Da Doo Ron Ron#Johnny Hallyday version (in French)
{{Short description|1963 single by The Crystals}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)
| image = Da doo ron ron by the crystals US single side-A.png
| alt =
| caption = One of side-A labels of the US single
| type = single
| artist = the Crystals
| album =
| B-side = Git' It
| released = April 1963
| recorded = March 1963
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = R&B, pop, rock and roll
| length = 2:18
| label = Philles
| writer = Phil Spector
Jeff Barry
Ellie Greenwich
| producer = Phil Spector
| prev_title = He's Sure the Boy I Love
| prev_year = 1962
| next_title = Then He Kissed Me
| next_year = 1963
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{youTube|S-OTd7DXjlo|"Da Doo Ron Ron"}}}}
{{Audio sample
| type = single
| file =
| description = "Da Doo Ron Ron"{{ffdc|1=|log=2024 April 1|date=June 2024}}
}}
}}
"Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. It first became a popular top five hit single for the American girl group the Crystals in 1963. American teen idol Shaun Cassidy recorded the song in 1977 and his version hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. There have also been many other cover versions of this song, including one by the songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich themselves, performing as the Raindrops.
Composition
The song is the first collaboration in songwriting by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. The song was composed over two days in Spector's office in New York. The title "Da Doo Ron Ron" was initially just nonsense syllables used as dummy line to separate each stanza and chorus until proper lyrics could be written, but Spector liked it so much that he kept it. Phil Spector did not want lyrics that were too cerebral and would interfere with a simple boy-meets-girl story line.{{cite web |url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4079 |title=Da Doo Ron Ron by The Crystals |work= Song Facts }} The rhymes of the opening lines, "I met him on a Monday and my heart stood still ... Somebody told me that his name was Bill" was inspired by Bill Walsh, a friend of Spector who happened to visit Spector while the three were writing the song.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AtGGsfW10d0C&pg=PA129 |title=Tearing Down The Wall of Sound: The Rise And Fall of Phil Spector|last= Brown |first= Mick |page=129 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |location=New York City |date=April 7, 2008 |isbn=978-0747572473 }}
The Crystals' original version
=Background=
The Crystals recorded "Da Doo Ron Ron" in March 1963 at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles. It was produced by Phil Spector in his Wall of Sound style. Jack Nitzsche was the arranger and Larry Levine the engineer. The drummer was Hal Blaine.Weinberg, Max, The Big Beat: Conversations with Rock's great drummers, Billboard Books, NY 1991, c1988 p.85 Dolores "LaLa" Brooks was the lead vocalist. Brooks told the syndicated radio program Solid Gold Weekend that Cher was one of the singers backing her lead vocals.[https://soundcloud.com/user-314601097/la-la-brooks-of-the-crystals-interview-on-solid-gold-weekend SoundCloud interview]{{dead link|date=September 2016}} According to session vocalist Darlene Love of the Blossoms, Spector originally had her (Love) sing lead on the song in the studio, but he decided to record it with Brooks on lead vocals at the last minute.{{Cite magazine|last=Browne|first=David|date=2013-06-20|title=Darlene Love: Let Love Rule|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/darlene-love-let-love-rule-190287/|access-date=2020-12-18|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}
On June 8, 1963, it reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100,Whitburn, Joel, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, Billboard Books, NY 1992 p. 121 and on June 22, 1963, number four on the Cash Box chart.{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19630622.html|title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles|work=Cash Box|date=June 22, 1963|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029120116/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19630622.html|archive-date=October 29, 2007|url-status=dead}} It also reached number five in the UK.Phil Spector: Back to MONO (1958–1969) ABKCO Records, 1991, liner notes
{{blockquote|That's gold. That's solid gold coming out of that speaker.|Spector to Sonny Bono, after listening to the final playback of "Da Doo Ron Ron".{{cite book|first=Paul|last=Du Noyer|year=2003|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music|edition=1st|publisher=Flame Tree Publishing|location=Fulham, London|isbn=1-904041-96-5|page=14}}}}
Cash Box said that the song "relates the joy of a gal who has found THE guy, and it's done with appropriate good rock feeling," calling it a "solid follow-up to" the Crystals' previous hit "He's Sure the Boy I Love."{{cite magazine |title=CashBox Record Reviews |date=April 13, 1963 |page=8 |access-date=2022-01-12 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1963/CB-1963-04-13.pdf |magazine=Cash Box}}
In 2004, the Crystals' song was ranked number 114 on Rolling Stone{{'}}s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595959/da_doo_ron_ron_when_he_walked_me_home/1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114111320/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595959/da_doo_ron_ron_when_he_walked_me_home/1|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 14, 2009|title=The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 21, 2008}} It was, however, removed from the same list in the 2010 update, being the highest-ranked of the 26 songs that were removed. But it was reinstated at No. 366 in the 2021 update. It was listed at number 528 by Q Magazine in their list of The 1001 Best Songs Ever, published in 2003. Berlin Media listed the song at number 43 on their list of The 100 Best Singles of All Time list published in 1998. It was also recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock". Billboard named the song #55 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.{{cite magazine|title=100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7857816/100-greatest-girl-group-songs|magazine=Billboard|date=July 10, 2017|access-date=July 11, 2017}}
=Chart performance=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| align="left"|Chart (1963)
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak |
|---|
| Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)[http://chumtribute.com/63-06-17-chart.jpg CHUM Hit Parade, June 17, 1963]
| style="text-align:center;"|3 |
| align="left"|Ireland (IRMA)
| style="text-align:center;"|3 |
| align="left"|South Africa (RiSA){{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UgsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA34|title=Billboard Magazine, October 19, 1963 |magazine=Billboard|date=19 October 1963}}
| style="text-align:center;"|2 |
| align="left"|UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
| style="text-align:center;"|5 |
| align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|3 |
| align="left"|U.S. Cash Box
| style="text-align:center;"|4 |
| {{Single chart|West Germany|22|artist=The Crystals|song=Da Doo Ron Ron|songid=7603|year=1963|access-date=March 2, 2020}} |
Shaun Cassidy version
{{Infobox song
| name = Da Doo Ron Ron
| cover = Da doo ron ron by shaun cassidy US single.png
| alt = cover art
| caption = US single picture sleeve
| type = single
| artist = Shaun Cassidy
| album = Shaun Cassidy
| B-side = Holiday
| released = March 1977
| recorded = 1976
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Bubblegum pop{{cite book|title= Night Moves - Pop Music in the Late 70s|first1=Don|last1=Breithaupt|first2= Jeff|last2= Breithaupt|date= July 17, 2000|chapter= Sweathog Nation: Bubblegum|page= 31|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|isbn=978-0-312-19821-3|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kh04AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT95}}
| length = 2:50
| writer = Phil Spector
Jeff Barry
Ellie Greenwich
| producer = Michael Lloyd
| prev_title = Be My Baby
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = That's Rock 'n' Roll
| next_year = 1977
}}
=Background=
"Da Doo Ron Ron" was covered in 1977 by teen idol Shaun Cassidy on his first solo LP, Shaun Cassidy, launching his career. His version was produced by Michael Lloyd and issued on Warner. It peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web|url=http://www.top40db.net/Find/Songs.asp?By=Artist&ID=1943&Match=Shaun+Cassidy |title=Shaun Cassidy lyrics |publisher=Top40db.net |access-date=September 1, 2013}} (The words were changed slightly to make it a boy-girl song, after The Searchers' cover version.) The song was his first of three consecutive Top 10 U.S. hits. Cassidy's cover of "Da Doo Ron Ron" spent 22 weeks on the chart. It became a gold record, as did all of Cassidy's first three single releases.{{cite web|url=http://www.superseventies.com/singlesbymonth77.html |title=1977 Singles - Month By Month |publisher=Superseventies.com |access-date=September 1, 2013}}
=Chart performance=
{{col-begin|width=60%}}
{{col-2}}
==Weekly charts==
{{col-2}}
==Year-end charts==
| class="wikitable" |
| align="left"|Chart (1977)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |
|---|
| Canada (RPM){{cite web |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5502a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5502a.gif |title=Top 200 singles of 1977 |work=RPM|date=July 17, 2013 }}
| style="text-align:center;"|10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1977.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-09-27}}
| style="text-align:center;"|45 |
| U.S. Cash Box {{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1977YESP.html|title=Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1977|website=tropicalglen.com|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020124405/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1977YESP.html|archive-date=October 20, 2018|url-status=dead}}
| style="text-align:center;"|47 |
{{col-end}}
Johnny Hallyday version (in French)
{{Infobox song
| name = Da dou ron ron
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Johnny Hallyday
| album = Le Pénitencier
| B-side = Comme une ombre sur moi
| released = {{Start date|1963|06|29}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = R&B, pop, rock and roll
| length = 2:18
| label = Philips
| writer = Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
| producer = Lee Hallyday
| prev_title = Les Bras en croix" / "Quitte-moi doucement" / "Quand un air vous possède
| prev_title2 = Quitte-moi doucement" / "Quand un air vous possède" / "Dis-moi oui
| prev_year = 1963
| next_title = Ma guitare
| next_year = 1963
| misc = {{External music video
| type = single
| header = Audio
| 1={{YouTube|Q6faJr0QAJ4|"Da dou ron ron"}}
}}
}}
The song was covered in French by Johnny Hallyday. His version (titled "Da dou ron ron") was released in June 1963 and spent 12 weeks at no. 1 on the singles sales chart in France (from July 7 to September 13 and from September 21 to October 11).{{cite web|url=http://hit-parade.net/titre/53/da-dou-ron-ron|title=Da Dou Ron Ron - Johnny Hallyday - Hit-Parade.net|access-date=2017-11-13}} In Wallonia (French speaking Belgium) his single spent 24 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/fr/song/1a397/Johnny-Hallyday-Da-dou-ron-ron|title=ultratop.be - Johnny Hallyday - Da dou ron ron|website=Ultratop|access-date=2017-11-13}}
=Charts=
Sylvie Vartan version
{{Infobox song
| name = Da dou ron ron
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Sylvie Vartan
| album = Shang shang a lang
| B-side = Rock'n'roll man
| released = November 1974
| recorded = Fall 1974
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country rock
| length = 2:47
| label = RCA
| writer = Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
| producer = Jean Renard
| prev_title = Bye bye Leroy Brown
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = Shang shang a lang
| next_year = 1974
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|5l1WtLLmo34|"Da dou ron ron"}}}}
}}
The French adaptation was covered 11 years later by Sylvie Vartan (Hallyday's then wife) for her 1974 studio album "Shang shang a lang", featuring two covers of her then-husband's songs, produced by Veteran French producer Jean Renard. The B-Side to Vartan's version is an English-language cover of Hallyday's song, "Rock'n'roll man", also featured on the aforementioned album, of whom Hallyday's version was released around the same time, being featured on Hallyday's 1974 studio album "Rock 'n' Slow", also produced by Renard. Vartan's version peaked at number 48 on the Wallonia Charts on December 28, 1974.{{Cite web |title=Ultratop Singles Top 50 - ultratop.be |url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/ultratop50/1974/19741228#48 |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=www.ultratop.be}} Vartan and Hallyday also performed the song together on French TV on June 21, 1975.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNnXv-kYZ68 |title=Johnny Hallyday et Sylvie Vartan "Da dou ron ron" {{!}} Archive INA |language=en |access-date=2024-05-11 |via=www.youtube.com}}
=Charts=
| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart (1974) !align="center"|Peak |
| align="left"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)
|align="center"|48 |
Other versions
- Swedish singer Claes Dieden recorded a version of the song and released in as a single in early 1969; it became a large hit in Sweden, reaching number #1 on Tio i Topp and number #2 on sales chart Kvällstoppen.{{Cite book |last1=Hallberg |first1=Eric |title=Tio i Topp - med de utslagna "på försök" 1961–74 |last2=Henningsson |first2=Ulf |publisher=Premium |year=2012 |isbn=978-91-89136-89-2 |page=117 |language=sv}}
- Ian Matthews recorded an a cappella version of the song for his 1971 album Tigers Will Survive: issued as a single in January 1972 the track afforded Matthews his Billboard Hot 100 debut as a solo act albeit with a #96 peak,Billboard vol # (29 Jan 1972) p.70{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ian-matthews/chart-history/hsi/|title=Ian Matthews|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 7, 2021}} and #68 in Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7728.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - March 25, 1972}}
- Australian Debra Byrne released a single of "Da Doo Ron Ron" in 1974, which peaked at number 29 on the Australian Kent Music Report.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} The song is included on her debut studio album, She's a Rebel.
- The Beach Boys recorded a version (with Carl Wilson on lead vocals) in 1979 during the sessions for their 1980 album Keepin' the Summer Alive;{{cite web |last1=Doe |display-authors=etal |first1=Andrew G. |title=Gigs & Sessions 1980 |url=http://bellagio10452.com/gigs79.html |website=Bellagio10452.com |publisher=Andrew G. Doe |access-date=January 10, 2025}} however, it remained unreleased until 2013, when it was included in the box set Made in California. Their version is gender-swapped, sung from a male's perspective; "Bill" is changed to "Jill".
- Carpenters recorded a cover version which appeared on their 1973 album Now and Then.
See also
- "Car Crazy Cutie", a 1963 Beach Boys song with similar nonsense syllables.
- National League North side Southport FC come out to the Crystals' version of this song on matchdays.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{YouTube|mwtz_JTlsAQ|The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)}}
- {{YouTube|rByZnDh9PFY|Shaun Cassidy - Da Doo Ron Ron}}
{{The Crystals}}
{{Phil Spector}}
{{Johnny Hallyday}}
{{Shaun Cassidy}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Johnny Hallyday songs
Category:Songs written by Ellie Greenwich
Category:Songs written by Jeff Barry
Category:Songs written by Phil Spector
Category:Song recordings produced by Phil Spector
Category:Song recordings produced by Michael Lloyd
Category:Song recordings with Wall of Sound arrangements
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Philles Records singles