Tune Tuesday – A Birthday Song (Sort of)

Today my second oldest son, Dimitri turns 17 years old. When I saw that Tune Tuesday fell on his birthday, I wanted to feature a song that has a connection to him. The one I have selected is probably unknown to you, because it was never a radio hit (although, you can hear it on the Disney Music channel on Sirius XM now).

At first, I thought about the various songs that I used to sing to the kids at bedtime when they were babies/toddlers. Each has one specific song that was unique to them (almost all are from Dean Martin). Then I recalled a Facebook video that recently popped up in the memory feed. Dimitri is probably about 2 or 3 in the video. He is sitting in his car seat and I toss the first line of the song to him and he sings the rest of it. I love that I have this video. If I could figure out how to get it here, I would, but for now, I will let you listen to the original.

Background. Dimitri was born in 2007. That same year, a new cartoon came out on Disney Channel/Disney XD called Phineas and Ferb. It is about two boys and how they spend their summer vacation. Every day, the boys undertake the construction of a grand project, or embark on a spectacular adventure, to make the most of their time on vacation. This annoys their controlling older sister, Candace, who frequently tries to expose their schemes to her and Phineas’s mother. The series follows a standard plot system; running gags occur in every episode. They built a rollercoaster, traveled back in time, created a beach in their back yard, build a pirate ship, have a chariot race through their town, build a mini golf course, and even a haunted house.

The song I chose for today is from the episode entitled, “Flop Starz” in which Phineas and Ferb spend the day writing a “one hit wonder.” Their mom has explained that the one hit wonder should have nonsensical lyrics and a catchy melody. When it becomes a huge hit, the singer should throw a diva-type tantrum that will end their career. Then the song would be featured as elevator music. The singer does one more reunion tour and never sing again. (They have no idea that their mom actually did have a one hit wonder and that was the path of her career, as we see it in a flashback as she explains to them.)

The song that they write, and ultimately perform on stage at the auditions for The Next Super American Pop Teen Idol Star was called “Gitchee Gitchee Goo.” Are you still with me? The more I write, the more I am trying to “edit” this to a simple intro … and cannot. So I will just move on.

This song is what led the creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh to create an original song in each episode of the show. For the episode, the song only runs for about a minute, but there was an extended version that was included on the Soundtrack for the show. I am not embarrassed to say that I know all the words and will sing along to this. For a cartoon song, I will say it is better than some of the songs that were actual hits!

It is hard to believe that my son is 17 today! There have been a lot of changes in our lives since he was singing Gitchee Gitchee Goo in the backseat of my car! Any time I listen to this song, I picture him singing it. It always makes me smile.

Happy Birthday, Dimitri! Sit back and listen to Phineas and the Ferbtones! I love you, kiddo!

Gitchee Gitchee Goo

Ladies and gentlemen, the Ferbettes
I’m Phineas and this is Ferb
And we’re gonna sing a song

Bow chika, bow, bow
That’s what my baby says
Mow, mow, mow and my heart starts pumpin’
Chicka chicka choo wap
Never gonna stop
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you

My baby’s got her own way of talking
Whenever she says something sweet
And she knows it’s my world she’s a-rockin’
Though my vocabulary’s incomplete
And though it may sound confusing
Sometimes I wish she’d give it to me straight
But I never feel like I’m losing (losing)
When I take the time to translate
Here’s what I’m talking ’bout

Bow chicka bow wow, that’s what my baby says!
Mow, mow, mow and my heart starts pumpin’
Chicka chicka choo wap
Never gonna stop
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you

Well I don’t know what to do (I don’t know what to do)
But I think I’m getting through (I think I’m getting through)
‘Cause when I say I love you (when I say I love you)
She says “I gitchee gitchee goo you too”
Gitchee gitchee goo you too
Gitchee gitchee goo you too
Gitchee gitchee goo you too
Don’t need a dictionary!

Bow chicka, bow, wow, that’s what my baby says!
Mow mow mow and my heart starts pumpin’
Chicka chicka choo wap
Never gonna stop
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you

I said bow, chicka, bow-wow
That’s what my baby says
Mow, mow, mow
And my heart starts pumpin’
Chicka, chicka, choo wap
Never gonna stop
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you
Baby, baby, baby (baby, baby, baby, baby)
Gitchee gitchee goo means that I love you