Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep
Encyclopedia
"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" is a song recorded in early 1971 by its composer Lally Stott
, and made popular later that year by Scottish band Middle of the Road for whom it was a UK number one chart hit. That version is one of the fewer than thirty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.
The original recording, by its composer Stott, was a good hit in France (Top 15), a minor hit in Italy
and Australia
as well as on the Billboard Hot 100
, where it charted but failed to achieve significant success. Stott's record company Philips
were reluctant to release it overseas so he offered it to Scottish folk-pop group Middle Of The Road who were working in Italy at the time. The song became a large hit on the continent initially but became a hit in the UK as returning holidaymakers searched out a copy. It nearly flopped in the UK as Mac and Katie Kissoon
released a version just before them, but aided by the patronage of DJ Tony Blackburn
it became a massive hit. It reached #1 in the UK for five weeks in June 1971, whilst the Kissoon version failed to chart in the UK but reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
Dismissed by critics as bubblegum
at the time, this was also a view initially held by band leader Ken Andrews: "We were as disgusted with the thought of recording it as most people were at the thought of buying it. But at the end of the day, we liked it."
The song appears as a cover on a 1973 live record by the Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea.
It was later referenced in the Denim
song Middle of the Road in 1992
, and more recently covered by novelty act Cartoons
.
It is featured in the Neil Jordan film Breakfast on Pluto
.
The song has been covered in many languages, including Catalan, Vietnamese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish and German. A dance song in German to the same tune, Reiss die Hütte ab (Tear The Hut Down), was recorded by Mickie Krause (Apres Ski Hits 2003).
The PJ Harvey
song Nina In Ecstasy contains an interpolation
of the lines "Where's your mama gone (Where's your mama gone) / Far far away".
The song was featured on the Top of the Pops, Volume 18
album.
The song was also covered by the British band Lush
in 1990 and released on the compilation album Alvin Lives (in Leeds).
Norwegian comedy duo Tom Mathisen
and Herodes Falsk
made a tongue-in-cheek
parody
of this song in Norwegian for their album Børre & Gibb's Happy Hour (52 min.) (1995).
The name of the song was parodied in the title of Father Ted
episode Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep
.
Lally Stott
Harold "Lally" Stott was a British songwriter from Prescot, Lancashire, who scored a hit with his song Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep. He wrote the song, which became a #1 hit for the Scottish band Middle of the Road in the UK in 1971 and a #20 hit in the US for Mac & Katie Kissoon the same year...
, and made popular later that year by Scottish band Middle of the Road for whom it was a UK number one chart hit. That version is one of the fewer than thirty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.
The original recording, by its composer Stott, was a good hit in France (Top 15), a minor hit in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as well as on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, where it charted but failed to achieve significant success. Stott's record company Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
were reluctant to release it overseas so he offered it to Scottish folk-pop group Middle Of The Road who were working in Italy at the time. The song became a large hit on the continent initially but became a hit in the UK as returning holidaymakers searched out a copy. It nearly flopped in the UK as Mac and Katie Kissoon
Mac and Katie Kissoon
Mac and Katie Kissoon is a male / female vocal duo, consisting of brother and sister Mac Kissoon and Katie Kissoon...
released a version just before them, but aided by the patronage of DJ Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
it became a massive hit. It reached #1 in the UK for five weeks in June 1971, whilst the Kissoon version failed to chart in the UK but reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Dismissed by critics as bubblegum
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
at the time, this was also a view initially held by band leader Ken Andrews: "We were as disgusted with the thought of recording it as most people were at the thought of buying it. But at the end of the day, we liked it."
The song appears as a cover on a 1973 live record by the Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea.
It was later referenced in the Denim
Denim (band)
Denim is an American band based in Austin, Texas formed in 1970. 1980 saw some members of Denim join in a different project, "The Austin All-Stars". The All-Stars were a premiere party band in Austin, playing at the Steamboat on 6th street regularly...
song Middle of the Road in 1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
, and more recently covered by novelty act Cartoons
Cartoons (band)
Cartoons, also known as Cartoons DK are a technobilly/glam pop band from Denmark, best known for their 1998 Eurodance cover of the 1958 novelty song, "Witch Doctor" by Ross Bagdasarian, as well as for their outlandish plastic costumes and wigs used in live performances as caricatures of 1950s...
.
It is featured in the Neil Jordan film Breakfast on Pluto
Breakfast on Pluto (film)
Breakfast on Pluto is a 2005 comedy-drama film directed by Neil Jordan and based on the novel of the same name by Patrick McCabe, as adapted by Jordan and McCabe...
.
The song has been covered in many languages, including Catalan, Vietnamese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish and German. A dance song in German to the same tune, Reiss die Hütte ab (Tear The Hut Down), was recorded by Mickie Krause (Apres Ski Hits 2003).
The PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...
song Nina In Ecstasy contains an interpolation
Interpolation (music)
Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...
of the lines "Where's your mama gone (Where's your mama gone) / Far far away".
The song was featured on the Top of the Pops, Volume 18
Top of the Pops, Volume 18
Top of the Pops, Volume 18 is an album released in 1971 of the Top of the Pops album series. This album reached No. 1 on the UK album charts, much to the shock of the British music press. The album consisted of sound-alike covers of popular hits of the day, and is now widely regarded as a "Classic"...
album.
The song was also covered by the British band Lush
Lush (band)
Lush were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1998. They were one of the first bands to attract the "shoegazing" label...
in 1990 and released on the compilation album Alvin Lives (in Leeds).
Norwegian comedy duo Tom Mathisen
Tom Mathisen
Tom Mathisen is a Norwegian comedian, actor, screenwriter and musician. He usually handles bass, guitar and vocals. He was in the comedy group Prima Vera from 1976 to 1983 along with Jahn Teigen and Herodes Falsk. Later he continued to work with Herodes Falsk on many tv/scene shows and records...
and Herodes Falsk
Herodes Falsk
Kim Bård Hansen , better known by his stage name Herodes Falsk, is a Norwegian comedian, actor and songwriter. Falsk is probably best known for his work with the musical comedy trio Prima Vera alongside Jahn Teigen and Tom Mathisen, and for his longtime collaboration with Mathisen after Prima...
made a tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of this song in Norwegian for their album Børre & Gibb's Happy Hour (52 min.) (1995).
The name of the song was parodied in the title of Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
episode Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep
Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep
"Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep" is the second episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.-Synopsis:Ted bets the entire heating allowance budget for the year on the King of the Sheep competition on Chris, a sheep who has won several times and is considered a sure thing. Unfortunately,...
.