The first time in memory that I heard Ding Dong, Ding Dong was when I bought the 2014 George Harrison: The Apple Years 1968-75 box set. Not only are there the first six of Geo’s solo albums but one DVD that has over 30 minutes of this and that, including two videos of this song. I will warn you that it is an insidious earworm, so beware.
Other than where I first heard it, I didn’t know a lot about the tune. Thankfully wikipedia has a wealth of information on it. I will include just the first 3 paragraphs, but there is a lot more to know, so click the wikipedia link to take you there. I’ve added the links within the material.
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” … was written as a New Year’s Eve singalong and released in December 1974 on Geo’s album Dark Horse. It was the album’s lead single in Britain and some other European countries, and the second single, after “Dark Horse“, in North America. A large-scale production, the song incorporates aspects of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound technique, particularly his Christmas recordings from 1963. In addition, some Harrison biographers view “Ding Dong” as an attempt to emulate the success of two glam rock anthems from the 1973–74 holiday season: “Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade, and Wizzard’s “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday“. The song became only a minor hit in Britain and the United States, although it was a top-twenty hit elsewhere in the world.
Harrison took the lyrics to “Ding Dong” from engravings he found at his nineteenth-century home, Friar Park, in Oxfordshire – a legacy of its eccentric founder, Frank Crisp. The song’s “Ring out the old, ring in the new” refrain has invited interpretation as Harrison distancing himself from his past as a member of the Beatles, and as the singer saying farewell to his first marriage to Pattie Boyd. … Recorded at his Friar Park studio, the track includes musical contributions from Tom Scott, Ringo Starr, Alvin Lee, Ron Wood and Jim Keltner.
On release, the song met with an unfavorable response from many music critics, while others considered its musical and lyrical simplicity to be a positive factor for a contemporary pop hit. For the first time with one of his singles, Harrison made a promotional video for “Ding Dong“, which features scenes of him miming to the track at Friar Park while dressed in a variety of Beatle-themed costumes. The song still receives occasional airplay over the holiday season.
I also want to talk about a phenomenal cover of the song by The Analogues that I ran across while looking for the original. Not only did The Analogues cover this tune, they’ve covered many Beatles songs with such precision that your ears will be both shocked and delighted simultaneously.
More about The Analogues from my old pal, wiki:
The Analogues are a Dutch tribute act to the Beatles. Founded in 2014, the Analogues’ ambition has been to perform live the Beatles’ music from their later studio years, using analogue and period-accurate instrumentation. The Analogues distinguished themselves by performing songs and whole albums live, which the Beatles never played live. While the band does not attempt to look like the Beatles, they have been noted for accurately recreating and reproducing their music and sound.
From 2015 to 2016, the Analogues went on their first tour both in the Netherlands and abroad, performing the Magical Mystery Tour album. In 2017, the band toured with a complete performance of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, including a performance at the 17,000-capacity Amsterdam Ziggo Dome on 1 June 2017 to celebrate the album’s 50-year existence. In June 2017, Dutch public-service broadcaster NTR aired a one-hour documentary on the band’s painstaking process of analyzing the Beatles’ compositions and experimental use of studio equipment, as well as acquiring the proper analogue instruments, in preparation of live rendition of the Sgt. Pepper’s album. Before an album can be performed, the multi-layered arrangements are fully written out by the band. From 2018 to 2019, the Analogues toured the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK, playing The Beatles, also known as The White Album.
To sound as close to the original recordings as possible, the Analogues have amassed a collection of musical instruments, such as a black-and-white Rickenbacker guitar similar to John Lennon’s, a light blue Fender Stratocaster similar to George Harrison’s, and a Höfner 500/1 bass. Exotic musical instruments from India are also used in their performances, including a dilruba, a swarmandal, a tanpura, a tabla and a sitar. Further special instruments include a one-metre-long harmonica for The Fool on the Hill and a clavioline for Baby, You’re a Rich Man.
The band’s primary analyst is bass guitarist and producer Bart van Poppel. After a thorough analysis of an album’s arrangements and consulting Beatles Gear, they find the necessary equipment such as a 1965 Lowrey Heritage Deluxe organ, or one of only thirty known existing mellotrons in a particular series, used in the intro of Strawberry Fields Forever.
Happy Holidays to All!
This post first appeared on Dave’s blog as a Turntable Talk essay.
Tao-Talk 
Wonderful post Lisa…bringing attention to this awesome holiday song. You know since I read that book…it’s amazing how insecure a lot of these artist were/are. Many songs George would ask…is it any good when he would play it to someone? Keith Richards asked everyone about Happy wondering if it was any good. It’s cool in one way they are like us…I do the same thing about mine.
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Thank you very much, Max. I can see where the writer might lose objectivity when it comes to if it is good or not, they are too close to it. That’s why the audience is important also. Can’t imagine either of them ever wondering, but like you said, it makes them human. When I watch that video, it really feels like Geo is still alive. I wonder if his spirit walks around Friar Park?
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I would not doubt it…supposedly many do roam that place. O’Dell said that her and Pattie came back from dinner one night and all of the doors were bolted shut. They had to wake George up and he was astonished…he said that he left the front door open just for them returning….Plus Terry Doran who lived there for a while with George said he saw a ghost.
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Sorry I went on and on!
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No worries!
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Well, it doesn’t seem like the interpretation about George distancing himself from the Beatles was true if he was marketing the song dressed in Beatles-themed costumes!
I have never heard this song before, btw. I know, I know. You probably gasped and your mouth dropped open the way mine does when someone says, “I’ve never seen Alien,” or “What’s War and Peace? Is that a movie?” lol
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LOL, Stace. George had a dry sense of humor that could also be pointed. I’m sure there is a wealth of symbolic messages in that video. I think he felt constricted by being in The Beatles after awhile, and by that time I think some of the lawsuits were flying. Happy to introduce this fabulous song. At Dave’s blog, only a couple of people had heard it before. If I hadn’t watched it on the DVD that came with the boxed set I wouldn’t have either.
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Oh, good! I thought I was REALLY out of it…but so are a lot of other people too, haha.
I gotcha. So he was probably making a statement.
Gosh, fame. It’s so tiring, isn’t it? I hope one day I get SO TIRED of being associated with vampires and aliens in Los Angeles and the throngs of people who want more and the beaucoup bucks I shovel into a bottomless pit from all sales… yeah, I hope that happens, lol!! But good for George. We do have to grow up at some point, I guess. Although The Stones STILL love each other to death, haha….
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I’ll take George any day. I loved the Beatles and after, their solo lives. This was a great read. Thank you and Happy New Year!
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Happy to hear you’re a Beatles fan, Kathleen. My pleasure and Happy 2023 is Here!
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The first chords played and I remembered it immediately! Thanks for all the history as usual. (K)
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My pleasure. It always gives me an earworm that takes time to wear off, but always in the most pleasant of ways.
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You brought this song back to me….as far as knowing it better. Happy New Year Lisa!
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I know I’m becoming a pest on my Geo but that’s the way it is :) Happy 2023, my friend.
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I don’t mind at all! Any time you want to post about George I’ll be there!
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OK “Michael” (“I’ll Be There, just call [George’] name and…”) lol Yes I’m being silly. Happy we have another clean slate to work from for 2023.
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LOL…yes we do! It’s always exciting starting a new one.
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First of all, once gain, I’d like to wish you a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year! :-)
I thought I already had commented on this tune. I probably did when your post was first published on Dave’s blog.
In any case, the song has a very upbeat vibe and, as such, is a great pick for the New Year! And, yes, it’s an earworm! :-)
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I had to get it out there one more time. It’s a great tune. I’ve been listening to JT’s Songs from the Wood a lot over the past few days also. It’s a perfect holiday season album.
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Great Post and Happy New Year Lisa! 💗
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Thanks, Cindy and Happy New Year to You <3
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You’re welcome and thanks so much Lisa! ❣️
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Brilliant! Happy New Year Lisa💫💛✨
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Thank you, Chris! Same for You and Yours!
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wonderful… happy new year, Lisa🎉🤍🙏
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<3 Glad you like it.
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🤍🌹🙏
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I fully stand behind my words from a year ago!😀
Happy & Healthy New Year, Lisa!✌️❤️
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:) <3
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I love that song, whimsical, fun. The critics panned the album at the time, but found it musically and philosophically deep. I did not know of the Analogues ….
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Fie on the critics. He’s a brilliant guy. Am reading Miss O’Dell by Chris O’Dell and it’s been such fun to read of her adventures. She’s living with George, Pattie, and Terry at Crisp Mansion right now. I have to say she’s a brave soul!
The Analogues were a lucky find. They do live shows around Europe now. Would love to see them live.
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Happy New Year Lisa! It’s a fun song that gets overlooked…
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Thanks, Max! Yes it does… for now.
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The blogs have brought this song back…which is a good thing.
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I’m at the part in the O’Dell book where Chris is living with Geo. Do you think he locked Pattie and Chris out that night they went shopping in London?
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You know….I thought that when I read it. Why else would it be locked? I do think that.
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Well, the way Chris described Terry, he may have done it. It may have been one of the ghosts. But I have a feeling it was Geo who did it. I am loving reading this insider info.
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I thought you would like it Lisa…she told me stuff about George that I never knew…I went out and bought some Sandlewood drops right after I read the book….just to smell it.
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:)
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That video is bonkers! :) Happy New Year Lisa
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Bonkers is a perfect word for it! I love how he stumbles in the beginning. It’s perfect. Happy New Year :)
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Loved this post!
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Thanks and so glad you enjoyed it, Mitch :)
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Love this video, Lisa! I featured it a while ago, maybe when I was writing for The Rhythm Section. So much history behind this great holiday tune.
Aren’t the Analogues fantastic? They do such fabulous covers but aren’t a tribute band (they don’t look like the Beatles) and I love that about them. We can just appreciate them for their great music and they do it all so well.
Wonderful post and fab Geo song!
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Thanks for listening and appreciating the song and The Analogues. I think the original members (or some of them) have retired but now there’s The New Analogues. Just saw them out on YT but don’t know much else at this point.
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I remember the summer it came out and pestered dad to take me to the record store so I could buy it, I saved up for weeks.
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Ah how precious, Paul. I miss record stores. They brought such happiness to a community. I know some still exist but not many around here.
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What a wonderful post, Happy New Year, MsJadeLi!
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Irene, so happy you enjoyed the post. Thank you and Happy New Year!
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Happy New year Lisa.
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Balroop Happy New Year!
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I had forgotten about “Ding Dong, Ding Dong.” It IS a pretty catchy song. The Analogues incredible. My dear German friend Gerd saw them last year and was very excited about their show. He said it was one of the best concerts he’s ever been to, and he’s seen many!
Happy New Year! :-)
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Yes it is, Christian. I envy your friend, Gerd. I can’t even begin to imagine how good it would sound live. You already know this, but because The Beatles didn’t perform a lot of their music live, it is a uniquely priceless experience to hear The Analogues do them.
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Yep, Gerd told me they literally play each instrument you can hear on the Beatles’ recordings – no sampling! This means oftentimes they need an army of supporting musicians on stage. I’d LOVE to see them!
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I wasn’t a fan of tribute bands until I heard Andrew Lubman, who plays all parts with multiple overdubs (including all vocal parts) and duplicates the instruments on Beatles songs. He puts together split screen videos so you can see him playing each instrument (and I think he sang 9 vocal parts on “Because”). Then some local guys (who were all in other bands) played each Beatles album in full on the 50th anniversary of its release, adding musicians as needed (sometimes hiring an orchestra).
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Not bad! https://youtu.be/YTO4wUKWsfg?si=Q3dJLVaanKJshFfJ
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Thanks for reminding me of that great song. And why shouldn’t the Classics be performed as such?
Happy New Year! (K)
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My pleasure, Kerfe, and agreed. The effort they went to to make it just right is impressive and appreciated.
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Wonderful song! Hopefully a great year is on it’s way…hope you had a happy New Year Lisa!
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:)
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:-) This was a fascinating read about Harrison’s work on it. :-)
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:)
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