My Ding-a-Ling - Chuck Berry

Artist: Chuck Berry
Song: My Ding-a-Ling
Year: 1972
Album: The London Chuck Berry Sessions

This is a song that was introduced to me by a childhood friend. We were sitting in his room playing records and he put this 45 on after the Led Zeppelin II LP.

Being younger, I thought the lyrics were risqué. As I got older, I found the lyrics juvenile and sad, especially in the light of Chuck Berry's legal troubles surrounding women.

Something about the song never escaped me though. I would find myself singing the song in my head at random moments. It's a catchy song that eventually won me over again.

I wouldn't say that it's the best song in the world, but it's better than I once thought. Who wouldn't like a song about a boy playing with two silver bells? It manages to successfully use the double entendre as a selling point. It's a harmless, fun song that little kids can snicker at and adults can let loose with.

My only beef with the song is that it stands as Chuck Berry's only number one single. Like I've said before, the public is fickle. The album version is over 11 minutes long but this single edit is parred down to around 4 minutes.

Lyrics:
(Spoken):
We got to do our alma mata, we must do our alma mata.

When I was a little bitty boy, my grandmother bought me a cute little toy
Silver bells hanging on a string, she told me it was my ding-a-ling-a-ling-oh

My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling
My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling

(Spoken):
Beautiful beautiful beautiful

Mmmm, and then mamma took me to grammar school, but I stopped off in the vestibule
Every time that bell would ring, you'd catch me playin' with my ding-a-ling-a-ling-oh

My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling
My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling

(Spoken):
Oh that is beautiful. You know what I heard. I heard 2 girls over here singin' in harmony. That's alright honey, this is a free country, live like you wanna live, baby. Yeah, ain't nobody gonna knock it darlin'. Uh-mmm. Yeah, freedom. Yessir, there's one guy right over here singin' "my" too, that's alright brother. Yessir, you got a right baby. Ain't nobody gonna bother you.

Once I was climbing the garden wall, I slipped and had a terrible fall
I fell so hard I heard bells ring, but held on to my ding-a-ling-a-ling-oh

My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling
My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling

(Spoken):
Mmm, you know that's future Parliament out there singin', oh yeah!

Mmm, once I was swimming 'cross Turtle Creek, man them snappers all around my feet
Sure was hard swimming 'cross that thing, with both hands holdin' my ding-a-ling-a-ling-oh

My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling
My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling

(Spoken):
That's so beautiful, I think it's a beautiful little song, really I do. And guess what,
everybody's still not singin'. There's a few right down front here that's not singin'.
We're gonna dedicate this verse to those who will not sing, yessir.

Mmm, this here song it ain't so sad, the cutest little song you ever had
Those of you who will not sing, ya must be playin' with yer own ding-a-ling-oh

My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling
My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling
I want you to play with my ding-a-ling

Oh your ding-a-ling, your ding-a-ling
We saw you playin' with your ding-a-ling
My ding-a-ling, everybody sing
I want to play with my ding-a-ling

Everybody, my ding-a-ling, oh my ding-a-ling
I wanna play with my ding-a-ling