RUNNING JUMPING STANDING STILL
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
Australia 1967
#13 Melbourne

Single on Sunshine label by wild, progressive Melbourne R&B band formed by Doug Ford and Andy James after the break-up of Sydney band The Missing Links (see under Nervous Breakdown).

The band name is presumably in honour of Spike Milligan's short film The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959).

Not to be confused with Running Jumping Standing Still Band, a project of British songwriter John Carter, who issued the 1969 single Aye-Oh/Why Be Blue under this name. More about John Carter and associates at Knock Knock Who's There by Liv Maessen.

Further reading: Milesago's RJSS page.



 
Laurence Urdang, A Dictionary of Names and Nicknames (1991)
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
USA 1966

Single on A&M label. Some copies (including the Australian issue on Festival) mistakenly credit 'A. Christensen' as the songwriter. See label shots at Captain Beefheart Electricity.

THE REMAINS
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
USA 1966

Single on Epic label, released around the same time as the Captain Beefheart single: see the J-Files.

Boston band formed with fellow university students by Barry Tashian after he visited England and experienced 60s Britpop first hand. The Remains moved to New York, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and Hullabaloo, and toured with The Beatles in '66, but never had a national hit. Barry Tashian published a book, Ticket To Ride: The Extraordinary Diary of the Beatles' Last Tour, available through the official Remains website.

Reference: Remains page at the Ready Steady Go site, which includes an interview with Barry Tashian. See also Heart by Lynne Randell.

Not to be confused with The Re-mains, that fine Australian country rock band formed in 2002.
MIKE FURBER AND THE BOWERY BOYS
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
Australia 1966

On 1966 album on Kommotion label, Just A Poor Boy.

The Bowery Boys were formed in Brisbane in 1965. Lead singer Mike Furber (1948-1973) was given top billing after they were signed to Ivan Dayman's Sunshine label and management. After the band broke up in 1966, Mike Furber pursued an under-appreciated solo career, but in the early 70s he appeared to good notices in the gospel rock musical Godspell.

See also: You Stole My Love and Just A Poor Boy.

Further reading: Milesago's Mike Furber page for the story of ...the shy, sensitive and naïve young man who was chewed up and spat out by the frantic sixties Aussie pop music scene (Paul Culnane, Milesago).
THE TWILIGHTS
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
Australia 1966

On 1966 album on Columbia, The Twilights.
THE SONICS
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
USA

Circa 1966

Raw teen rock band from Tacoma in Washington State.

BO DIDDLEY
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
USA 1956
Original version

Single on Checker label. 

The song is sometimes attributed incorrectly to 'A. Christensen'. This may date from some misprinted labels on Captain Beefheart's 1966 single on A&M. See label shots at Captain Beefheart Electricity.
BLIND BLAKE
Diddie Wa Diddie
(Arthur Phelps [Blind Blake])
USA 1929
Red herring

Similar title but not the same song as 'Diddy Wah Diddy' by Running Jumping Standing Still.


Robert Crumb, All New Zap Comix

The two songs are easily confused, and the spelling variations don't make it any easier.

In summary, with the opening lines of each song:

Song #1 (Blind Blake) There's a great big mystery, and it sure is worrying me/ This Diddie Wa Diddie/ Mister Diddie Wa Diddie...:

  • Blind Blake - Diddie Wa Diddie (1928);
  • Ry Cooder - Ditty Wa Ditty (1974) on Paradise And Lunch;
  • Leon Redbone - Diddy Wah Diddie (1977) on Double Time;
  • Corey Harris - Diddy Wah Diddy (1999) on Greens From The Garden.
Song #2 (Willie Dixon-Bo Diddley) I got a gal in Diddy Wah Diddy/ Ain't no town and it ain't no city...:
  • Bo Diddley - Diddy Wah Diddy (1956);
  • The Sonics - Diddy Wah Diddy (1966);
  • The Twilights - Diddy Wah Diddy (1966) on The Twilights;
  • Mike Furber & Bowery Boys - Diddy Wah Diddy (1966) on Just A Poor Boy;
  • The Remains - Diddy Wah Diddy (1966);
  • Captn Beefheart & His Magic Band - Diddy Wah Diddy (1966);
  • Running Jumping Standing Still - Diddy Wah Diddy (1967);
  • Fabulous Thunderbirds - Diddy Wah Diddy (1982) on T-Bird Rhythm.
Running Jumping Standing Still's version has Got a girl called Diddy Wah Diddy/ Ain't no town, it ain't no city... which doesn't make as much sense, but in such a fine version I'm not quibbling.
MANFRED MANN
Do Wah Diddy Diddy
(Jeff Barry - Ellie Greenwich)
UK 1964
Red herring
#1 UK #1 USA #2 Sydney #3 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #1 Perth

Not to be confused with 'Diddy Wah Diddy' by Running Jumping Standing Still.

Hit version of the song originally recorded by The Exciters in 1963 (USA, #78 1964).

Also charted in 1990 by Australian band The Party Boys (#24 Adelaide).

Later versions:

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS
Diddy Wah Diddy
(Willie Dixon - Ellas McDaniel [Bo Diddley])
USA 1982
Later version

On 1982 album T-bird Rhythm.

Corrections or comments? Contact the writer.