The group signed with United Artists Records in 1962 and by December 1st had entered the Billboard charts with "Tell Him," which made it all the way to number four Pop on January 26, 1963, and number five R&B. The song was a gender-switched cover of Gil Hamilton's 1962 single "Tell Her." Reid's no-nonsense, tough girl vocal, the group's vocal blend, and a sure fire Bert Burns composition made "Tell Him" a whole new dimension in girl group rock and roll.
In 1964, the Exciters switched to Roulette Records and recorded what some believe to be the first rock videos made by an American group--one each for “Tell Him” and “He’s Got The Power”–for Scopitone.
"Tell Him" is also a soundtrack from the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding."
Do Wah Diddy
The Exciters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"
Clappin' his fingers and shufflin' his feet
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"
He looked good (yeah, yeah)
He looked fine (yes he did)
He looked good, he looked fine (yeah, yeah)
And I nearly lost my mind (yeah)
Before I knew it he was walkin' next to me
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"
He took my hand just as natural as can be
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"
We walked on (yeah, yeah)
To my door (sure did)
We walked on to my door (yeah, yeah)
And he stayed a little more (yeah)
(My, my, my, my) My, my, my, my
I knew we was falling in love (shoo-do-do-do)
(My, my, my, my) My, my, my, my
I told him all the things I was dreamin' of
Now we're together nearly every single day
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" (yeah, yeah, yeah)
And we're so happy and that's how we're gonna stay
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" (ohh)
Well I'm his (yeah, yeah)
And he's mine (yes he is)
Well I'm his and he's mine (yeah, yeah)
And the wedding bells will chime (yeah)
Now we're together nearly every single day
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"
We're so happy and that's how we're gonna stay
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Well I'm his (yeah, yeah)
And he's mine (yes he is)
Well I'm his and he's mine (yeah, yeah)
And the wedding bells will chime (yeah), singin'
Yeah, yeah (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Baby come on, yeah (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Did you see us walkin' by, yeah? (Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
We're gonna be so happy, yeah (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Every day, now (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
I'm gonna love him so much (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Yeah, yeah, 'cause he's mine (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Oh, yeah
The Exciters' song Do-Wah-Diddy is a lighthearted tune about falling in love. The song tells the story of a girl who is taken by a guy she sees walking down the street. She is drawn to his infectious energy as he sings "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" and claps his fingers, and shuffles his feet. The girl is so entranced by the guy that she nearly loses her mind. The lyrics convey the pure joy of new love and anticipation for a future together. The girl and the guy are depicted as being inseparable, and the song ends with them getting married, and the wedding bells chiming.
Line by Line Meaning
Thise he was just a-walkin' down the street
He was casually walking down the street
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"
Singing a catchy melody
Clappin' his fingers and shufflin' his feet
He was tapping his fingers and moving his feet to the rhythm
He looked good (yeah, yeah)
He appeared to be attractive
He looked fine (yes he did)
He appeared to be in good condition
He looked good, he looked fine (yeah, yeah)
He appeared to be both attractive and in good condition
And I nearly lost my mind (yeah)
I was extremely attracted and impressed
Before I knew it he was walkin' next to me
He casually walked closer to me
He took my hand just as natural as can be
He naturally held my hand
We walked on (yeah, yeah)
We continued walking
To my door (sure did)
We walked to my house
We walked on to my door (yeah, yeah)
We continued walking until we reached my house
And he stayed a little more (yeah)
He stayed with me a bit longer
(My, my, my, my) My, my, my, my
Showing excitement or disbelief
I knew we was falling in love (shoo-do-do-do)
I realized we were developing feelings for each other
I told him all the things I was dreamin' of
I shared my hopes and aspirations with him
Now we're together nearly every single day
We spend a lot of time together
Singin', "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Still singing the catchy melody
And we're so happy and that's how we're gonna stay
We are content and plan to stay this way
Well I'm his (yeah, yeah)
We are committed to each other
And he's mine (yes he is)
We are in a relationship
Well I'm his and he's mine (yeah, yeah)
We belong to each other
And the wedding bells will chime (yeah)
We plan to get married in the future
Baby come on, yeah (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Encouraging his partner to keep going
Did you see us walkin' by, yeah? (Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Asking if anyone saw them walking together
We're gonna be so happy, yeah (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
They plan for a happy future together
Every day, now (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Looking forward to spending each day together
I'm gonna love him so much (do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do)
Planned to love each other deeply
Oh, yeah
Expressing agreement or enthusiasm
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@estremonias1112
The song Do Wah Diddy was written by the husband-wife song-writing team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.
Greenwich and Barry had a knack for finding catchy phrases that would stick in your brain. In addition to Do Wah Diddy, they also struck paydirt with songs like Da Doo Ron Ron and Bang-Shang-A-Lang. The song Do Wah Diddy is basically the distilled essence of rock ‘n roll music – the beat and melody are everything, while the lyrics are cotton-candy fluff.
There she was just a-walkin' down the street, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
Snappin' her fingers and shufflin' her feet, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
She looked good (Looked good)
She looked fine (Looked fine)
She looked good, she looked fine
And I nearly lost my mind
Before I knew it she was walkin' next to me, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
Holdin' my hand just as natural as can be, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
We walked on (Walked on)
To my door (My door)
We walked on to my door
Then we kissed a little more
Whoa-oh, I knew we was falling in love
Yes, I did
And so I told her all the things
I'd been dreamin' of
Now we're together nearly every single day, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
A-we're so happy, and that's how we're gonna stay, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
Well, I'm hers (I'm hers)
She's mine (She's mine)
I'm hers, she's mine
Wedding bells are gonna chime
Whoa-oh, I knew we was falling in love
Yes, I did
And so I told her all the things
I'd been dreamin' of
Now we're together nearly every single day, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
A-we're so happy, and that's how we're gonna stay, singin'
'Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do'
Well, I'm hers (I'm hers)
She's mine (She's mine)
I'm hers, she's mine
Wedding bells are gonna chime
Whoa-oh-oh-oh, oh yeah
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do, we'll sing it
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do, oh yeah, oh, oh yeah
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do
@brahmburgers
I loooooove this version. The Exciters were exciting! RE; Manfred Mann, they're also great. As a 14 year old kid, I saw them in smokey Marquee Club in Soho London waaaaay back. It was heaven.
@ericmarenghi1189
This is just FIERCE. Written by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, produced by Leiber and Stoller, all rock royalty. After years of hearing Manfred Mann, I finally know the Exciters way is the way I need to hear this song.
@juliereminiec4937
RIP Ellie Greenwich. My favorite songwriter
@ericmarenghi1189
@Alissa Reminiec The great thing about leaving a body of work is that, for years to come, people who want to understand why Ellie Greenwich was a big deal can listen, and KNOW. RIP, Ellie.
@jonathanmacpac
A powerhouse performance that stands at the top of girl group greats. Are they singing "Ma-ma-ma-Mama" at the chorus? The fact that she could be telling her Mom about her great new boy packs the song with even more emotion. And those wedding bells behind the second chorus!
@vagabondrepertorytheaterco8431
I think they might be singing "Na na na naaaa"
@kevincaldwell9700
@Vagabond Repertory Theater Company , Or "My, my, my.."
@DonyaLane
"I'm-a his..."
@HeavenBound1
I never heard this version before. Very powerful! Nice! Almost has a Phil Spector sound.
@northnsouth6813
Among the most successful songs that Jeff Barry has co-written in his career are "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Then He Kissed Me", "Be My Baby", "Chapel of Love", and "River Deep - Mountain High" (all written with his then-wife Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector);