Premiering in 1969, this educational television show aimed at preschoolers … Read Full Bio ↴Premiering in 1969, this educational television show aimed at preschoolers has charmed generations of youngsters ever since. The show - featuring a lovable cast of characters including Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Snuffy, Grover and many others - has delighted and educated children and adults alike, with its collection of songs, skits, and celebrity guest appearances.

Be Doodle Dee Dum
Sesame Street Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Beedly-doo dee doo dee doo dee doo dee doo dee doo,
Elmo knows a little secret for whenever things go wrong,
It makes you feel much better when a bad day comes along.
Just take a breath, lift up your head, and stand up tall and strong,
Let out a big BE-DOODLE, as you sing this little song.

OH...
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay,

Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, it's such a good thing to say,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, makes sad things go away,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay.

Da da da da da da da,
It's so easy, you can do it almost anywhere at all,
Be-doodle in the kitchen, or be-doodle in the hall,
Be-doodle in your bathtub, or be-doodle on the phone,
Be-doodle in a marching band, or doodle all alone.

OH...

Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, it's such a good thing to say,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, makes sad things go away,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay.

Da da da da da da da,
Elmo woke up feeling grouchy, he was grumpy as a bear,
He tried to find some niceness, but his niceness wasn't there,
But quickly he remembered what to do when things go wrong,
He let out a big BE-DOODLE, and stayed happy all day long!

OH...
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, an excellent thing to say,
Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, makes sad things go away,

Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay.
Bedoodly-deedly-didly-dodly-doodly-dum-dee-ay!

Overall Meaning

The Sesame Street song "Be Doodle Dee Dum" is an upbeat tune that offers a piece of advice on how to get through a bad day. According to the lyrics, Elmo has a secret for when bad things happen. When things go wrong, it can make you feel better to take a breath, lift up your head, and stand up tall and strong. Then, you simply let out a big "BE-DOODLE" as you sing this little song. The chorus is a repetition of the words "Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay" with a catchy tune that is meant to uplift the spirits of listeners.

The song offers an encouraging message to children to help them persevere through tough situations. It also teaches that it is okay to take a moment and let out some feelings while keeping a positive attitude. The verses encourage listeners to "be-doodle" almost anywhere they like, whether it's in the kitchen, on the phone, in the bathtub, or even in a marching band. The song conveys the idea that expressing your emotions is a natural and healthy process, and that it is essential to find ways to alleviate stress and to find joy in life, no matter the circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

Beedly-doo dee doo dee doo dee doo dee doo dee doo,
This line does not have a specific meaning - it is just the opening of the song.

Elmo knows a little secret for whenever things go wrong,
Elmo has a piece of advice that he wants to share for when things go wrong.

It makes you feel much better when a bad day comes along.
Elmo's secret will help to make you feel better when you are having a bad day.

Just take a breath, lift up your head, and stand up tall and strong,
Elmo's first step in his secret is to take a deep breath, look up, and stand confidently.

Let out a big BE-DOODLE, as you sing this little song.
The next step is to shout out a big 'BE-DOODLE' while singing this happy song.

Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay, Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, it's such a good thing to say, Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, makes sad things go away, Bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum, bedoodly-dum-dee-ay.
These lines are the chorus of the song, reminding the listener how to perform the 'BE-DOODLE' and saying that it is a good way to feel better when sad things happen.

It's so easy, you can do it almost anywhere at all,
The 'BE-DOODLE' is so easy to do that you can do it anywhere.

Be-doodle in the kitchen, or be-doodle in the hall,
Examples of places you can perform the 'BE-DOODLE', such as in the kitchen or the hallway.

Be-doodle in your bathtub, or be-doodle on the phone,
More examples of places where you can do the 'BE-DOODLE'.

Be-doodle in a marching band, or doodle all alone.
You can even perform the 'BE-DOODLE' while in a marching band or while alone.

Elmo woke up feeling grouchy, he was grumpy as a bear,
Elmo was feeling very grumpy when he woke up and wanted to improve his mood.

He tried to find some niceness, but his niceness wasn't there,
Elmo tried to think of happy thoughts or things to do, but none of them worked to lift his mood.

But quickly he remembered what to do when things go wrong,
Elmo remembered his secret that he wants to share for when things go wrong.

He let out a big BE-DOODLE, and stayed happy all day long!
Elmo performed the 'BE-DOODLE' and was able to stay happy for the rest of the day.

Bedoodly-deedly-didly-dodly-doodly-dum-dee-ay!
This line does not have a specific meaning - it is just a fun way to end the song.

Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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