We’re talking non-lexical vocables today.

“A song doesn’t exist to convey the meaning of the words, the words exist to convey the meaning of the song.”
--Simon Frith

Nonsense words, syllables, sounds, meaningless refrains and choruses from songs is the theme.

And I just can’t wait to get to my next editing session so I can pick everyone’s brains on this…but my fear is that they’re all so young they’re gonna cite dozens of songs I never heard of and I’ll be sittin there reaffirming my antiquity with every one I come up with…so I’ll get them out now and maybe see what I can collect from them later.

I am the walrus,
Coo coo, kachoo.

Doo-wah-diddy-diddy-dom-diddy-do

‘Da Doo Ron Ron Ron Da Doo Ron Ron

The Night they drove ole dixie down and all the people were singin
they went, nah-na-na-na-na-nah- na-na--na-na--na-na-na-na-nah….

Zip A Dee Do Da, Zip a dee day.

“A-wop-bop-a-loo-a-whop bam boo

Polly Wolly Doodle all de day.

"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, life goes on, braaah

…the halls with boughs of holly, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Do you remember when, we used to sing—
Sha la la la la la la-la la la la ti da.

Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop,
Shimmy Shimmy Bop!

who put the bomp in the bomp ba bomp ba bom
who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong

Walla Walla Bing Bang

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing
Do-wa-do-wa-do-wa-do-wa-do-wa-do-wa-do-wow.

B’daaa’ b’daa, b’daa, b’daa…daaaat’s all folks.

Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best…
--Frank Zappa

Always get a kick out of those terrible old movies where for whatever reasons they carved out some time to feature a musical interlude or two featuring great artists, and suddenly the screen lights up for a few minutes before it’s back to the turgid little melodrama. If I find time, I’ll see if I can put together a collection of some of the best of those scenes…in meantime, here’s Louis and Billie, looking so young and fresh and perfect together. Billie sounds great on the first one, and the second one is kinda corny, but Louis can't do any wrong in my eyes and how sweet it is to see Billie smiling, laughing and looking so happy.