Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy (song) facts for kids
Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy is a fun novelty song. It became very popular thanks to Annette Funicello. She was a famous Mouseketeer from Disney.
The song was written by Bob and Dick Sherman. They worked with a songwriter named Bob Roberts from Los Angeles. "Jo Jo" came after Annette's big hit song, "Tall Paul". "Tall Paul" was special because it was the first time a female singer reached the top ten with a rock and roll song.
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About the Song
The song "Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy" talks about a real person. His name was Fedor Jeftichew. He was an entertainer in a sideshow. People knew him as "Jo-Jo, the Dog-Faced Man".
What is Hypertrichosis?
Fedor Jeftichew had a condition called hypertrichosis. This means he had a lot of hair growing all over his face and body. It made him look different, and he became famous for it in shows.
Song Lyrics and Other Hits
The lyrics of "Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy" also mention another popular song. It pays tribute to "Beep Beep" from the year before. One line in "Jo Jo" asks, "Where in the world was the little Nash Rambler?". This is a direct nod to the older song.
The Sherman Brothers' Work
The Sherman Brothers wrote many of Annette Funicello's early songs. These were mostly from the early 1960s. They were very successful songwriters.
Famous Movie Music
Later, the Sherman Brothers won two Oscars. They earned these awards for their work on the movie Mary Poppins. This shows how talented they were at writing music for both songs and films.
