His most popular works are those from his early 1960's Minit records years, when he was associated closely with producer/composer Allen Toussaint. During this period he was managed by a local radio DJ named Larry McKinley, the co-owner of Minit, whose other partner was A-1 records distributor Joe Banashak. Other tunes made during Doe's 1961 chart attempts under Toussaint's tutelage included "I Cried My Last Tear" (#69 Pop) b/w "A Certain Girl" (#71 Pop), and "Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta" (#53 Pop, #21 R&B. Prior to recording with Minit, Doe had started his professional career on the gospel circuit, eventually joining The Four Blazes, a gig that earned him his first recording session in late 1953 for United but the session went unreleased. His first record ("Honey Love"/"No Mercy") came in 1955 with a group called The Blue Diamonds on Savoy. Solo releases on Specialty and Ember under the surnames Kador & Kado before finally becoming K-Doe were early career moves. After his Minit deal ran out he moved to the Instant & then Duke/Peacock labels, working again with Toussaint for an LP in 1970 on the Janus label.
During his tireless touring years he performed in venues like Harlem's Apollo Theater 8 times, and Chicago's Regal Theater a dozen times. He fell into a period of substance abuse & homelessness during the late 70's, before he began hosting a radio program in on New Orleans FM station WWOZ in 1982. Eventually cleaning up & marrying, he opened his own New Orleans nightclub called the Mother-in-Law Lounge. In the mid nineties, he finally recorded another album with Milton Battiste at the helm. His widow Antoinette still maintains the bar despite heavy flood damage after Hurricane Katrina, and ran her dead husband for mayor in the 2006 elections saying he was the only qualified candidate.
Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta
Ernie K-Doe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get such a thrill I can't explain
Whoa-oh I'm so glad
A-honey that I'm your man
We fell in love on a Wednesday mornin'
With all-a our heart and soul
And people
I know you should have been there
And she said
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time you cha-cha-cha
She said
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time she cha-cha-cha
Her love for me is wider than the ocean
More deeper than the sea
Whoa-oh she make me feel so good
And she rock and roll for me
She said
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time she cha-cha-cha
She said
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time she cha-cha-cha
Every time I call your name
I get such a thrill I can't explain
Whoa-oh I'm so glad
A-honey that I'm your man (ah)
We fell in love on a Wednesday mornin'
With all-a our heart and soul
And people
I know you should have been there
To see my girl rock and roll
And she said
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time she cha-cha-cha
She said
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time you cha-cha-cha
You're lookin' good honey
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time you cha-cha-cha
My my my my my my my my my my my my baby
Yes she did
Let's do it one more time honey
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
Every time you cha-cha-cha
Ernie K-Doe's song "Te Ta Te Ta Ta" is an ode to his love and the joy she brings him. The song references the thrill he gets every time he calls his lady's name, calling it unexplainable. He also shares about their love story, how they fell in love on a Wednesday morning, with all their heart and soul. K-Doe expresses how happy he is to be his lady's man and how she makes him feel good. The most prominent feature of the song is the refrain, "Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta, every time she cha-cha-cha", which is a catchy chorus that adds to the upbeat feel of the song.
The lyrics of "Te Ta Te Ta Ta" are suggestive of the joy and love that K-Doe feels for his lady. Despite the lyrics being an expression of love, the song's upbeat tempo is suitable for dancing, "cha-cha-cha" being a popular dance move in the 1960s, during which the song was released. The song has become a staple for playing at parties and events, evoking a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era of jubilation and dancing.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I call your name
I feel a rush of excitement that's hard to explain.
I get such a thrill I can't explain
I feel so happy and filled with joy when I think of you.
Whoa-oh I'm so glad
I'm truly grateful and appreciative that I have you in my life.
A-honey that I'm your man
I'm proud to be the one you chose to love and be with.
We fell in love on a Wednesday mornin'
Our love story began on a regular day of the week, and it was magical.
With all-a our heart and soul
We put all of our passion and love into our relationship.
And people
Others should have witnessed the happiness we share together.
I know you should have been there
It's a shame that other people couldn't experience the joy of watching my girl rock and roll.
To see my girl rock and roll
To see my girl dancing and expressing herself in a way that made me love her even more.
Ah-ah-ah a-tay-te-tee-ta-ta
A joyful and carefree expression of love and admiration.
Every time you cha-cha-cha
Every time we dance together, it's like we're falling in love all over again.
Her love for me is wider than the ocean
Her love is immeasurable and vast, encompassing everything.
More deeper than the sea
Her love is even more profound than anything else in the world.
Whoa-oh she make me feel so good
She has the power to bring me happiness and pleasure like nobody else.
Every time she cha-cha-cha
The experience of dancing with her is like a euphoric high that I never want to end.
You're lookin' good honey
I can't help but admire how attractive she looks when we're dancing together.
My my my my my my my my my my my my baby
An affectionate way of expressing intense love and admiration for her.
Let's do it one more time honey
I want to keep dancing with her and feeling this overwhelming joy for as long as possible.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERNEST KADOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind