What's So Funny?
Russell Gayer, author speaker
Dewey Do-hee
Today, May 21st 2015, is the inaugural Red Nose Day. To those of you not up to speed on this occasion, it’s not an excuse to drink until your nose glows like a neon bulb, a job-fair opportunity at the North Pole, or a hay fever condition brought on by global warming.
Red Nose Day is a campaign dedicated to raising money for children and young people living in poverty by simply having fun and making people laugh (copied verbatim from rednoseday.org).
This is one cause that aligns perfectly with my values because I love having fun, making people laugh, and I’ve been wearing red hose . . . I mean, a red nose, long before Rudolph made it fashionable. I hope you’ll consider donating even though they snubbed me by not inviting me to perform at the big celebrity gala tonight in LA. ~ Remember, this about the kids—not my nose.
If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the ringmaster who keeps our cavalcade of clowns in check is Bo Jangles Wisoff-Fields. If you’d like to participate in this exercise of madness, head over to her blog for step-by-step instructions. To view the FFF Hollywood Squares Authors Block click here.
Difficulty discerning the lyrics of popular rhythm and blues anthem, “Louie Louie” sparked a 1964 FBI investigation regarding obscenity.
Evidence discovered inside a Prince Albert tobacco tin under the back seat of Perry Block’s 1952 Rambler attributes the song to Split-Lip Hayfield rather than Richard Berry (1955).
Hayfield was known to have a speech impediment, and Berry, having heard Split-Lip perform, likely misinterpreted the lyrics describing brother Dewey Hayfield’s battle with influenza.
Dewey, Do-hee, oh bro
He caught a cold
Lie-ly-ly-ly, in bed
Dewey, Do-hee, no maybe
He caught a cold
Three nights and days he cough and sneeze
blow his nose, cannot breathe
Yellow ball, of phlegm he swear
and send it flying through the air.
27 Comments on “Dewey Do-hee”
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What's So Funny? 
Dear Dewey,
That’s about the clearest I’ve ever heard the lyrics. A fifty year mystery cleared up by a you tube video. And that was considered racy? Long hair? As for Perry’s Rambler…fuhget about it.
Shalom,
Bo
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Dear Bo Jangles,
Perry if definitely old school in his choice of automobiles and experienced in rolling his own. I wonder what else he kept in that Prince Albert tin?
Dewey
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Ewww to flying phlegm!
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I’m surprised Split-Lip didn’t use the word hocker, but I guess it didn’t rhyme. But then again, neither did any of the other lyrics.
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My my! Glad to finally learn the real lyrics to this song. It always cracked me up that there was ever any concern about the nature of this song. Seriously? I mean, they still put on performances of Grease at local high schools. What kind of innuendo could Louie Louie possible have on Grease?
Cheers!
MG
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I can’t believe they spent our tax dollars on an FBI investigation of the lyrics over obscenity. Now, if they suspected it was a secret communist code . . . .
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Hilarious, Russell. I hope the FBI or other investigations agency doesn’t start investigating you for bringing up the subject. You’ll know if you’re stopped at an airport gate one day and escorted to a room for questioning. But don’t you feel safer knowing they’re ever on the watch. Your tax dollars at work indeed. I better not talk or I might be stopped the next time I try to enter the U.S. 😀 — Suzanne
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They should be thanking me, I solved the case for them 50 years later. But I think I’ll pass if they offer me a job.
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Spoiler! Half the fun is mumbling through lyrics you can’t make out…or is that making out to lyrics that are mumbled? I get confused… 😉
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Just pretend you have a speech impediment when you sing them, Lorna. It works every time.
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I know. 😉
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It figures that Perry would figure into this. Why am I not surprised? This was such a clever story, yellow ball of phlegm and all. I love that song and I’ve never seen it performed until now. That’s not how I pictured the singer at all. 🙂 Cheers to the red nose.
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Characters like Perry make a good story better. Sounds like you got the visual image on the yellow phlegm. I think it’s interesting how performers from that era were expected to dress compared to even a few years later. Thanks for not making a wise crack about my red hose . . . I mean, red nose.
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Oh, you ARE funny! I love how you manage to bring Perry into your stories. And the lyrics. Who knew? Thanks for the chuckles and thanks for explaining the red nose.
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Perry has paid me a handsome retainer as a promotional fee. It also helps keep my teeth straight.
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i wanted to believe this is a true story. 🙂
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Me too.
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Not sure which version of the song I prefer. I’ll ponder it. Very funny – once again.
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Try singing it both ways (with a speech impediment) and see which songs best. My guess is it will be hard to tell them apart.
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Ha.. Maybe it really was obscene in that case.
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Disgusting yes, but obscene–never.
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Those lyrics are even dirtier than I thought:
“Dewey, Do-hee, oh bro … Lie-ly-ly-ly, in bed …
Three nights and days he blow and ball … and send it flying through the air.”
Russell, I am surprised at you!
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. . . and it takes a lot to shock Perry Block.
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I had to go listen to the song while I read your lyrics. I think you’re onto something. They should use this for a cold season PSA, I’m thinking. Make sure to ask for a finder’s fee for discovering the true lyrics.
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But then I’d have to split it with Perry and his Rambler.
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I had to shut myself in a sound proof room to listen to those obscene lyrics from the past, after which I listened to some rap music on the ipod. That Perry is a phlegmboyant character for sure.
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Yes, if there was an award for being phlegmboyant he’d be in the hall of fame.
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