Yakety Yak

Album

Single

Label

ATCO Records

Genre

Novelty

Composer(s)

Jerry Leiber;Mike Stoller

Entered Chart

Jun 2, 1958

Peak Date

Jul 21, 1958

Released

April 1958

Recorded

March 17, 1958

Catalog #

Atco 6116

B-Side

Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart

This was written by the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who had written Elvis Presley's hits "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock." "Yakety Yak" was one of several hits they wrote for The Coasters. In the song, a kid is being scolded by his parents for not doing his chores. There are lots of social implications that can be read into this song, which was written by two Jewish men and sung by a black vocal group. In the book The History of Rock, Bill Millar writes: "The Coasters were clearly irreverent and opposed institutions that white adults held in high esteem. Authority, parents, fidelity, hard work, piety and the suppression of risky pleasures were questioned with a blood and subversive wit. Jews (Leiber and Stoller) and Southern blacks (the Coasters) were expected to show gratitude towards the system. Instead they stood up and criticized it, a theme that can be recognized in almost all their songs." King Curtis, who recorded as a solo artist for Atlantic Records in the '60s, played the famous saxophone solo. In 1963, Boots Randolph used this song as the basis for his instrumental "Yakety Sax." This opens the 1988 movie The Great Outdoors, starring John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. The Ripley family sings along with it as they drive to their vacation destination. The song was also featured on the soundtracks to Stand By Me (1986), Always (1989) and October Sky (1999). The rock band Phantom Planet also covered it for the 1999 film Mumford. Arnold Schwarzenegger (yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger) sings this in the 1988 comedy Twins. A re-mixed version by 2 Live Crew was used in the movie. This also showed up in these TV shows: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("Doink" - 2017) The Office ("The Sting" - 2010) Quantum Leap ("Good Morning, Peoria - September 9, 1959" - 1989) Rags to Riches ("Pilot" - 1987) In 2017, Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony recorded this with The Coasters (led by original member Leon Hughes). >>

Take out the papers and the trash
Or you don't get no spendin' cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
Yakety yak (don't talk back)

Just finish cleanin' up your room
Let's see that dust fly with that broom
Get all that garbage out of sight
Or you don't go out Friday night
Yakety yak (Don't talk back)

You just put on your coat and hat
And walk yourself to the laundromat
And when you finish doin' that
Bring in the dog and put out the cat
Yakety yak (Don't talk back)

Don't you give me no dirty looks
Your father's hip, he knows what cooks
Just tell your hoodlum friend outside
You ain't got time to take a ride
Yakety yak (Don't talk back)

Yakety yak, yakety yak
Yakety yak, yakety yak
Yakety yak, yakety yak...