Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dorsey was a childhood friend of Fats Domino before moving to Portland, Oregon when he was ten years old. He served in the United States Navy in World War II and then began a career in prizefighting. Boxing as a lightweight in Portland in the early 1950s, he fought under the name Kid Chocolate and was reasonably successful. He retired from boxing in 1955 and returned to New Orleans, where he opened an auto repair business as well as singing in clubs at night.
His first recording was "Lottie Mo", for the small Valiant label in 1958, and he also recorded for the Rex label. These efforts were unsuccessful, but around 1960 he was discovered by A&R man Marshall Sehorn, who secured him a contract with Fury Records, owned by Bobby Robinson. After meeting songwriter and record producer Allen Toussaint at a party, he recorded "Ya Ya", a song inspired by a group of children chanting nursery rhymes. It went to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Although the follow-up "Do-Re-Mi" also made the charts, later releases on Fury were not successful. Dorsey returned to running his repair business, but also released singles on the small Smash and Constellation labels in 1963 and 1964.
He was then approached again by Toussaint, and recorded Toussaint's song "Ride Your Pony" for the Amy label, a subsidiary of Bell Records. The song reached no.7 on the R&B chart in late 1965, and he followed it up with "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", "Working in the Coal Mine" – his biggest pop hit – and "Holy Cow", all of which made the pop charts in both the US and the UK. Dorsey toured internationally, and also recorded an album with Toussaint, The New Lee Dorsey in 1966. In 1970 Dorsey and Toussaint collaborated on the album Yes We Can; the title song was Dorsey's last entry in the US singles chart. It was later a hit for the Pointer Sisters under the title, "Yes We Can Can". With declining sales, Dorsey then returned to his auto repair business.
In 1976 Dorsey appeared on the album I Don't Want to Go Home by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, which led to more recordings on his own with ABC Records, including the album Night People. In 1980, he opened for English punk band The Clash on their US concert tour, and also toured in support of James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Dorsey contracted emphysema and died on December 2, 1986, in New Orleans, at the age of 61.
Dorsey's songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Petula Clark ("Ya Ya Twist," a 1962 French version of "Ya Ya") and Devo ("Working in the Coal Mine"). "Ya Ya" was also covered on John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album. His version of the Allen Toussaint song "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)" is referenced in the Beastie Boys' song lyrics for "Sure Shot" - "...everything I do is funky like Lee Dorsey." "Ya Ya" was spoken by Cheech Marin in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, as he was waiting for his girlfriend.
Discography
Albums
Ya Ya (1962)
Ride Your Pony (1966)
The New Lee Dorsey (1966)
Working in the Coalmine (1967)
Yes We Can (1970)
Night People (1978)
Chart singles
"Ya Ya" U.S. Pop #7/R&B #1 (1961)
"Do-Re-Mi" U.S. #27/#22 (1962)
"Ride Your Pony" U.S. #28/#7 (1965)
"Get Out Of My Life, Woman" U.S. #44/#5/ UK #22 (1966)
"Confusion" UK #38 (1966)
"Working in the Coal Mine" U.S. #8/#5/UK #8 (1966)
"Holy Cow" U.S. #23/#10/UK #6 (1966)
"My Old Car" U.S. #97 (1967)
"Go-Go Girl" U.S. #62/#31 (1967)
"Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)" U.S. #95/#33 (1969)
"Yes We Can - Part 1" --/#46 (1970)
"Night People" --/#93 (1978)
One And One
Lee Dorsey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two and two is four
The more I look at you
The more I love you so
You're moving me a-heaven with your kinder ways
You're really what's a-happenin if I must say
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
The moon lights up the night
But when the moon gets a-full and bright
Gonna hold and squeeze her tight
You're moving me a-heaven with your kinder ways
You're really what's a-happenin if I must say
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
I want you to be my girl
And I'm gonna be your boy
Never saw no one like you before
How I really love you so
You're moving me a-heaven with your kinder ways
You're really what's a-happenin if I must say
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
The lyrics of Lee Dorsey's song "One and One" reflect the excitement, joy, and thrill of newfound love. It's a classic love song, and the simplicity of its verses and choruses makes it all the more endearing and relatable. Essentially, the lyrics express how the phenomenon of love, when reciprocated, makes life more meaningful and beautiful.
The first verse speaks of the natural order of things - how every effect has a cause, and how two things combined make for a whole. But even in the mathematical and scientific laws of the universe, there's an unexplainable magic that comes with love. The stanza also highlights how the more you get to know someone, the more endearing they become. The allusion to heaven refers to how the feeling of love can numb pain, fill one with joy, and make them feel as though they're in paradise.
The second verse likens the power of love to the influences of the sun and moon. The moon, in particular, is a symbol of romance and passion. Hence, the line "Gonna hold and squeeze her tight" emphasises the intimacy and closeness that love brings. The lyrics also suggest a certain level of possessiveness and commitment, which are perfectly normal in the early stages of a romantic relationship.
Overall, Lee Dorsey's "One and One" is an upbeat, lively song that highlights the beauty of love, how it makes life more beautiful and worth living. It's a classic love song that celebrates human connections and vulnerability, and it does so in a way that feels authentic and true to life.
Line by Line Meaning
One and one is two
This is a simple math equation that states when you add one to another one, the result is two.
Two and two is four
This is another simple math equation that states when you add two to another two, the result is four.
The more I look at you
As I keep gazing at you, I find more to love about you.
The more I love you so
My affection for you continues to grow deeper and stronger.
You're moving me a-heaven with your kinder ways
Your kind behavior is making me feel as if I am in heaven.
You're really what's a-happenin if I must say
You are the reason that my life appears beautiful and worthwhile at the moment.
The sun lights up the day
This line highlights that the sun shines during the day, illuminating and making everything visible.
The moon lights up the night
This line suggests that the moon brightens the night, providing light for nighttime activities.
But when the moon gets a-full and bright
When the moon is full and bright, its radiance magnifies, making it the perfect time to cuddle and hold her tight.
Gonna hold and squeeze her tight
This line is an expression of the singer's desire to hold and embrace his lover tightly.
I want you to be my girl
This line shows the singer's romantic interest in the woman and his longing for her to be his girlfriend.
And I'm gonna be your boy
This line implies that the singer wishes to be her partner/husband/lover.
Never saw no one like you before
The singer implies that he has never encountered anyone like his current love interest.
How I really love you so
The singer is emphasizing the depth of his affection for his lover.
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
This is an exclamation of the singer's agreement with and delight at what he has just said.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EARL KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind