"Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" is a song by Scottish band Middle of the Road, released as a single in March 1971. It peaked at number 2 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

and was a top-ten hit in numerous other countries. It has also sold over two million copies.

Background and release

"Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" was written by British singer-songwriter

Lally Stott Harold "Lally" Stott (16 January 1945 – 6 June 1977) was a British singer-songwriter and musician who wrote the song "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" which became a UK number one hit for the Scottish band Middle of the Road in 1971, and charting a ...

and Italian brothers Giosy and Mario Capuano. Stott had also written and first recorded the band's previous single "

Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep "Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep" is a song recorded in 1970 by its composer Lally Stott, and made popular in 1971 by Scottish band Middle of the Road for whom it was a UK #1 chart hit. That version is one of fewer than fifty singles ever to hav ...

" and he would go on to write other hits for Middle of the Road with the Capuano brothers. The song is about a clan rivalry between the MacDougalls and the MacGregors. It was first released as a single in Italy in March 1971. To promote it, the song was used in a short film by car manufacturer

Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...

to promote the launch of the

Fiat 127 The Fiat 127 is a supermini car produced by Italian car manufacturer FIAT from 1971 to 1983. It was introduced in 1971 as the replacement for the Fiat 850. Production of the 127 in Italy ended in 1983 following the introduction of its replacement, ...

. The single's B-side "Give It Time" was also used in the film and the Middle of the Road members also featured in it. The single performed well in Italy, becoming a top-three hit, though this was not until October 1971. It was released in Europe in May and June 1971, in Australia on 26 August and a day later in the UK. Middle of the Road also recorded and released a version in Spanish and the song was also later re-recorded and released as a single in Czechoslovakia in February 1972 for the annual song contest

Bratislavská lýra Bratislavská lýra was a Czechoslovak festival of popular songs that took place every year from 1966 until 1990 and was held in Bratislava. It was renewed in 1997 but cancelled again in 1998. History The idea for the festival arose between ...

Track listings

7" # "Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" – 3:13 # "Give It Time" – 3:55 7" (Spain) # "Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" – 3:13 # "Fate Strange Fate" – 3:09 7" (Spain) # "Los Reyes Magos (Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum)" – 3:05 # "Fate Strange Fate" – 3:09 7" (Czechoslovakia, 1972) # "Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" # "The Talk of All the U.S.A."

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Sheila version

French pop singer

Sheila Sheila (alternatively spelled Shelagh and Sheelagh) is a common feminine given name, derived from the Irish name ''Síle'', which is believed to be a Gaelic form of the Latin name Caelia, the feminine form of the Roman clan name Caelius, mean ...

released a French-language version of the song titled "Les Rois mages", referring to the Wise Men. Released in March 1971, it topped the charts in France. Sheila also recorded a Spanish-language version, titled "Los Reyes magos", which was also released as a single, becoming a hit in several Spanish-speaking countries.

Track listings

7" (France) # "Les Rois mages" – 3:22 # "Une femme" – 3:00 7" (Spain) # "Los Reyes magos" – 3:20 # "Regresa, te quiero" – 2:55 itle in Spanish, but sung in French, original title "Reviens, je t'aime" 7" (Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela) # "Los Reyes magos" – 3:20 # "Una mujer" – 3:04 itle in Spanish, but sung in French, original title "Une femme"

Charts

French version Spanish version

References

{{authority control 1971 singles Number-one singles in Denmark Middle of the Road songs RCA Victor singles Songs about Scotland 1970 songs