Songful Style | “Witch Doctor” by Ross Bagdasarian & Link Up On the Edge #322

When we first began this songful series in February, I was sharing a detailed post about the next song prompt the day following my outfit post for the previous song prompt. But then I realized that the whole thing is forgotten long before it’s time to share the next musically inspired outfit for anyone who wants to play along with us. So I decided to push these posts out to the middle of the month as a reminder if you want to join the fun. Even if you don’t want to join the fashion fun, this next song prompt is sure to get your body moving for the day!

It was my turn to choose the song and I originally had something entirely different in mind. When I sat down at my computer to email Suzy and Marsha my song pick, my kids starting singing the chorus to Witch Doctor which prompted me to play the song in full. Within about 15 seconds, my entire family was bouncing around and singing along at 6:00 a.m. It was definitely a super fun way to energize ourselves for the day. I dare you to listen to the song and try not to dance and sing along! And then I challenge you to create an outfit inspired by it.

About Songful Style

Songful Style is an ageless style challenge series hosted by Suzy of The Grey Brunette, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Marsha of Marsha in the Middle. 

Each month we will share a song with the lyrics and video and we invite you to use whatever aspect of the song that inspires you to create an outfit. 

It is similar to Style Imitating Art where we use artwork to inspire our outfit creations. Except Songful Style gives you lyrics, music, video, and album artwork to inspire your fashion creativity. You may even find inspiration in a memory triggered by the selected song. It is all open to your own personal interpretation and just a fun way to discover new music and get a little bit more creative with your wardrobe.

Anyone is welcome to join us on a permanent basis or you can just play along without any obligation to do anything other than feel inspired. We are flexible and fun and just want to find more ways to play dress up because it’s what we enjoy doing! 

We will be posting on the last Monday of each month and will announce our song choice for the following month at the end of each post.

Video Inspiration

From Sha Na Na

Spanish Version

The Lyrics

Witch Doctor by Ross Bagdasarian

Hey witch doctor, give us the magic words
All right, you go ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
All right

Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh

Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting ting walla walla bang bang
Doh, doh, doh, doh

I told the witch doctor, I was in love with you
Doh, doh, doh, doh
I told the witch doctor, I was in love with you
Doh, doh, doh, doh
And than the witch doctor, he told me what to do
He told me

Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang wall awalla bang bang
Doh, doh, doh, doh

I told the witch doctor, you didn't love me true
Doh, doh, doh, doh
I told the witch doctor, you didn't love me nice
Doh, doh, doh, doh
And than the witch doctor, he gave me this advice

Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang

You can keep your love from me just like you were a miser
And I'll admit it wasn't very smart (ey-ey-ey-ey)
So I went out to find myself a guy that's so much wiser
And he told me the way to win your heart
Doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh

Ooh ee ooh ah ah (doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh)
Ooh ee ooh ah ah (Doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh)
Ooh ee ooh ah ah (Doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh, doh)
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Come on and

Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang
Ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang

About the Artist and the Song

Witch Doctor is a 1958 novelty song written by American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor Ross Bagdasarian who is best known by his stage name David Seville. Bagdasarian was born on January 27, 1919, in Fresno, California, to Armenian-American parents. He served 4 years as a control tower operator during World War II, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. A duty station in Seville, Spain, inspired his future stage name.

Bagdasarian began his acting career on Broadway in 1939 followed by a few minor film roles in the early 1950s. However, his major success came not through acting but through singing and songwriting. In 1958, he created the cartoon band Alvin and the Chipmunks which grew into a media franchise worth $300 million. In 1958, he released two Billboard number one singles, Witch Doctor and The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late).

Bagdasarian and his wife, Armenouhi “Armen” Kulhanjian, had three children and a grape ranch in California named Chipmunk Ranch. On January 16, 1972, just 11 days before his 53rd birthday, Bagdasarian died from a heart attack in his home in Beverly Hills, California. He willed the Chipmunk franchise to his wife and children with his son Ross Bagdasarian Jr. currently at the helm. Ross Jr. and his wife are currently seeking buyers for franchise with a price tag of $300,000,000.

Witch Doctor was inspired by a book titled Duel with the Witch Doctor on Bagdasarian’s bookshelf. The narrator of the song goes to a witch doctor for love advice and the witch doctor replies with the gibberish line: “Oo-ee, oo-ah-ah, ting-tang, walla-walla bing-bang”.

Bagdasarian purchased a $200 ($2000 today) tape recorder after he conceived of the idea to record himself at different speeds in order to create a dialogue between the two distinct voices of the singer and the witch doctor. For his parts, he sang in his normal voice, but for the witch doctor lines, he overdubbed the song with his own voice recorded at half speed then played back at normal speed which created the high pitched squeaky voice. The resulting effect and the catchy tune with earworm lyrics were an instant hit peaking at number one on the Billboard Top 100 and becoming Bagdasarian’s and Liberty Records’ first number one single. The song remained in the number one spot for three weeks. It was released in April 1958 and had sold 1.4 million copies in the United States by December of the same year saving Liberty Records from bankruptcy.

Album Covers

If you want to join us in styling your own look inspired by Ross Bagdasarian’s Witch Doctor, we will have a link party on Monday, November 28, 2022, where you can share your post. We would love to see your Songful Styles! And remember to dance like nobody is watching. Or maybe dance like everyone is watching! Happy styling, my friends.

Featured Favorites

Reader Favorite (Most Clicked): Laura of I Do deClaire

Fashion Favorite: Emma of Style Splash

Other Favorite: Rosemary of Distinctly Southern Style

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.