Doodlin' (Hendricks)

"Doodlin'" is a composition by Horace Silver. The original version by Silver's quintet with Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), Kenny Dorham (trumpet), Doug Watkins(bass) and Art Blakey (drums) was recorded on November 13, 1954 for release on Blue Note.

Lyrics were later added by Jon HENDRICKS*:

Usin' the phone booth, makin' a few calls,
Doodlin' weird things, usin' the booth walls
Got me a big date, waitin' for my chick
Puttin' my face on, so she could look slick
I enjoy procrastinating 'cause I'm busy while I'm waiting
Doodlin' away, doodlin away

Sittin' and dinin' (dining), dinner beginnin'
Started designin', usin' the linen
Talkin' to my date, doodlin' my bit
Waiter got salty, told me to please quit
Told the waiter, "Don't be dizzy
"Can't you see, I'm very busy
"Doodlin' away, doodlin' away."

"Do you doodle all day?" Asked the waiter in his way
"Do you doodle all night?" Told the waiter he was right
"In your doodlin' way" That's the way I'm gonna stay,
"Are you thinkin' things right?" Doodlin' sheds a lot of light,
"I don't know what I can do," "Ain't nothing you can do,"
"With old doodlin' you," "Doodlin's all I want to do,"
That's for true!

Why does every single thing I see, look exactly like a doodle to me?
If I ever have a doubt, what life is all about
I get my pencil out and then commence to doodlin'
And I find it real relaxing, 'specially when I feel that life is really taxing!
'Cause weird designs, they only show what's going on
In weirder minds, those when you doodle then your noodle's flying blind
Every little thing that you write, just conceivably might
Be a thought that you capture, while coppin' a wink
Doodlin' takes you, beyond what you see, makes you write what you think

I'd feel so lost without my doodlin'
Doodlin' really helps me ease my mind
I'd be tempest-tossed, without my doodlin'
When I'm doodlin' there's one thing I find
Truly, I really really truly truly wanna figure out
What my doodlin's all about

Later the waiter had me arrested
Took me to Bellevue where I was tested
Had me a doctor, probin' my noodle
'Fore he was half-done, taught him to doodle
Showed him hidden thoughts that linger
Find an outlet through your finger
Doodlin' away, doodlin' away

Doctor was real nice, told me to be cool
Looked at the waiter, called him the real fool
Looked at my baby, told me he dug her
Got me to doodlin', so he could bug her
When he put his arms around her
Quite to his surprise he found her doodlin' away, 
Doodlin' away, we just doodle all day!


Recordings exist by Lambert-Hendricks-Ross (1959), Mark Murphy, Lambert-Hendricks-Bavan, Baby Washington, Dusty Springfield, Manhattan Transfer, Mina, Janet Seidel & Tom Baker, Lee Aaron, Georgie Fame, etc.

*Dee Dee Bridgewater sings an alternative set of lyrics (by H. Silver?) "Takin' a long trip...".