Witch Doctor (song)

"Witch Doctor" is a 1958 American novelty song written and performed by Ross Bagdasarian, under his stage name David Seville. It became a number one hit and rescued Liberty Records from near-bankruptcy.[1]

"Witch Doctor"
Single by Ross Bagdasarian
from the album The Alvin Show
B-side"Don't Whistle at Me, Baby"
ReleasedApril 1, 1958 (1958-04-01)
RecordedJanuary 1, 1958 (1958-01-01)
Genre
Length2:15
LabelLiberty
Songwriter(s)Ross Bagdasarian
Producer(s)Ross Bagdasarian
Ross Bagdasarian singles chronology
"Witch Doctor"
(1958)		 "The Bird on My Head"
(1958)

Recording

The voice of the "Witch Doctor" in the song is Bagdasarian/Seville's own voice played at a higher speed, the same technique used later in 1958 to create the Chipmunks (also known as Alvin and the Chipmunks) beginning with The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late). The song was later re-recorded under the name Alvin and the Chipmunks. However, at the time of the original release of "Witch Doctor", the Chipmunks concept did not exist.

Chart performance

The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100, the predecessor to the Billboard Hot 100. The single was considered a major surprise hit on the chart, where it became Seville's first No. 1 single and stayed in the position for three weeks. The single also peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and on the Cash Box chart as well. The single sold over one million copies in the United States. Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song for 1958.[2]

Alvin and the Chipmunks versions

The song has gained further popularity due to multiple covers performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks. The first was for their 1960 album Sing Again with The Chipmunks, which would later be adapted into a musical segment on The Alvin Show. In 1983, they would perform this song on the Alvin and the Chipmunks episode "The Chipmunk Story" and the soundtrack Songs From Our TV Shows. The Chipmunk Adventure (1987) featured the song when sung by Mrs. Miller. The song was used for the opening of the 1990 TV special Rockin' Through the Decades in the style of various artists. In 1996, a dance mix cover was recorded for the album Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes. In 2007, a DeeTown cover (featuring Chris Classic) was recorded for the live-action/CGI Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. In 2012, they released a duet cover with the Chipettes entitled "Witch Doctor 2.0" available for digital download on the iTunes Store (although iTunes only credits the Chipmunks).

Cartoons version
"Witch Doctor"
Single by Cartoons
from the album Toonage
ReleasedOctober 26, 1998 (1998-10-26)
Recorded1998
GenreEurodance, novelty
Label
Songwriter(s)Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.
Producer(s)Cartoons
Cartoons singles chronology
"DooDah!"
(1998)		 "Witch Doctor"
(1998)		 "Yoko"
(1998)
Music video
"Witch Doctor" on YouTube

Danish band Cartoons covered "Witch Doctor" for their 1998 debut album, Toonage. Released on October 26, 1998, their version charted well in Europe, reaching the top 40 in several countries, including peaking at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in March 1999. A Spanish version and an Italian version both appear on the album Toontastic, while an Italian version also appears on the album More Toonage.

The Cartoons' cover was also featured in the Dancemania compilation series and Dance Dance Revolution game series, starting with DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix.

Track listings
CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Witch Doctor" (radio mix)3:05
2."Witch Doctor" (extended mix)4:14
3."Witch Doctor" (Out of Africa remix)5:09

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Platinum 600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Denmark October 26, 1998 (1998-10-26) CD
[19]
United Kingdom March 22, 1999 (1999-03-22)
  • CD
  • cassette
 [20]

References
  1. "How David Seville and The Witch Doctor Rescued Liberty Records". Black Gold Brooklyn. October 11, 2017. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020.
  2. "Number One Song of the Year: 1946–2014". Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture.
  3. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  4. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 15. April 11, 1999. p. 8. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  5. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor" (in French). Les classement single.
  6. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 25, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  8. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  9. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor". Top 40 Singles.
  10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  11. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor". Singles Top 100.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  13. "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  14. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  15. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  16. "Yearly Best Selling Singles" (PDF). British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  17. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. London, England: United Business Media. January 22, 2000. p. 27.
  18. "British single certifications – Cartoons – Witch Doctor". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  19. "Cartoons – Witch Doctor (1998)". Maniadb.com. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  20. "New Releases – For Week Starting 22 March, 1999" (PDF). Music Week. March 20, 1999. p. 27. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
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