As childhood best friends and band mates growing up in Denver, Colorado, Jo… Read Full Bio ↴As childhood best friends and band mates growing up in Denver, Colorado, Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing dreamed of being professional singer-songwriters. Then, one day (poof!) they were all grown up and playing their music on the scene. After years of touring the Midwest with their bluegrass band, Joe and Justin decided to keep their folk roots, but return to where it all began: childhood imagination. That’s when they moved to Minneapolis to start their “kindie” band called The Okee Dokee Brothers.

Inspired by their own backyard adventures, The Okee Dokee Brothers currently perform original music that reminds audiences of their own make-believes and treehouse-pretendings. Listening to their banjo and guitar is like Huck and Tom whitewater rafting with Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger down the Mississippi. The Okee Dokee Brothers believe that music should be an energetic, interactive, and fun experience where kids can enjoy dancing, singing and playing instruments with their families.

As an independently managed band, the young duo has gained a loyal grassroots following that is drawn to their witty lyrics, off-the-wall humor, strong musicianship, and unique folk style. By appealing to the musical needs of the entire family and recognizing that kids deserve quality music, The Okee Dokee Brothers are working full-time to regain the integrity of the children’s music genre.

Echo
The Okee Dokee Brothers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I came across a valley
With a wide mountain view
And saying out your name
With the yoda-loda-le-hi-hu

Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
Yu-du-le-hi-hi(yu-du-le-hi-hi)
Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)

I'm in love with you

I fell asleep that evening
Singing up to the night
And that valley was so wild
I heard the echo in the morning light

Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
Yu-du-le-hi-hi(yu-du-le-hi-hi)
Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
I'm in love with you

Then came along a richman
Richer than the king
He tried to buy my song
But money can't make me sing

You know, love is like an echo
If it's pure and it's true
And sing it out to the world
And it'll come back to you

Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
Yu-du-le-hi-hi(yu-du-le-hi-hi)

Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
I'm still in love with you(*3)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Okee Dokee Brothers' "Echo" describe a person traveling through a valley with a beautiful mountain view while singing a name out loud using the phrase "yu-du-le-hi-hu." They express their love for someone and fall asleep singing to the night. The next morning, they hear the echo of their singing within the valley. A wealthy man later approaches the person, attempting to buy their song, but the singer knows that pure and true love is like an echo and cannot be bought with money.

The lyrics to "Echo" celebrate the beauty of nature and the power of love. The song encourages listeners to appreciate the echoes of their voices that come back to them when singing out into the world. The lyrics warn against the temptation of money and materialism, suggesting that true love cannot be bought, but must be given freely. "Echo" is a reminder to cherish love and the interconnectedness of our world.

Line by Line Meaning

I came across a valley
I stumbled upon a valley

With a wide mountain view
The valley overlooked panoramic mountain views

And saying out your name
I shouted your name out loud

With the yoda-loda-le-hi-hu
I used a made-up chant to say your name

Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
Repeating the chant from earlier

Yu-du-le-hi-hi(yu-du-le-hi-hi)
Continuing to repeat the chant

Yu-du-le-hi-hu(yu-du-le-hi-hu)
Still repeating the chant

I'm in love with you
Expressing my love for you through the chant

I fell asleep that evening
I dozed off at night

Singing up to the night
Belting out a tune into the sky

And that valley was so wild
The untamed valley had a strong energy