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Scatting Timeline

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Scatting is scat-singing is a vocal "jazz" of wordless sounds rhythmically used in unison. The predecessors of the "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" routine used by Betty Boop had already been established by other singers making the technique quite common and unoriginal. When singer Helen Kane sued the Fleischer Studios and Paramount Pictures for stealing her "Boop-Boop-a-Doop," she lost because not only was her "baby-talk" vocals not original, but the "scatting"[1] in songs was also quite common and her "Boop" and "Doop" that she proclaimed to be creator of had already been used by a galaxy of performers. The main fact was that Kane had no proof to back her claims as being "sole innovator" of her "scatting technique" and did not "patent" it. When she sued she had no proof to back her claims. However she certainly popularized the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" genre. This timeline of "scat-singers" here is up until Betty Boop's "official" debut in 1932. This is to show the predecessors and how common scat singing in songs was. It is said that Gertrude Saunders during the early 1920s inspired many "female" Jazz singers to want to copy her and she paved the way, indicating that she was the first "female" to make this popular as of 1921 in the hit musical Shuffle Along, however scatting was quite common.

Scat-singing Timeline

Hot Licks Timeline

According to the Fleischer Studios, Betty Boop's "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" routine had evolved from "Bo-Do-De-O-Do," "Ba-Da-In-De-Do" scat rhymes. Scatting is basically inserting "nonsense" and or "gibberish" into songs. It doesn't have to have a meaning. "Vo-Do-Do-Deo," "Vo-Dee-O-Dodo," Vo-Do-Do-De-O," and "Oh-Vo-De-Oh-Do" are a few examples.

Scatting Timeline (1880s-1932)

1852:

1880s:

1892:

1913:

1915:

1921:

1923:

1924:

1925:

1927:

1928:

  • Baddle-a-Daddle-a-Daddle-a-Daddle-a-Do-Da (Helen Kane)

1929:

1930:

1931:

1932:

Trivia

  • Jimmy Durante had his "Hotcha" and "Hot-cha-cha" which is also referenced in Dizzy Dishes. Durante later would explain the comparisons in his song "Inka Dinka Doo".
  • It would seem that "Edith Griffith" was reported as "Booping" and "Pooping" a year before Kane in 1927.
  • Helen Kane wanted to lay claim to "Boop-Boop-a-Doop," or "Boop-Boopa-Doop" or "Boop-Boop-Pa-Do" or "Boopa-Doop" or simply "Boop" in court.
  • Helen Kane actually debuted as the "Poop" girl, not the "Boop" girl.
  • In 1931, Chic Kennedy stated in a interview that Helen Kane had stolen her "Poop-Poop-a-Doop" idea in 1928 when they shared the stage. She stated she became ill, and not long after Kane had debuted her "Poop" routine and became famous for it.
  • Not quite scat, Felix Mayol's words translates as the name of a "African" soldier. Nonetheless, such was the initial thought during the $250,000 Infringement Lawsuit since it is utilised in syncopation.
  1. ↑ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Shorts: Little Esther
  2. ↑ Clarence Williams Balks Helen Kane Suit: Gives Court Proof of 'Boops' Origin
  3. ↑ https://www.worldcat.org/title/um-um-da-da/oclc/367910363
  4. ↑ https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-338775/
  5. ↑ Boop, Doo-Doo-Doo, Wha-Da-Da Too Much
  6. ↑ Lou Bolton Testifies
  7. ↑ Little Ann Little: Helen Kane Pilfered My Stuff!
  8. ↑ Little Ann Little's Response
  9. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Want-Where-Happy-Album-Version/dp/B00138INFM
  10. ↑ Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay#Here Come the .22Scat.22 Singers .281932.29
  11. ↑ Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay#Ta-Ra-Boom Baby .281934.29
  12. ↑ https://bettyboop.fandom.com/wiki/Clarence_Williams_Balks_Helen_Kane_Suit:_Gives_Court_Proof_of_%27Boops%27_Origin?so=search
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