Artist:Jessie Hill
Song:Ooh Poo Pah Doo
Album:Walkin' to New Orleans
The 1960 single Ooh Poo Pah Doo was a top 30 pop hit and a top five R&B hit. It was the only big hit for Jessie Hill. One of his other songs charted so he is not technically a one hit wonder. He was born Dec. 9, 1932 in New Orleans. Hill started out as drummer for Professor Longhair and Huey "Piano" Smith. But by 1958 he started his own band so he could concentrate on singing. Ooh Poo Pah Doo was performed by a local pianist known as Big Four. Hill wrote down the lyrics and worked on the song with New Orleans music legend Dave Bartholomew. The single was produced by Allen Toussaint for Minit Records. Ooh Poo Pah Doo became a Mardi Gras favorite. It reached #3 on the R&B Singles chart and #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hill's second single Whip It On Me charted briefly but that was about it for Hill. He also recorded for Downey, Chess and Pulsar with no success. He moved to California in the late 60s to write songs for producer Harold Battiste. He wrote songs with Dr. John and Willie Nelson. After an unsuccessful 1972 album for Blue Thumb Records, Hill returned to New Orleans where a drinking problem led to health problems. He drove a cab for a while. But things got worse until Hill died on Sept. 17, 1996 at age 63. You can get Ooh Poo Pah Doo on this various artists budget comp from the Beach Music label Ripete. Ooh Poo Pah Doo has been covered by many artists including Hill's grandson Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews who performed it on an episode of the HBO series Treme. Here's a video for Ooh Poo Pah Doo by Jessie Hill.
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