[78-L] Dickey Doo & the Don'ts

[David Lennick]

http://www.answers.com/topic/dickey-doo-the-dont-s
Dickey Doo & the Dont's started out as a joke with a purpose. Gerry Granahan, a 
producer, songwriter, and performer needed an alias under which he could 
release his newest record without getting into legal trouble with another 
record label to which he was already under contract and the alias turned into a 
successful recording act. Granahan, born in Pittston, PA, was a musician and 
singer who'd handled demos for Hill & Range aimed at Elvis Presley. Signed to 
Sunbeam Records in 1957, he had a hit in mid-1958 with "No Chemise Please," a 
novelty song that got to number 23 on the Billboard chart. His next four 
singles stiffed, but then he found himself with a song that seemed like a 
certain hit, "Click Clack," and a label -- Swan Records of Philadelphia -- that 
wanted to release it; moreover, with Swan behind it, the label's silent 
partner, Dick Clark, would give it a boost on the local version of his daily 
music showcase, American Bandstand, thus ensuring it had every chance to become 
a hit. Granahan's different contractual relationships, with Sunbeam and an 
earlier contract with Atlantic, however, made it risky for him to release 
anything with Swan, at least under his own name. Thus were born Dickey Doo & 
the Dont's, a mythical act whose name would be attached to the song "Click 
Clack." Swan partner Tony Mammarella suggested the name Dickey Doo & the Dont's 
as an "in" joke that obliquely referred to Clark's secret involvement with 
Swan. The song broke out gradually and rose to number 28 during a 
three-and-a-half-month run. With a hit behind him, Granahan now faced another 
problem: coming up with a group to appear as Dickey Doo & the Dont's. He 
recruited a quartet -- Harvey Davis (bass), Al Ways (sax), Ray Gangi (guitar), 
and Dave Alldred (drums) -- to back him as Dickey Doo & the Dont's; Granahan 
was referred to on their recordings as Richard A. Doo. The quintet proved 
extremely popular in concert and charted more singles, including "Nee Nee Na Na 
Na Na Nu Nu," "Leave Me Alone," and "Teardrops Will Fall," over the next year 
and a half. By the 1960s, the group had left Swan and moved to the United 
Artists label, where they cut two albums and remained under contract until 
1965. Granahan continued his extensive activities as a producer during this 
period, working with the music of the Angels and Patty Duke, among others. 
Dickey Doo & the Dont's have never been compiled on one CD, but their music is 
spread among several compilations devoted to Swan Records and early '60s 
oldies. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

(Seems to suggest that it's only Granahan, with Alldred coming on board when an 
actual performing group was needed.)

dl

Stephen Davies wrote:
> Yes, folks,
>         it's nonsense / novelty, but there still has to be a right answer.
>         My Quality copy of "Click-Clack" (1958) lists Dickey Doo as 
> co-author, however BMI lists "Dicky Doo".  Which spelling is correct? 
> (I've even heard of a "Richard A Doo" in connection with the group.)
>         It is commonly understood that this is a pseudonym for Gerry 
> Granahan, who was working for the Swan label covertly.  However, BMI 
> doesn't reveal the author's identity.  It appears to infer that Dickey is 
> both Gerry Granahan AND Dave Alldred, the rock and roll drummer, because 
> they list Dicky Doo as co-author on several of Alldred's tunes prior to 
> his connection with Granahan.  (Here's a database that could stand some 
> more transparency.)
> 
>         See the label: 
>                 http://bigband-smallband.blogspot.com/#554436820518916381
>         See the BMI entry for Dickey Doo:
>                 http://tinyurl.com/mhupy7
> 
>         The "Lee" and "Grant" (generals?) who are co-credited on 
> "Click-clack" should be Aaron Schroeder and Jerry J Grant, respectively.
> 
> - Stephen D
> in Calgary
>