Giuseppe (Joe) Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was a U.S. jaz… Read Full Bio ↴Giuseppe (Joe) Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was a U.S. jazz musician and violinist. Venuti claimed to have been born aboard a ship as his parents emigrated from Italy, though many believe he was simply born in Philadelphia. Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie Lang, a childhood friend of his. Through the 1920s and early 1930s, Venuti produced many recordings. He worked with Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, the Boswell Sisters and most of the other important white jazz and semi-jazz figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s. However, following Lang's early death in 1933, he began to slip off the radar. After a period of relative obscurity in the 1940s and 1950s, he was 'rediscovered' in the late 1960s and established a musical relationship with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, that was almost as fruitful as his previous collaboration with Lang. Venuti and Sims produced a number of very exciting recordings in 1974/75: an appropriate coda to the great violinist's career.

In the mid-1970s, Venuti performed and recorded, again in the limelight: good examples of his latter-day recordings are the Chiaroscuro CD's Joe Venuti and Zoot Sims (CR(D) 142) and Joe & Zoot & More (CR(D)126). He died in Seattle, Washington.

Venuti was also a legendary practical joker.

Diga Diga Do
Joe Venuti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Zulu man is feelin' blue
Gear his heart beat a little tattoo
Diga diga doo diga doo doo
Diga diga doo diga doo

You love me and I love you
And when you love it is natural to
Diga diga doo diga doo doo

Diga diga doo diga doo

I'm so very diga diga doo by nature
If you don't say diga diga to your mate
You're gonna lose a papa.

So let those funny people smile
How can there be a Virgin isle
With diga diga doo diga doo doo
Diga diga doo diga doo

No one heeds the marriage laws
Yours is mine and mine is yours

With diga diga doo diga doo doo
Diga diga doo diga doo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joe Venuti's song "Diga Diga Do" might at first seem nonsensical, but underneath the playful and catchy tune, there lies a deeper message. The song's opening line, "Zulu man is feelin' blue", refers to the sadness and loneliness felt by a man of African descent. This can be interpreted as a commentary on systemic racism and discrimination at the time the song was written in the 1920s. However, the second line, "Gear his heart beat a little tattoo", implies that despite the struggles that the Zulu man faces, he continues to remain strong and resilient.

The repeated phrase "diga diga doo" throughout the song is believed to have been inspired by the African American vernacular phrase "ziega ziega gullah". The phrase, which was popularized in the early 20th century, had no real meaning but was used as a form of greeting or salutation.

The lyrics also touch on the theme of love and its natural expression through vocalization. When one loves, it is natural to "diga diga doo" to their mate. The song also suggests that failing to express one's love in this way can lead to a loss of connection with their partner.

The line "so very diga diga doo by nature" suggests that some people are naturally more expressive and vocal in their affection. The song encourages people to embrace this trait and not be afraid to show their love through vocalization.

Line by Line Meaning

Zulu man is feelin' blue
A man from the Zulu tribe is feeling sad.

Gear his heart beat a little tattoo
His heart beats a little faster.

Diga diga doo diga doo doo
He hums this made-up phrase to himself.

Diga diga doo diga doo
He continues to hum to himself in sorrow.

You love me and I love you
We have mutual love for each other.

And when you love it is natural to
When we're in love, it's natural to.

Diga diga doo diga doo doo
Continuing to hum to himself.

Diga diga doo diga doo
He is using the phrase as a form of self-expression.

I'm so very diga diga doo by nature
I tend to be very expressive and jovial.

If you don't say diga diga to your mate
It's important to show affection to your partner.

You're gonna lose a papa.
Not showing affection could lead to a breakup.