Woo Hoo
Encyclopedia
"Woo Hoo" is a rockabilly
song, credited to George Donald McGraw and originally released by The Rock-A-Teens
in 1959
.
The song is featured in John Waters's
film Pecker
.
by the Scottish
rock band
, The Revillos
, (under the name "Yeah Yeah"), under the same title by the French psychobilly
(or as they say themselves, "yé-yé
-punk") band Les Wampas
on their 1988 album, Chauds, sales et humides, by the Japanese girl band The 5.6.7.8's
on their 1996 album Bomb the Twist
and as a dance/electronica track in 2005 by the American act The Daltronics
. It was also covered by Showaddywaddy
. The Replacements have also performed it in concert on several occasions.
The 5.6.7.8's version gained cult popularity when it was featured and performed by them in Quentin Tarantino
's 2003 movie Kill Bill: Vol. 1
and appears on its soundtrack
. Additionally, it appears in the movie Glory Road
. In 2004, after appearing in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and an advertisement for Carling
beer, the cover peaked at #28 on the UK Singles Chart
, a rare Western singles chart appearance for a Japanese band.
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
song, credited to George Donald McGraw and originally released by The Rock-A-Teens
The Rock-A-Teens
The Rock-A-Teens were an American rockabilly group from Richmond, Virginia, active in the late 1950s.They are best known for their 1959 single "Woo Hoo", backed with "Untrue", released on Roulette Records. The song hit #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it proved to be their only hit.-External...
in 1959
1959 in music
-Events:*January 5 – The first sessions for Ella Fitzgerald's George and Ira Gershwin Songbook are held.*January 12 – Tamla Records is founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit, Michigan....
.
Original version
The song is distinctive for its lack of lyrics apart from its title words, which gave it popularity around the world as it is not subject to language barriers. It makes use of the twelve-bar blues chord progression, further adding to its accessibility.The song is featured in John Waters's
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
film Pecker
Pecker (film)
Pecker is a 1998 comedy-drama film written and directed by John Waters and starring Edward Furlong and Christina Ricci. Like all Waters' films, it was filmed and set in Baltimore; this film in the Hampden neighborhood....
.
Cover versions
It was later coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, The Revillos
The Rezillos
The Rezillos are a punk/new wave band, who formed in Edinburgh in 1976 and still play gigs around the world in a re-formed line-up. Although frequently aligned with the punk movement, the Rezillos' irreverent glam rock image and affection for campy girl-group iconography, set them distinctly apart...
, (under the name "Yeah Yeah"), under the same title by the French psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
(or as they say themselves, "yé-yé
Yé-yé
Yé-yé was a style of pop music that emerged from France, Québec and Spain in the early 1960s. The term "yé-yé" derived from "yeah! yeah!" The style expanded worldwide, due to the success of figures such as the French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg....
-punk") band Les Wampas
Les Wampas
Les Wampas are a French punk rock/psychobilly band, who refer more exactly to their music as "Yé-yé-punk". The band was formed in Paris in 1983.-Les Wampas vous aiment:...
on their 1988 album, Chauds, sales et humides, by the Japanese girl band The 5.6.7.8's
The 5.6.7.8's
The 5.6.7.8's are an all-female Japanese rock trio, whose music is reminiscent of American surf music, rockabilly and garage rock. They frequently cover songs from American rock and roll. Each member is from Tokyo, Japan....
on their 1996 album Bomb the Twist
Bomb the Twist
Bomb the Twist is an album that was released on January 11, 1996 by The 5.6.7.8's. "Woo Hoo" was featured on Kill Bill Volume 1, a film by Quentin Tarantino-Track listing:# "Bomb the Twist"# "Jane in the Jungle"# "Three Cool Chicks"# "Guitar Date"...
and as a dance/electronica track in 2005 by the American act The Daltronics
Richard J. Dalton
Richard J. Dalton is an American electronic dance music DJ. He is an international mixshow deejay and has opened for major artists such as Beyoncé and Lady Gaga...
. It was also covered by Showaddywaddy
Showaddywaddy
Showaddywaddy are a 1970s pop group from Leicester, England. They specialised in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s, and dressed as Teddy Boys.-History:...
. The Replacements have also performed it in concert on several occasions.
The 5.6.7.8's version gained cult popularity when it was featured and performed by them in Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's 2003 movie Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill
Kill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
and appears on its soundtrack
Kill Bill Volume 1 (soundtrack)
Kill Bill Vol. 1 Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the first volume of the two-part Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill. Released on September 23, 2003, it reached #45 on the Billboard 200 album chart and #1 on the soundtracks chart...
. Additionally, it appears in the movie Glory Road
Glory Road (film)
Glory Road is an American sports film directed by James Gartner, based on a true story dealing with the events leading to the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, in which the late Don Haskins – played by Josh Lucas – head coach of the Texas Western College led a team...
. In 2004, after appearing in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and an advertisement for Carling
Carling
Carling brands are currently owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. In South Africa it is distributed by SABMiller.Carling Black Label is the name of a brand of Canadian lager in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and South Africa...
beer, the cover peaked at #28 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, a rare Western singles chart appearance for a Japanese band.
Public Perception
A poll in 2008 voted "Woo Hoo" the most annoying song of the last 25 years.Use in advertisements
It has been featured in advertisements for:- CarlingCarlingCarling brands are currently owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. In South Africa it is distributed by SABMiller.Carling Black Label is the name of a brand of Canadian lager in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and South Africa...
beer in the UK late in the summer of 2004, - VonageVonageVonage is a publicly held commercial voice over IP network and SIP company that provides telephone service via a broadband connection. The company's name is a play on their motto "Voice-Over-Net-AGE"....
VOIP service used the 5.6.7.8.'s version of the song in the United States and Canada beginning in late 2004. - ChevroletChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
adopted "Woo Hoo" for its advertising of the new Chevy Cobalt, in a commercial that was broadcast in the United States in late 2004, concurrent with the Vonage campaign. - ToyotaToyota Motor Corporation, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
for the YarisYarisYaris may refer to one of three Toyota Yaris related items:*Toyota Vitz, also sold as the Toyota Yaris hatchback*Toyota Belta, also sold as the Toyota Yaris sedan*Yaris , a video game promoting the Toyota models...
in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in early 2006.