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"Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" is an American popular song written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning. Published in 1956, it was recorded by Perry Como and went to #1 on the Billboard pop music chart in March of that year[1] and reached #4 on the British charts in May.[2]. The song's melody is almost identical in melody and triple-time rhythm to a portion of Emmanuel Chabrier's 1883 composition, España.
Perry Como's recording was done at Webster Hall in New York City. The conductor was Mitchell Ayres and the producer was Joe Carlton. The back-up vocals were provided by the Ray Charles Singers.[2]
The nonsense phrase of the song's title, repeated throughout the song, is used as counterpoint to the lines it precedes in the lyrics, as in the following excerpt:
- "Hot diggity, dog ziggity, boom
- What you do to me,
- When you're holding me tight."
At the end of the song, Como exclaimed "HOT DOG!!!!" before the last two chords.
The phrase "hot diggity dog!" dates to at least 1928, when Al Jolson was recorded saying "Hot diggity dog! Hot kitty! Hot pussycat! Didn't I tell you you'd love it?" after a performance of the tune "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder".
