Da Da Da
by Trio

Album: Trio (1982)
Charted: 2
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Songfacts®:

  • A hit in Europe in 1982, "Da Da Da" became popular 15 years later in America when it was used in a Volkswagen commercial. The single was rush released in 1997 to capitalize on its newfound popularity.
  • The full name of the song is "Da Da Da ich lieb dich nicht du liebst mich nicht aha aha aha," which roughly translates to English as "Da Da Da I don't love you you don't love me aha aha aha." The literal translation of "Ich lieb dich nicht du liebst mich nicht" would be "I love you not, you love me not."
  • Most of the lyrics are in German (hence the Volkswagen connection), with some English words thrown in.
  • The Volkswagen commercial that made this famous was called "Sunday Afternoon." It starred two young men driving around in a Golf, picking up an old chair by the side of the road, realizing it smells and dropping it back off, all while this song is playing.

    The commercial was one of the first to target a gay audience; never before did a car commercial show two young men riding together who might possibly be gay. The ad helped Volkswagen grow sales of the model almost 10% from the previous year. The ad was first shown on an episode of the TV show Ellen where the lead character, played by Ellen DeGeneres, comes out as a lesbian.
  • After the commercial started running, US radio stations began getting requests for this song. They had a hard time finding it, as it was only available on an obscure collection: Sedated In The '80s, Volume 3.
  • MTV rarely played the video, possibly because the song wasn't a huge hit in the US, but also because it contains a rather violent scene where a waitress gets stabbed in the back. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Thomas - Marion, IN
  • This was used in the movies Private School (1983), Bio-Dome (1996), and Thick As Thieves (1999). It also showed up in the TV shows Glory Daze ("Pilot" - 2010) and Car Share ("Unscripted" - 2018).

Comments: 33

  • Elliemc from HettonAnyone remember a zombie movie from the 80s (I think) a school reunion held in a house, every time the record player played this song the zombies stopped killing and started dancing, it was really crazy
  • Aus Anon from AustraliaThis song was also modified for a snack brand called Snakata. They produced rice chips/crackers.
  • Anon from UsaMTV absolutely *did* play the Da Da Da video back in the ‘80s.
  • Anon from UsaIt WAS popular in the US when it came out in 82! It was #33 on dance songs, that is h u g e. Whoever wrote this is a liar!
  • Smitty from EarthGood example of a "song" where the music and beat are the stars and the scanty lyrics are just along for the ride.
  • René from Montréal, CanadaI thought this was a kind of derision about the Berlin Wall...?
  • Tania from Brisbane, AustraliaMain article needs to be edited regarding the Volkswagen ad! The ad may well have made the song famous in the USA, but it was already famous throughout many other countries when originally released! Music doesn’t have to be a hit in the US to be successful and popular.
  • Tania from Brisbane, AustraliaSarah from Auckland... We had the same ad in Australia
  • Dennis from Pitt MeadowsDoes noone remember Bio-Dome? The movie... Actually the movie was pretty good. For what it is. But the soundtrack was amazing.
  • Seventhmist from 7th HeavenIt took me a while to realize they had been saying the same lines in German, then even later I heard the woman whispering the German lines as I listened to it with headphones.
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxSo why is it 'gay' for two guys to merely be looking for furniture for a shared dwelling? For all the commercial shows, they could just as easily have been co-proprietors of a used furniture store.
  • Jimmy from Waverly, OhIt's OK I just figured it out, I'm pretty sure now it's in 4/4 time, the key of "C" and has a tempo or BPM of "132" Great facts to know for all you musicians out there... :-)
  • Jimmy from Waverly, OhDa Da Da mens "Yes, Yes, Yes" in German, or is it Russin? but anyway do does "Ja, Ja, Ja" does in Dutch. I am studying and learning the Dutch language. ;-)
  • Jimmy from Waverly, OhI've looked and looked and looked and looked, and I cannot find out what key and tempo Da Da Da is played in. Does anybody happen to know this information?
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxThis song was used in the climactic scene of a raunchy 80s teen flick called "Private School for Girls."
  • Sarah from Auckland, New ZealandAnother thing is that the first paragraph thingy starts as German, then the last two lines are English, same for the third, but all the lyrics I look up have the the first and third completely in English, what's the deal?
  • Sarah from Auckland, New ZealandHey, why has nobody mentioned that it was covered for an add for the crackers 'Sa Ka Ta'? Or was that just in New Zealand? It's an awesome song anyways.(=
  • Dustin from Tiverton, OnI have the same keyboard that the guy is using. Awesome!!
  • Javier from Mexico Df, MexicoIn 2006 this was used in a Pepsi TV commercial spot in Mexico (Don´t know if in other country too) showing many well known local characters from music and television.
  • Chris from Meridian, Id"Da da da" is German for "There there there." Put that with the rest of the "I don't love you - you don't love me" stuff and this becomes a weird break-up song.
  • Laurence from Manchester, EnglandI agree it's infuriatingly brilliant in its stupidity. Stephan Remmler recorded several other songs and remains popular in Germany, and did one "followup" to Da Da da called "I don't go to Ooo S A" which utilised the same Casio miniorgan/calculator, but added some yodeling!
  • Martin from Hamburg, GermanyAnd of course Thibaut had it right from the beginning. (But no, I had to respond before reading everything)
  • Martin from Hamburg, GermanyActually the German is "Ich lieb dich nicht, du liebst mich nicht". The translation in the song facts is right though
  • Eric from Atlanta, GaIt's actually "You don't love me You don't love me", assuming the song fact's german is correct.
  • Nathan from Defiance, OhI always thought this song was written in the nineties.
  • Craig from Madison, WiDada was an artistic movement started in Switzerland as a reaction to World War I. It was anti-art art. Found-object sculpture, poems made by drawing words randomly out of a hat, pictures that look like cut-and-paste xerox posters from the early punk days. Like Dada, "Da Da Da" has an anti-aesthetic aesthetic: it's everything a pop song shouldn't be, and in doing so becomes a brilliantly catchy pop tune.
  • Alan from Singapore, SingaporeIf I am not wrong, it was also used for an Ariston commercial.
  • Kieron from Perth, AustraliaThe main 'tune' throughout this song is a standard sequence from the miniture Casio keyboard produced in the 80's, also sold by Tandy/Radio Shack.
    see -
    www.synthmuseum.com/casio/casvltone01.html
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesI think Ariston (the white goods manufacturer) also based a commercial around this tune in circa 1990, in which the chorus line went "AR-IS-TON, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on..."
  • Montgomery from Florence, KyPerfect for 80's pop-culture discussion. Catchy song. Germany should be proud.
  • Shell from Riverdale, GaEnglish lesson for the day: The ad helped [Volkswagen increase its] sales [of the Jetta] almost 10% from the previous year. You grow plants.

    That said, I agree with Dave from NZ. It's a stupid song, but catchy.
  • Thibaut from Brussels, BelgiumThe real German wording is "Ich liebe dich nicht du liebst mich nicht aha" (which means I don't love you you don't love me)
  • Dave from Whangarei, New ZealandBrings a smile to my face EVERY time I hear it! Yeh, it's a stupid song, but brilliant! Was an instant ad to our Saturday night Radio Party Show! Where are "Trio" now?
see more comments

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