Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum (song)

"Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" is a song by Scottish band Middle of the Road, released as a single in March 1971. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and was a top-ten hit in numerous other countries.[1] It has also sold over two million copies.[2]

"Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum"
Cover of the single released in Italy
Single by Middle of the Road
from the album Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep
B-side"Give It Time"
ReleasedMarch 1971
Recorded1971
StudioRCA Studios, Rome
GenreBubblegum pop
Length3:13
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Giacomo Tosti
Middle of the Road singles chronology
"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep"
(1970)		 "Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum"
(1971)		 "Soley Soley"
(1971)

Background and release

"Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" was written by British singer-songwriter Lally Stott and Italian brothers Giosy and Mario Capuano. Stott had also written and first recorded the band's previous single "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" and he would go on to write other hits for Middle of the Road with the Capuano brothers. The song is about a clan rivalry between the MacDougalls and the MacGregors.[2]

It was first released as a single in Italy in March 1971.[3] To promote it, the song was used in a short film by car manufacturer Fiat to promote the launch of the Fiat 127. The single's B-side "Give It Time" was also used in the film and the Middle of the Road members also featured in it.[4] The single performed well in Italy, becoming a top-three hit, though this was not until October 1971. It was released in Europe in May and June 1971, in Australia on 26 August and a day later in the UK.[5][6]

Middle of the Road also recorded and released a version in Spanish and the song was also later re-recorded and released as a single in Czechoslovakia in February 1972 for the annual song contest Bratislavská lýra.[7][8][3]

Track listings

7"

  1. "Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" – 3:13
  2. "Give It Time" – 3:55

7" (Spain)

  1. "Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" – 3:13
  2. "Fate Strange Fate" – 3:09

7" (Spain)

  1. "Los Reyes Magos (Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum)" – 3:05
  2. "Fate Strange Fate" – 3:09

7" (Czechoslovakia, 1972)

  1. "Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum"
  2. "The Talk of All the U.S.A."

Charts

Sheila version
"Les Rois mages"
Single by Sheila
from the album Love
B-side"Une femme"
Released15 March 1971
Recorded1971
StudioCBE, Paris
GenreFrench pop
Length3:22
LabelCarrere
Songwriter(s)
  • Lally Stott
  • Giosy Capuano
  • Mario Capuano
  • Jean Schmitt
  • Claude Carrère
Producer(s)Claude Carrère
Sheila singles chronology
"Reviens, je t'aime"
(1970)		 "Les Rois mages"
(1971)		 "Blancs, jaunes, rouges, noirs"
(1971)

French pop singer Sheila released a French-language version of the song titled "Les Rois mages", referring to the Wise Men. Released in March 1971, it topped the charts in France.[34] Sheila also recorded a Spanish-language version, titled "Los Reyes magos", which was also released as a single, becoming a hit in several Spanish-speaking countries.

Track listings

7" (France)

  1. "Les Rois mages" – 3:22
  2. "Une femme" – 3:00

7" (Spain)

  1. "Los Reyes magos" – 3:20
  2. "Regresa, te quiero" – 2:55 [title in Spanish, but sung in French, original title "Reviens, je t'aime"]

7" (Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela)

  1. "Los Reyes magos" – 3:20
  2. "Una mujer" – 3:04 [title in Spanish, but sung in French, original title "Une femme"]

Charts

French version

Chart (1971) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[36] 1
France (CIDD)[37] 1
Quebec (BAnQ)[38] 1

Spanish version

Chart (1971) Peak
position
Argentina (Escalera a la Fama)[39] 9
Mexico (Radio Mil)[40] 2
Spain (Promusicae)[41] 16

References
  1. "Middle of the Road: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The book of golden discs. Internet Archive. London : Barrie & Jenkins. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-214-20512-5.
  3. "Middle of the Road". www.rockfiles.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  4. "History Part 2 – Middle of the Road". 25 February 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  5. "Middle Of The Road - Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum". 45cat. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  6. "Middle Of The Road - Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum". 45cat. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  7. "Middle Of The Road – En Español: Los Reyes Magos (Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum) / Fate Strange Fate (In Questa Citta') (1971, Vinyl)". Discogslanguage=en. 1971. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  8. "Middle Of The Road - Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum / The Talk Of All The U. S. A." Discogs. 1972. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  9. "Billboard - Hits Of The World" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Billboard. 20 November 1971. p. 68.
  10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. "Middle of the Road – Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. "Middle of the Road – Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  13. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 28 August 1971. p. 54. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  14. Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit MEN - MIK". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum". Irish Singles Chart.
  16. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 23 October 1971. p. 60. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  17. Spinetoli, John Joseph. Artisti In Classifica: I Singoli: 1960-1999. Milano: Musica e dischi, 2000
  18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Middle of the Road" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  19. "Middle of the Road – Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  20. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  21. "Middle of the Road – Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum". VG-lista.
  22. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  23. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 18 December 1971. p. 56. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  24. "SA Charts 1969–March 1989". Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  25. Salaverri, Fernando (September 1971). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  26. "Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum av Middle of the Road – Se alla låtar och listplaceringar". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  27. "Offiziellecharts.de – Middle of the Road – Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  28. "AMR Top Singles of 1971". www.top100singles.net. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  29. "Jaaroverzichten 1971". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  30. "I singoli più venduti del 1971". hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  31. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1971". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  32. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1971". www.dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  33. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  34. Sheila - Les Rois Mages (Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum), retrieved 24 November 2021
  35. "Sheila – Les rois mages" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  36. "Sheila – Les rois mages" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  37. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 26 June 1971. p. 49. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  38. "Compilation des succès par ordre alphabétique d'interprètes (chansons francophones)" (PDF). banq.qc.ca. p. 722. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  39. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 20 November 1971. p. 80. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  40. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 2 October 1971. p. 47. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  41. Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: Año a año, 1959–2002. Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-639-2.
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