About the song
**Introduction to “Splish Splash”**
Released in 1958, “Splish Splash” is a quintessential novelty rock song performed and co-written by Bobby Darin. This track marks a significant milestone in Darin’s career, being his first major hit and a major catalyst for his rise in the music industry. Co-written with DJ Murray the K (Murray Kaufman), the song’s origins are as whimsical as its title suggests. The playful challenge of starting a song with the words “Splish splash, I was takin’ a bath” came from Kaufman’s mother, Jean Kaufman. To honor this quirky challenge, Darin and Kaufman combined their names into the songwriting credit “Jean Murray” to steer clear of any payola allegations.
“Splish Splash” achieved remarkable success upon its release, reaching No. 3 on the U.S. pop singles chart and No. 2 on the R&B Best Sellers chart. It also peaked at No. 3 in Canada and became Darin’s only entry on the C&W Best Sellers in Stores chart, where it reached No. 14. This breakout hit not only cemented Darin’s place in the music world but also had a personal impact, with Darin humorously noting in a 1967 interview that his skin condition cleared up due to the joy of having his first hit.
The song was recorded on the evening of April 10, 1958, at New York’s Atlantic Studios, with a lineup of talented musicians including Jesse Powell on tenor saxophone, Al Caiola and Billy Mure on guitar, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Panama Francis on drums. The lyrics of “Splish Splash” are a playful nod to several popular songs of the era, including “Lollipop,” “Peggy Sue,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.” There is an intriguing anecdote that “Miss Molly” may have been a reference to Molly Epstein, Darin’s former English teacher, who influenced his use of language in his music.
“Splish Splash” has left a lasting imprint on popular culture, appearing in various media over the decades. It featured prominently in the trailer for the Patrick Dempsey film *Loverboy* and was included in the soundtrack for the 1998 movie *You’ve Got Mail*. The song’s infectious charm also made its way into several episodes of *Happy Days*, where Richie Cunningham’s DJ persona pays homage to Murray the K. In *Family Ties*, Elyse performs the song with a childhood friend at a class reunion, and it has been showcased in a DTV music video on The Disney Channel, accompanied by clips of Disney characters bathing.
The song’s versatility and enduring appeal are evident in its numerous appearances in film and television, including *Because of Winn-Dixie*, *Air Bud*, and even a comical scene in the 2012 film *The Dictator*, where the main character performs a humorous rendition using a severed head as a hand puppet. “Splish Splash” continues to captivate audiences with its fun, nostalgic vibe, proving the timeless nature of Bobby Darin’s musical ingenuity.
Video
Lyrics
Splish splish, I was takin’ a batj
Long about a Saturday night
A rub-a-dub, just relaxin’ in the tub
Thinkin’ everything was alright
Well, I stepped out the tub, put my feet on the floor
I wrapped the towel around me and I
Opened the door, and then I
Splish, splash… I jumped back in the bath.
Well how was I to know there was a party going on?They was a-splishin’ and a’splashin’
Reelin’ with the feelin’, movin’ and a’groovin’
Rockin’ and a’rollin’, yeahBing bang, I saw the whole gang
Dancin’ on my living room rug, yeah!
Flip flop, they was donin’ the bop
All the teens had the dancin’
But there was lollipop with a Peggy Sue
Good Golly, Miss Mally was-a even there, too!
A- well-a, splish splash, I forgot about the bath
I went and put my dancin’ shoes on, yay…I was a rollin’ and a strollin’, reelin’ with the feelin’,
Moving and a groovin’, splishin’ and a splashin’, yeah!Yes, I was a-splishin” and a splashin’…
I was a-rollin’ and a-strollin’…Yeah, I was a-movin’ and a-groovin’
We was a-reelin’ with the feelin’
We was a-rollin’ and a-strollin’
Movin’ with the groovin’ splish splash, yeah!