“Do Wah Diddy Diddy” by Manfred Mann
What this song actually reads like, most simply put, is a case of love at first sight. And more fortunately for the vocalist, he is able to actually strike up a lasting romance with this lady who suddenly caught his eye.
Besides noticing her exceptional beauty, their first interaction was also marked by the vocalist taking note that she was singing a song that goes “do wah diddy, diddy dum, diddy do”. Apparently the subject was doing so amidst minding her own business. But the entire scene, considering that it was one of the most eventful days in his personal history, has remained etched in the mind of the vocalist.
So ultimately, the title of this song is a plot device. And what the narrative actually centers on is the singer celebrating his romance with the apple of his eye.
Facts about “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”
Manfred Mann was a band from London that existed around the same time as The Beatles though didn’t prove nearly as successful. However, they do have a few era-defining hits under their belts. At the top of that list is the song “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”.
“Do Wah Diddy Diddy” came out via a label called Ascot Records on 10 July 1964. It is featured on “The Manfred Mann Album”, a project which the band released specifically catered to an American audience.
The song not only topped the Billboard Hot 100 but also the UK Singles Chart, RPM Top Singles (Canada), etc. In fact any reader familiar with this tune would probably recognize it as one of the most-identifiable hits of the 1960s.
“Do Wah Diddy Diddy” was written by Jeff Barry and the late Ellie Greenwich (1940-2009). It should be noted that neither of this writers were actually members of Manfred Mann.
In fact the tune was first dropped, also in 1964, by an African-American pop group known as The Exciters (who recorded it the year prior). So technically, Manfred Mann’s version is a cover. And to note Fun Factory, a group of dance musicians from Germany, also came out with their own rendition of this song in 1995, which was met with limited albeit notable chart success.
The producer of this track was John Burgess (1932-2014).
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was named after one of its founders and members, keyboardist Manfred Mann. The other founder was drummer Mike Hugg, both of whom participated on this song. And the other musicians involved who were formally part of the group are:
- vocalist Paul Jones
- bassist Tom McGuinness
- guitarist Mike Vickers
FYI
To note, writers (Barry and Greenwich) also had a hand in penning another hit with an unintelligible, if you will, title called “Da Doo Ron Ron” (1963) by The Crystals. And it was that song which “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” was reportedly fashioned after.
