Yesterday’s Ding-a-Lings
“It’s one of the crazier quirks of the rock era that ‘My Ding-a-Ling,’ a forgettable rude novelty song, is Chuck Berry’s only number one single.” The words are from Fred Thompson’s Billboard Book of Number One Hits. I cannot argue with them. Indeed, it’s hard to know what’s more embarrassing — the silly song itself or the fact that it achieved a mark of success that eluded such classics as “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven.”
Another irony is that, although Berry was credited as the songwriter, that distinction properly belongs to someone else. Have a listen to the original 1952 version by Dave Bartholomew.
Bartholomew is best remembered as the man who discovered Fats Domino and co-wrote many of his hits. This Christmas Eve he will celebrate his 98th birthday. (Some sources give an earlier date of birth that would make him 100).
Recently, I was reminded of Chuck Berry’s dubious achievement when reminiscing about the music I was listening to in the early ’70’s. Personally, I never had much interest in ding-a-lings. But as a twelve-year-old, the fact that the song below could be heard on the the local “black” radio station surprised and delighted me.
The singer of this vaginal riposte is listed as