The Dipsy Doodle
Ella Fitzgerald With Chick Webb and His Orchestra Lyrics

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The dipsy doodle is the thing to beware
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.
You can't eat, you can't sleep. You go crazy.
You're just a victim of the dipsy doodle

And it's not your mind that's hazy
It's your heart 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
And when it gets you the things you will say

Like the moon jumped over the cow - hey diddle!
That's the way the dipsy doodle works.

Overall Meaning

The Dipsy Doodle is a song that warns listeners about the dangers of falling prey to a hypnotic dance known as "The Dipsy Doodle." The lyrics suggest that once the dance has a hold of you, it can cause one's thoughts to become jumbled, and speech becomes slurred. The song encourages listeners to avoid the dance so as not to fall into its trap. The lyrics cleverly incorporate examples of how the dance affects the singer's ability to communicate, using lines like "You love I and me love you," and "the moon jumped over the cow - hey diddle!" With its upbeat and playful tune, the song has the feel of a cautionary tale delivered with a sense of humor.

Line by Line Meaning

The dipsy doodle is the thing to beware
Be cautious of the dipsy doodle

The dipsy doodle will get in your hair
It will get you tangled up

And if it gets you, it couldn't be worse
It will make things much worse for you

The things you say will come out in reverse
You'll say things backwards

Like "You love I and me love you!"
You'll say things like "I love you" backwards

That's the way the dipsy doodle works.
That's just how it goes

You can't eat, you can't sleep. You go crazy.
You won't be able to eat or sleep, you'll go crazy

You're just a victim of the dipsy doodle
You're just a helpless victim of the dipsy doodle

And it's not your mind that's hazy
Your mind is clear and unaffected

It's your heart that's at fault - not your noodle.
It's your heart that's the problem, not your brain

You better listen and try to be good
You should pay attention and try to behave