Hoop-Dee-Doo

"Hoop-Dee-Doo"
Single
Published	1950
Composer(s)	Milton Delugg
Lyricist(s)	Frank Loesser

"Hoop-Dee-Doo" is a popular song published in 1950 with music by Milton Delugg and lyrics by Frank Loesser.

The lyrics of this song are sometimes cited for their use of the phrase "soup and fish", meaning a man's formal dinner suit. This phrase is commonly thought to have originated with P. G. Wodehouse's "Bertie Wooster" stories, but according to the website World Wide Words, there was an earlier American usage.^[1]

Recorded versions

Charting versions

The most popular recording of the song was made by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters, with Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra. It was recorded on March 16, 1950,^[2] and released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-3747 (78rpm)^[2][3] and 47-3747 (45rpm)^[2] in the United States, and by HMV as a 78rpm record, catalog number B-9925.^[2] The flip side of the US release by RCA Victor was "On the Outgoing Tide",^[2][3] and the flip side of the UK release by HMV was "I Wanna Go Home (with You)".^[2] It first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on April 21, 1950, and lasted 17 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 4.^[4] Other sources^[5][6] indicate that the Como recording of the song reached number one on some of the Billboard charts of the day.

The recording by Kay Starr was recorded on March 31, 1950, and released by Capitol Records as catalog number 980, with the flip side "A Woman Likes to Be Told".^[7] It first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on May 12, 1950, and lasted eight weeks on the chart, peaking at number 14.^[4] Other sources^[5][6] indicate that the Starr recording of the song reached number 2 on some of the Billboard charts of the day, first entering the chart on May 6. The Starr recording was also issued by Capitol in the United Kingdom in 1950 as catalog number CL-13309, with the flip side "Poor Papa".^[8]

The recording by Doris Day was recorded in March 1950 and released by Columbia Records as catalog number 38771, with the flip side "Marriage Ties".^[9] It first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on May 19, 1950, and lasted five weeks on the chart, peaking at number 18.^[4] Other sources^[5] indicate that Day's recording of the song reached number 17 on some of the Billboard charts of the day, first entering the chart on May 6.

The recording by Russ Morgan and his orchestra was released by Decca Records as catalog numbers 24986^[10] and 28024.^[11] It entered the Billboard chart on May 27, 1950, and peaked at position number 15.^[5] This recording was issued in the United Kingdom by Brunswick Records as catalog number 04510.^[12] All versions were released with the flip side "Down the Lane"^[10][12] except that Decca 28024 was issued with the flip side "Metro Polka".^[11]

Other versions

• The Ames Brothers (released in 1950 by Coral Records as catalog number 60209, with the flip side "Stars Are the Windows of Heaven", also released in 1951 by Coral as catalog number 60397, with the flip side "Rag Mop").^[13]
• Milton DeLugg (released in 1953 by King Records as catalog number 15037, with the flip side "Zone 28").^[14]<^[15]
• Buddy Lyn Singers (released by MGM Records as catalog number 10702, with the flip side "Down the Lane").^[16]
• The Tavern Polka Band (released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-3855, with the flip side "There Is a Tavern in the Town").^[3]
• Lawrence Welk (released by Mercury Records as catalog number 5419, with the flip side "If You Can't Get a Doctor").^[17]

References

1. "World Wide Words: Soup and fish". Worldwidewords.org. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
2. "Hoop-Dee-Doo album links". Kokomo.ca. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
3. "RCA Victor 20-3500 - 4000 78rpm numerical listing discography". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
4. Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research.
5. Lonergan, David (January 28, 2004). Hit Records 1950-1975. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5129-0.
6. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Joel Whitburn Presents a Century of Pop Music. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. ISBN 0-89820-135-7.
7. "Capitol 500 - 1000, 78rpm numerical listing discography". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
8. "78 Discography for Capitol Records - UK - CL 13000 series". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
9. "COLUMBIA RECORDS: 78rpm numerical listing discography 38500 - 39000". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
10. "DECCA (USA) numerical listing discography: 24500 - 24999". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
11. "DECCA (USA) numerical listing discography: 28000 - 28500". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
12. "Singles Discography for Brunswick Records - UK - pre 05000 series". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
13. "45 discography for Coral Records 60000 series". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
14. "KING numerical listing discography - 15000 series". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
15. "Singles Discography for King Records - 15000 series". Globaldogproductions.info. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
16. "MGM records - numerical listing discography 10500 - 11000". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
17. "MERCURY 78rpm numerical listing discography: 5000 - 5500". 78discography.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.