Peak
1
Weeks
17
Score
3,181
Chart Year
1972
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Even though he wrote many rock classics, this novelty song is Berry's only #1 hit. The song is about a young boy who discovers his penis. Berry was good at making sexual references that did not seem offensive. While many rock scholars dismiss this song as a senseless novelty ditty, Berry is quite proud of the song. He told Rolling Stone in 2010 that he wanted to be a comedian at one point, and enjoys getting a laugh. He added that the song was originally about a ring sliding onto a finger (as a metaphor for sex), but he toned it down and recorded it as "Little Girl Sing Ting-A-Ling" in 1968. In 1972 he turned it into "Ding-a-Ling," earning him a #1 hit and a check for $200,000. Although Berry is credited as the composer, Dave Bartholomew claimed authorship of the song, as he released the similar-sounding "Little Girl Sing Ding-a-Ling" in 1952. Bartholomew as a bandleader who collaborated with Fats Domino on the hits "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That A Shame." An interesting thing about the chart life of this song: The week this debuted (at #99 on the "Billboard" Hot 100), the reissue of the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" debuted at #100; three weeks after "My Ding-a-Ling" hit #1, "Nights" peaked at #2. Berry had only one Top 40 hit after "My Ding-a-Ling" - a PG-rated version of his late '50s hit "Reelin' and 'Rockin" backed by a live version of "Johnny B. Goode." All three songs were recorded at the same concert, with the album version of Johnny B. Goode concluding with an announcer pleading with the crowd to make room so that Pink Floyd could perform later that night. This song was recorded live at the Coventry Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry, Warwickshire, England as part of the Lanchester Arts Festival. The concert nearly did not happen as Chuck Berry turned up over 1.5 hours late, and in a worse for wear state. >>
We got to do our alma matter, we must do our alma matter When I was a little bitty boy My grandmother bought me a cute little toy Silver bells hanging on a string She told me it was my ding-a-ling-a-ling, oh My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Hmm, and then mama took me to grammar school But I stopped off in the vestibule Every time that bell would ring Catch me playing with my ding-a-ling-a-ling, oh My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! Oh, that is beautiful You know what I heard, I heard I heard two girls over here singing in harmony, that's all right, honey This is a free country, live like you wanna live, baby! Yeah, ain't nobody gonna knock it, doll, mm-mm Yeah, freedom Yes sir, there's one guy right over here singin' "mine" too, that's all right, brother! Yes sir, you got a right, baby, ain't nobody gonna bother you, tell you Once I was climbing the garden wall I slipped and had a terrible fall I fell so hard I heard bells ring But held on to my ding-a-ling-a-ling My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! Hmm, you know that's future parliament out there singin'? Oh yeah! (yeah!) Hmm, once I was swimming 'cross turtle creek Man, them snappers all around my feet Sure was hard swimming 'cross that thing With both hands holding my ding-a-ling Oh, my ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! That's so beautiful I think it's a beautiful little song, really I do And guess what, everybody's still not singing There's a few right down front here that's not singing We're gonna dedicate this verse to those who will not sing, yes sir Hmm, this here song it ain't so sad The cutest little song you ever had Those of you who will not sing You must be playing with your own ding-a-ling My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! My ding-a-ling, my ding-a-ling, I want you to play with my ding-a-ling! Oh, your own, ding-a-ling, your own ding-a-ling, we saw you playing with your ding-a-ling Oh, my ding-a-ling, everybody sing, I want to play with my, everybody My ding-a-ling, oh, my, ding-a-ling Slow down, I want to play, everybody, with my ding-a-ling!
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 5, 1972 | 99 | 27 |
| 2 | Aug 12, 1972 | 82 | 44 |
| 3 | Aug 19, 1972 | 71 | 55 |
| 4 | Aug 26, 1972 | 63 | 63 |
| 5 | Sep 2, 1972 | 42 | 84 |
| 6 | Sep 9, 1972 | 31 | 95 |
| 7 | Sep 16, 1972 | 26 | 100 |
| 8 | Sep 23, 1972 | 20 | 106 |
| 9 | Sep 30, 1972 | 13 | 113 |
| 10 | Oct 7, 1972 | 9 | 117 |
| 11 | Oct 14, 1972 | 7 | 119 |
| 12 | Oct 21, 1972 | 1 | 125 |
| 13 | Oct 28, 1972 | 1 | 125 |
| 14 | Nov 4, 1972 | 3 | 123 |
| 15 | Nov 11, 1972 | 7 | 119 |
| 16 | Nov 18, 1972 | 14 | 112 |
| 17 | Nov 25, 1972 | 32 | 94 |