Some songs are unforgettable because of their charm and humor. That’s the case with “Chick-A-Boom (Don’t Ya Jes’ Love It)”, a catchy novelty tune that became a surprise hit in 1971. Behind the song was Richard Monda, better known as Daddy Dewdrop—a songwriter turned performer who briefly stepped into the spotlight. His one big hit captured a moment in pop culture and left a curious legacy.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Richard Monda |
| Stage Name | Daddy Dewdrop |
| Born | 1940, Cleveland, Ohio |
| Genres | Novelty, Pop, Funk |
| Main Hit | “Chick-A-Boom (Don’t Ya Jes’ Love It)” – #9 Billboard (1971) |
| Other Singles | “Fox Huntin’,” “Nanu Nanu,” “The Real Thing” |
| Songwriting Credits | Ringo Starr, Kenny Rogers, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck |
| Later Releases | This Time (2010) |
| Trivia | Song banned by Dick Clark for being “too suggestive” |
| Status | Retired from public performance |
Who Is Daddy Dewdrop?
Daddy Dewdrop was the stage name of Richard Monda, a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and occasional singer. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1940 and started working in the music business at a young age.
Monda wasn’t just a performer. He mainly worked behind the scenes, writing songs for stars like Ringo Starr, Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, Sammy Davis Jr., and Engelbert Humperdinck. Though most of his work was for others, one quirky hit made him a brief household name.
Early Career and The Novells
In the mid-to-late 1960s, Monda collaborated with a Los Angeles-based band called The Novells. He discovered them and helped produce their only album, That Did It!, released on Mothers Records. One of the standout tracks, “Age of Innocence,” was written by Monda and gained attention for its production quality and mature sound.
Around the same time, Monda released a few singles on Verve Records and Moonglow Records, though none made an impact on the charts.
The Birth of “Chick-A-Boom”
Monda found work writing music for the animated TV series Sabrina and the Groovy Ghoulies, a spinoff of the Archie Comics universe. One of the songs used in the show was “Chick-A-Boom,” originally written by Janis Lee Guinn and Linda Martin.
Monda saw potential in the tune and decided to record a new version with a studio group he formed. This group included talented musicians like:
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Tom Hensley – later Neil Diamond’s longtime music director
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Butch Rillera – who later joined the band Redbone
He reworked the track into a novelty-style song and added a more playful tone. The result was “Chick-A-Boom (Don’t Ya Jes’ Love It),” credited to Daddy Dewdrop and released by Sunflower Records.
Chart Success
The song struck a chord with audiences. Its cheeky lyrics and spoken-word verses stood out from typical radio fare. It climbed the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #9 in 1971. It also reached #3 on the Cash Box chart.
The song’s fun vibe and cartoonish delivery made it a staple of novelty radio hits. It stood alongside other quirky early-‘70s tracks like “Dead Skunk” by Loudon Wainwright III and “The Streak” by Ray Stevens.
An Album of Oddities
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After the hit single, Monda released a full-length album under the Daddy Dewdrop name. The album featured “Chick-A-Boom” along with several other novelty and funk-infused tracks.
The follow-up single, “Fox Huntin’/The March of the White Corpuscles,” failed to chart. Despite creative titles and playful lyrics, none of the other songs caught on with the public.
Later Work and Minor Hits
Monda didn’t stop making music. In 1979, he released a minor club hit called “The Real Thing,” which peaked at #62 on the charts. He also tried another novelty route with “Nanu Nanu (I Wanna Get Funky With You),” based on Robin Williams’ popular catchphrase from Mork & Mindy.
During the 1970s, Monda continued recording under different names and remained active behind the scenes. Though his stage name faded from public view, his music kept appearing in odd corners of pop culture.
A Return in 2010
Years later, Monda revisited his novelty roots with a CD titled This Time, released in 2010. It included new songs and reimagined versions of his older material, giving longtime fans a nostalgic throwback to the Daddy Dewdrop sound.
The Meaning Behind “Chick-A-Boom”
Since its release, many listeners have asked: What does “Chick-A-Boom (Don’t Ya Jes’ Love It)” actually mean?
Monda was often asked this question and offered various tongue-in-cheek explanations. In one interview, he recalled a disc jockey claiming to know the song’s “true” meaning—interpreting each verse as a metaphor for wild parties, exotic adventures, and seductive encounters.
Monda admitted the interpretations were often more interesting than the original idea. To him, it was a silly, fun tune inspired by cartoon characters and comic timing—not meant to be taken seriously. Still, the suggestive tone got the song banned on certain shows, including Dick Clark’s, who deemed it “too suggestive.”
That only added to the song’s mystique.
Legacy of a One-Hit Wonder
“Chick-A-Boom” remains a textbook example of the novelty hit—fun, quirky, and unforgettable. Daddy Dewdrop never matched that success again, but the song still plays on oldies radio and appears on one-hit wonder playlists.
More importantly, Richard Monda carved out a respectable career in the music industry. While his moment in the spotlight was brief, his work as a writer, producer, and performer left a quirky mark on pop history.
Conclusion
Daddy Dewdrop may have had just one hit, but it was one that left a smile on listeners’ faces. With “Chick-A-Boom,” Richard Monda showed that even a novelty song could find a place in music history. His career behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer was long and diverse, proving that he was far more than a one-joke act.