Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas

For Karen H who has lost her pencil and needs something to distract her. LOL

My parents & I were on our way to California on vacation. They drove off and left me in a gas station restroom in Dumas, Texas. In the 50’s, Dumas was a pretty bleak West Texas small town. Or so it seemed to a shook up 11 year old. AND a sand storm was coming. I had been asleep in the back seat. Got out to use the facilities while Daddy pumped gas. They didn’t notice I wasn’t there and drove away. This was an early 50’s Cadillac. Approx. the size of a battle ship. I still remember that awful feeling of looking up/down the wide empty street & not seeing the car. I went to call my uncle in Houston over 600 miles away. Just as I was talking to him, my parents came screeching up. Mother turned to ask me if I wanted lunch & I wasn’t there!

For years, my uncle would sing “I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas” when he wanted to get me riled. Now, I sing what I can remember and my grandchildren fall down laughing. They think their old Nana has slipped a few cogs anyway. I live to entertain the young folks.

And, now, especially for Karen H. are song, the lyrics and the history of the song.



DING DONG DADDY FROM DUMAS
(Phil Baxter)

Recorded by : Louis Armstrong; Lawrence Brown; Eddie Condon;
Arthur Godfrey; Benny Goodman; Phil Harris: Eddy Howard;
Ben Pollack; Somethin' Smith; Squadronaires; Bob Wills


Now, I know all, you all don't know who I is
Because I just got here today
My hometown is a little town
Way down Dixie way

Now, everybody down there from miles around
All calls me by my name
Now that I'm up here
In your big city
I sure wish you'd all do the same

Because I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
And you oughtta see me do my stuff
Why, I'm a clean cut fella
From Hohner's Corner
Ooh, you oughtta see me strut

I'm a paper cuttin' cutie
Got a gal called, Katy
She's a little, heavy lady
And I call her baby

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
And you oughtta see me do my stuff
Yes, a ding dong daddy from Dumas
And you oughtta see me do my stuff

I'm a ping pong papa from Pitchfork Prairie
Oughtta see me strut

I'm a ding dong daddy
Got a whiz bang mama
She's a Bear Creek baby
And a whompous kitty

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
And you oughtta see me do my stuff

-Instrumental Break-

Just a ding dong daddy from Dumas
Ooh, you oughtta see me do my stuff

I'm a cornpone popper
And an apple knocker
You oughtta see me strut
I'm a momma lovin' man
And I just left Mary
She's a big blonde baby
From Peanut Prairie

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas now
And you oughtta see me do my stuff

-Instrumental Break-

Just a rinky dinky daddy from the Dumas
Who you'll see me doin' my stuff

I'm a peach pie papa
From Jackson's Holla
Ah, you oughtta see me strut

I'm a honey drippin' daddy
Got a hard-hearted baby
She's a sheep shakin' Sheba
And hallelujah!

I'm a ding dong daddy from Dumas
And you oughtta see me strut!



Legend of the Ding Dong Daddy

What is a Ding Dong Daddy?

This is the question most visitors to Dumas, Texas ask after arriving in the county seat city of Moore County, lodged in the near northwestern top of the Texas Panhandle.

Let’s go back to the beginning – First of all, the man who first developed the town was named Louis Dumas and the town was his namesake. This all took place in the late 1800’s as the Texas Panhandle was one of the final areas of the State of Texas to be developed from the raw prairie.

Dumas, the town developer, stayed in the city with his name only a short time, but the name remains to this day. And, what began as a dusty crossroads on the prairie above the “big blues” north and west of Amarillo above the Canadian River began to grow. First, the town was given little chance to survive, but the pioneer-stock was hardy stuff and they stuck it out. The small village was only 571 souls in the 1920’s and late in that decade a man who was to become a moderately successful band leader and song writer, Phil Baxter, chanced upon Dumas. He spent a few weeks in Dumas getting acquainted and after he had a steak continued his journey. Les than a year later Baxter penned the words and tune to a song which he name “I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas.”

The catchy song gained national recognition when Phil Harris, band leader for the Jack Benny Radio Show, recorded the song.

Dumas, like many smaller towns, grew and prospered during the years prior to and during World War II. During this time several industrial plants had been constructed and the town boasted 2,117 population in 1940. Shortly after the end of World War II, local Dumas residents organized and began operations of radio station KDDD. The three “D’s” came from the song – I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas.

Radio station KDDD used the song as its theme song and later early radio station manager, and later owner, Ken Duke, commission an Amarillo commercial artist, Hut Hutson, to create an image of the Ding Dong Daddy of the song.

As a result, Hutson created the caricature that is the “Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas” complete with radio microphone. The radio station copyrighted the caricature and used it as its trademark. The little Ding Dong Daddy became popular and in the early 1950’s KDDD loaned the logo to the Dumas Chamber of Commerce for use in promoting Dumas, with the provision that the logo not be used by any commercial business other than to boost Dumas.

A few years later, the Chamber of Commerce created a counterpart, giving life to the Ding Dong Dolly from Dumas.

Plastic pins of both the “Daddy” and “Dolly” have been give wide distribution over most of the Free World as Dumas residents have traveled and given away the small caricatures of plastic.

Today, the Moore County Historical Museum has on display the original artwork of the “Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas”, along with an autographed copy of the sheet music by Phil Baxter. Also a copy on tape of the portion of a radio broadcast interview with song writer Phil Baxter and KDDD’s Ken Duke made during the Dumas Dogie Day celebration in June, 1957.

So, you can see that there really is a “Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas” and holding or wearing one of the Daddy pins gives the owner an attitude of being a part of the great heritage of the Panhandle of Dumas, Texas.

Except courtesy of “Our Town – Dumas” by Jay B. Funk.