Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead

Album: Ding Dong! The Witch Is Back! (1967)
Charted: 11
Play Video
  • Once there was a wicked witch in the lovely land of Oz
    And a wickeder, wickeder, wickeder witch there never, never was
    She filled the folks in Munchkin land with terror and with dread
    'Till one fine day from Kansas way a cyclone caught a house
    That brought the wicked, wicked witch her doom
    As she was flying on her broom
    For the house fell on her head and the coroner pronounced her dead
    And thru the town the joyous news was spread

    Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
    Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead
    Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
    Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
    She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
    Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
    Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
    Let them know the wicked witch is dead

    Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
    Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead
    Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
    Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
    She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
    Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
    Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
    Let them know the wicked witch is dead
    Writer/s: E HARBURG, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

  • Alfred Odoardi from Ny StateI love it! How come it took me 54 years and a 700 mile road trip to first hear it? Being a big fan of 60's rock, a CT native, Oz and Halloween (early October 2021 as I first recall hearing this tune) fan, how did I never hear this. Must be a payola, or controversial reason. Any who, long live the wicked witch is dead!(?)!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyHere's some obscure trivia:
    On May 27th 1647, Achsah Young, a Windsor*, Connecticut resident, was put to death for being a 'witch', it was the first recorded execution of its kind in America...
    And just under 320 years later on May 14th, 1967 the Fifth Estate's "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #84; six weeks later on June 25th it would peak at #11 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 10 weeks...
    * The Fifth Estate were a quintet from Stamford, Connecticut; roughly just 84 miles from Windsor.
  • Claudia from Caracas, VenezuelaLet's not forget Klaus Nomi's 80s cover with fresh and catchy musical arrangements.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyA true "Close but no cigar" song. This was the Fifth Estates only record to make Billboard's weekly Top 100 chart but it just missed making the Top Ten, peaking at #11!!!
  • Paul from Lake Toxaway Nc, NcI highly recommended to my readers all of the Fifth Estate's records in my 450-page book "Connecticut Rocks!" which also contains the biography of the D-Men and Fifth Estate adn their complete discography. Please let me know if you might mention my book or email link for my book. My email is PBezanker1@aol.com. Thanks! Paul Bezanker
  • Kristin from Bessemer, AlI read somewhere that this song was written on a dare, that the song from "The Wizard of Oz" couldnt be made into a hit - The Fifth Estate also made a hit out of the song "Heigh-ho" from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and they made a hit out of the "Mickey Mouse Club" song too-
  • Tony from Vero Beach, FlKen "Furvus" Evans mentions how he'd "ripped off Ringo's beat from" Nowhere Man... I noticed that the "La La-La" backing vocals are clearly from that song as well!

    Didn't know that Streisand had done "Ding! Dong!" - but a couple of other odd "Oz" covers are Stephen Bishop's of "If I Only Had a Brain" and Bette Midler's of "Optimistic Voices".
  • Sara from Silver Spring, MdI have never heard this version. Barbra Streisand recorded this on one of her early reacords. I don't know what the original songwriters would have thought of this one.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.