter part of the Classical Hollywood Film era with the 1948 film Romance on the High Seas, and its success sparked her twenty-year career as a motion picture actress. She starred in a series of successful films, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. She played the title role in Calamity Jane (1953), and starred in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) with James Stewart. Her most successful films were the bedroom comedies she made co-starring Rock Hudson and James Garner, such as Pillow Talk (1959) and Move Over, Darling (1963), respectively. She also co-starred in films with such leading men as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, David Niven, and Rod Taylor. After her final film in 1968, she went on to star in the CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show (1968–1973).
Day was usually one of the top ten singers between 1951 and 1966. As an actress, she became the biggest female film star in the early 1960s, and ranked sixth among the box office performers by 2012. In 2011, she released her 29th studio album, My Heart, which became a UK Top 10 album featuring new material. Among her awards, Day has received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Legend Award from the Society of Singers. In 1960, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and in 1989 was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush followed in 2011 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Career Achievement Award. She was one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Her death was announced by her charity, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, on Monday 13th May 2019.
Discography
chart hits
Year Title Chart Positions
US CB UK
1945 "Sentimental Journey" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"'Tain't Me" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"Till the End of Time" (w/ Les Brown) 3 — —
"Aren't You Glad You're You?" (w/ Les Brown) 11 — —
"Come to Baby Do" (w/ Les Brown) / 13 — —
1946 "You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)" (w/ Les Brown) 4 — —
"Day by Day" (w/ Les Brown) 15 — —
"I Got the Sun in the Mornin' (and the Moon at Night)" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"The Whole World Is Singing My Song" (w/ Les Brown) 6 — —
1947 "The Christmas Song" (w/ Les Brown) 12 — —
"Sooner or Later" (w/ Les Brown) 13 — —
"Papa, Won't You Dance With Me" 21 — —
1948 "Thoughtless" (w/ Modernaires) 24 — —
"Love Somebody" (w/ Buddy Clark) / 1 — —
"Confess" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon, and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea" / 27 — —
"It's Magic" 2 — —
"My Darling, My Darling" (w/ Buddy Clark) 7 — —
1949 "Powder Your Face with Sunshine" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Again" 2 — —
"Everywhere You Go" 22 — —
"Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk" (w/ Frank Sinatra) 17 — —
"Now That I Need You" 20 — —
"Canadian Capers" 15 — —
"Bluebird on Your Windowsill" 19 — —
1950 "Quicksilver" 20 — —
"I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Prayers)" 21 — —
"Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think)" 24 — —
"Hoop-Dee-Doo" 17 — —
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" 9 — —
"I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell" 19 — —
"A Bushel and a Peck" 16 — —
1951 "It's a Lovely Day Today" 30 — —
"Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" 10 — —
"Shanghai" 7 — —
"Domino" 21 — —
1952 "A Guy Is a Guy" 1 — —
"Sugarbush" (w/ Frankie Laine) 7 12 8
"When I Fall in Love" 20 — —
"No Two People" (w/ Donald O'Connor) 25 — —
"My Love and Devotion" — 31 10
"The Cherries" — 39 —
"A Full Time Job" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 20 21 11
"Ma Says, Pa Says" (w/ Johnnie Ray) 23 28 12
1953 "Mister Tap Toe" 10 11 —
"When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" 29 — —
"Candy Lips" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 17 18 —
"Let's Walk That-a-Way" (w/ Johnnie Ray) — 31 4
"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" / 30 — —
"A Purple Cow" 25 — —
"Choo Choo Train (Ch-Ch-Foo) 20 — —
1954 "Secret Love" 1 1 1
"The Black Hills of Dakota" — — 7
"Lost in Loveliness" — 25 —
"I Speak to the Stars" 16 17 —
"Someone Else's Roses" — 32 —
"If I Give My Heart to You" / 3 2 4
"Anyone Can Fall in Love" 27 41 —
"Ready, Willing, and Able" / — 31 7
"Hold Me in Your Arms" — 39 —
1955 "Foolishly Yours" — 25 —
"Love Me Or Leave Me" — — 20
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" 13 14 17
"Ooh Bang Jiggily Jang" 83 — —
1956 "Let It Ring" 51 — —
"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" 2 3 1
"Julie" / 64 40 —
"Love in a Home" 79 — —
"The Party's Over" 63 47 —
1957 "Twelve O'Clock Tonight" 68 — —
1958 "Teacher's Pet" 56 36 —
"A Very Precious Love" — — 16
"Everybody Loves a Lover" 6 6 25
"Tunnel of Love" 43 53 —
1959 "Love Me in the Daytime" 100 51 —
1960 "Any Way the Wind Blows" 50 109 —
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" 102 102 —
"A Perfect Understanding" 111 — —
1962 "Lover Come Back" 98 — —
1964 "Move Over Darling" — — 8
"Send Me No Flowers" 135 — —
1967 "Sorry" * — — —
* "Sorry" made the US AC charts at #19.
Albums
10" LP
You're My Thrill (1949)
Young Man with a Horn (1950, soundtrack with Harry James)
Tea for Two (1950, soundtrack)
Lullaby of Broadway (1951, soundtrack)
On Moonlight Bay (1951, soundtrack)
I'll See You in My Dreams (1951, soundtrack)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953, soundtrack)
Calamity Jane (1953, soundtrack)
Young at Heart (1954, soundtrack with Frank Sinatra)
12" LPs
Love Me or Leave Me (1955, soundtrack)
Day Dreams (1955, expanded re-issue of You're My Thrill)
Day By Day (1956)
The Pajama Game (1957, soundtrack)
Day by Night (1957)
Hooray for Hollywood (2 volumes, 1958)
Cuttin' Capers (1959)
What Every Girl Should Know (1960)
Show Time (1960)
Listen to Day (1960)
Bright and Shiny (1961)
I Have Dreamed (1961)
Duet (with André Previn, 1962)
You'll Never Walk Alone (1962)
Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962, soundtrack with film cast)
Annie Get Your Gun (1963, with Robert Goulet)
Love Him (1963)
The Doris Day Christmas Album (1964)
With a Smile and a Song (1964)
Latin for Lovers (1965)
Doris Day's Sentimental Journey (1965)
The Love Album (recorded in 1967, released in 1994)
My Heart (2011)
Singles
Hit records:
(with Les Brown's Band of Renown)
"Sentimental Journey"
5,000,000+ sales
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time"
1,000,000+ sales
(As a solo performer)
"It's Magic"
1,000,000+ sales
"Again"
"Love Somebody" (duet with Buddy Clark)
1,000,000+ sales
"Confess" (duet with Buddy Clark) (also done by Patti Page)
"Bewitched"
1,000,000+ sales
"Shanghai"
"Sugarbush" (duet with Frankie Laine)
1,000,000+ sales
"Mister Tap Toe"
"Secret Love"
1,000,000+ sales
"If I Give My Heart to You" (also done by Denise Lor)
"I'll Never Stop Loving You"
1,000,000+ sales
"Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" ("Que Sera, Sera")
1,000,000+ sales
"Everybody Loves a Lover"
"Move Over Darling"
Clap Yo' Hands
Doris Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gather arond, you children,
And we will lose that evil spirit
Called the Voodoo, Voodoo!
Nothing but trouble if he has found,
If he has found you, children!
But you can chase the hoodoo
Let me lead the way,
There's a new belief today,
But he'll never hound you;
Stamp on the ground, you children, come on!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubilee!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Don't you lose time! Don't you lose time!
Come along, it's "Shake your shoes" time
Now for you and me!
On the sands of time
You are only a pebble,
Don't forget that!
But remember, trouble must be treated
Just like a rebel;
Then send him to the Devil!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubilee!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubilee!
(scat)
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Don't you lose time! Don't you lose time!
Come along, it's "Shake your shoes" time
Now for you and me!
(scat)
On the sands of time
You are only a pebble,
But remember, trouble must be treated
Just like a rebel;
Then send him to the Devil!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubilee!
Come along now!
Clap your hands! Then slap your thigh!
Come on, let's do that dance!
(scat)
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Don't you lose time! Don't you lose time!
Come along, it's "Shake your shoes" time
Now for you and me!
On the sands if time, come on now!
Mm-mmm!
Then send him to the Devil!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubil-(scat)!
The lyrics to Doris Day's song "Clap Yo' Hands" can be interpreted in a few different ways. The song is said to be about ridding oneself of evil spirits, specifically the "Voodoo" spirit mentioned in the first verse. The lyrics encourage children to "stamp on the ground" and clap their hands to chase away the negative energy. This could be seen as a call to action or a ritualistic practice meant to ward off bad luck or misfortune.
Another interpretation is that the song is simply a call to celebrate and have fun. The repeated phrase "Hallelujah!" and the joyful scatting at the end of the song contribute to this feeling of jubilation. The verses that mention trouble and treating it like a rebel could be seen as a reminder to not let negative experiences bring you down, but to instead dance and clap your way through them.
Overall, "Clap Yo' Hands" is a catchy, upbeat tune that can be interpreted in a few different ways depending on the listener's perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on, you children, gather around,
Hey kids, gather round!
Gather arond, you children,
Everyone come in close!
And we will lose that evil spirit
Let's get rid of that evil spirit
Called the Voodoo, Voodoo!
Called Voodoo, Voodoo!
Nothing but trouble if he has found,
Nothing but trouble if Voodoo has found you,
If he has found you, children!
If he has found you, kids!
But you can chase the hoodoo
But you can chase Voodoo
With the dance that you do, you do.
With your dancing!
Let me lead the way,
I'll show you the way,
There's a new belief today,
We believe something new today,
But he'll never hound you;
But Voodoo won't bother us!
Stamp on the ground, you children, come on!
Stomp your feet, kids, come on!
Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Clap your hands! And slap your thigh!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubilee!
Everyone come and join the celebration!
Don't you lose time! Don't you lose time!
Don't waste time!
Come along, it's "Shake your shoes" time
It's time to shake your shoes!
Now for you and me!
Let's do it!
On the sands of time
On the timeline of life
You are only a pebble,
You are small,
But remember, trouble must be treated
But remember, we must always treat trouble
Just like a rebel;
Like a rebel,
Then send him to the Devil!
Send it to the Devil!
Come along now!
Let's go!
(scat)
singing sound
Come on, let's do that dance!
Let's dance!
On the sands if time, come on now!
On the timeline of life, come on!
Mm-mmm!
Yeah!
Ev'rybody come along and join the jubil-(scat)!
Everyone come and join the celebration!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind