DIGA DIGA DOO
From the Broadway show "Blackbirds Of 1928"
(Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)

Adelaide Hall (Broadway Production) - 1928
Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orch. (vocal: Irving Mills) - 1928
The Hotsy Totsy Gang (Instr.) - 1928
Jack Hylton & His Orch. (vocal: Chappie d'Amato) - 1929
The Mills Brothers with Duke Ellington Orch. - 1932
Isham Jones & His Orch. (vocal: The Eton Boys) - 1934
Bob Crosby & His Orch. - 1939
Artie Shaw & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1939
Art Hodes Blue Three (Instr.) - 1940
Rex Stewart & The Ellingtonians (Instr.) - 1940
George Hartman and his Orch. (Instr.) - 1941
Lena Horne (feat. in the film "Stormy Weather") - 1943
The Three Suns (Instr.) - 1951
Bob Thompson, His Choir & Orch. - 1958
Martin Denny & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1961
Klaus Ogerman & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1961
Jonathan Stout & The Campus Five (vocal: Jim Ziegler) - 2003
Hot Club Of Cowtown - 2003

Also recorded by:
Ella Fitzgerald; Allice Babs; Chris Barber; Cab Calloway; 
Woody Herman; Benny Goodman; Smoky Joe Combo; Sidney Bechet; 
Nelson Riddle; Ralph Sutton; Jack Teagarden; Al Caiola;
Harry James & Betty Grable; Jussi Raittinen; John Buzon Trio; 
Tom Stuip; Benny Carter; Dorothy Fields; Nat King Cole; 
Oscar Peterson; Elisabeth Welch; Cootie Williams; Al Hirt; 
Sally Mayes; Oscar Alemán; ..... and many others.


Oh, Zulu man is feeling blue
Hear his heart beat a little tattoo
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo

You love me and I love you
And when you love it is natural to
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo

I'm so very Diga Diga Doo by nature
If you don't say Diga Diga to your mate
You're gonna lose your Poppa

So, let those funny people smile
How can there be a Virgin Isle with
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo.

(Instrumental Break)

(Scat Singing)
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
(More scat)
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
(More scat)
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo


(Transcribed from The Mills Brothers
recording by Bill Huntley - June 2005)


******


There are other verses to this song that are rarely heard.
Unfortunately, the only recording we have been able to find is
extremely difficult to transcribe. This is the best we can do:


There's a spot I know, a place I go
Somewhere by the sea
????? ????? at the boat
They palaver in a code

They command each other
Understand each other perfectly
Love ??????? that are free
You don't give them repartee

Wooing a tropical maiden
Doesn't need topical talk
You manouvre her and if you approve her
You can win her in a walk

Oh, Zulu man is feeling blue
Hear his heart beat a little tattoo
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
(Scat singing)

You love me and I love you
When you love it is natural to
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
(Scat singing)

I'm so very Diga Diga Doo by nature
If you don't say Diga Diga to your mate
You're gonna lose your Poppa

So, let those funny people smile
How can there be a Virgin Isle with
Diga Diga Doo, Diga Doo Doo
(Scat singing)


(Transcribed from a recording by Jack Hylton
& Chappie d'Amato by Mel Priddle - June 2005)


******


TRIVIA: In the Betty Grable version, the line
"How can there be a Virgin Isle" was replaced
by "Take me to that South Seas isle".


******