Songs that say "Hey!"

February 10, 2013 4:27 PM

Please help me thrill my 4 year old daughter with suggestions of songs that have the singer saying "Hey!" more than once. She told us awhile back that she loves songs that have "Hey!" in them, so I want to make a playlist of "Hey!" songs. The "Hey!" should be punctuated and repeated at least once - preferably more than once. The songs don't have to be songs for children, but should be at least semi-appropriate for 4 year olds (i.e. profanity is out, but innuendo that they won't understand until they are much older is ok). Some examples of stuff that we already have: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" by the Beatles, "She" by the Monkees, "Get Off Of My Cloud" by the Rolling Stones, a couple traditional Greek songs. Any genre or time period is fine! ULTIMATE FOUR YEAR OLD HEY! PLAYLIST - GO!
posted by stefnet to media & arts (114 answers total)

What about Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones? Lots of "Hey! Ho! Let's go!"
posted by dotgirl at 4:29 PM on February 10 [16 favorites]

The first one that came to mind for me is "Hey, hey, we're the Monkeys" from the theme song of the show. Also, "Hey Jude."
posted by SpacemanStix at 4:30 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

There's that "Ho Hey" song by the Lumineers.
posted by two lights above the sea at 4:30 PM on February 10 [11 favorites]

"Say Hey"?
posted by liketitanic at 4:33 PM on February 10

Hey Hey Hey by Michael Franti & Spearhead. Good song.
posted by Fairchild at 4:35 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

4 non blondes - Hey, what's going on
posted by Cattaby at 4:35 PM on February 10 [3 favorites]

Hey hey you you
Hey ya
Hey Mickey!
posted by salvia at 4:35 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

my four year old loves
Hey Ya - Outkast
Hey Boy / Hey Girl - Louis Prima & Keely Smith
and of course this one, which I'm sure has an actual name, but I don't know what it is
posted by Mchelly at 4:36 PM on February 10 [3 favorites]

OutKast's Hey Ya!?
posted by that possible maker of pork sausages at 4:37 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Rock & Roll, Part 2
posted by Tanizaki at 4:41 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

Hey Baby, by DJ Otzi.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 4:42 PM on February 10

The Guitar by They Might Be Giants.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:43 PM on February 10 [3 favorites]

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.
posted by OolooKitty at 4:44 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Hey Mr. DJ by Zhane
posted by k8t at 4:46 PM on February 10

Hey Baby - No Doubt
posted by k8t at 4:47 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over... ?
posted by k8t at 4:48 PM on February 10

Joachim Witt - Goldener Reiter
posted by MinusCelsius at 4:50 PM on February 10

Hey! How Does Everybody Know by Arthur Russell
posted by stravinsky at 4:54 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 4:58 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

My goodness, nobody's recommended The Art of Noise's Close to the Edit.

Little Richard's Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey and Elvis' Hey Hey Hey would also seem to be naturals.
posted by eschatfische at 4:58 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

I don't see "Hey, Jude" yet, but you probably thought of that.

As for terrible suggestions that would be more appropriate 10 years from now, how about Sisters of Mercy's "This Corrosion"?

"Hey now, hey now now..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obzPPeHgHRQ
posted by Broccoli Bear at 4:59 PM on February 10

Hey You by Pink Floyd
Too dark for a 4 year old?
posted by gingerbeer at 4:59 PM on February 10

If you're into bluegrass, the Stanley Brothers' "hey hey hey." can't link cause on phone....
posted by Ollie at 5:00 PM on February 10

Call Me Maybe

Hey Julie - Fountains of Wayne
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 5:00 PM on February 10

My My Hey Hey (and variations) by Neil Young
posted by gingerbeer at 5:03 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

"Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has some sneaky "Hey"s scattered throughout.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:11 PM on February 10 [4 favorites]

"Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has some sneaky "Hey"s scattered throughout.

Came to say that one. And it'd be a super cute song for a kid, too.
posted by threeants at 5:13 PM on February 10

The Hey Song in Mchelly's link is Rock & Roll Part 2. And it is CRUCIAL for this playlist, as you'll soon realize.
posted by clavicle at 5:15 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:15 PM on February 10

Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men. A depressing song based on the lyrics, but catchy with lots of "Hey!"
posted by Gorgik at 5:16 PM on February 10

"What I Like About You" by The Romantics (heys at the beginning and the end especially)

"Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men (heys at the beginning, then throughout)
posted by 23skidoo at 5:16 PM on February 10

Arcade Fire - No Cars Go

(aside: boy, did I really beat the buzzer on my last post...lol)
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:18 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Hey! Hey! Hey hey hey! Macho Macho Man!
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:18 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Arcade Fire - No Cars Go (they actually go "Hey!", not just say the word "hey" in the lyrics somewhere. Big difference.)

Your daughter has awesome taste in music!
posted by bleep at 5:18 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

Iko Iko
posted by kelseyq at 5:19 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

All In A Day on Joe Strummer's final album has lots of Hey! Ho! Hey!

Back to the 80's ... Crowded House, um, and that song from Breakfast Club :)

R.E.M. Radio Song (not my favorite, but features "hey" in triplets)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:19 PM on February 10

Oingo Boingo - Hey!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goDilRgUE9w
Lots of "heys" but maybe only a little bit better than the Sisters of Mercy suggestion as far as tonality / thematics / language.
posted by Broccoli Bear at 5:23 PM on February 10

Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:26 PM on February 10

Hey Now Now by the Cloud Room
posted by Gori Girl at 5:26 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

And She Was- Talking Heads
posted by Cold Lurkey at 5:30 PM on February 10 [7 favorites]

Hey Tonight - CCR
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:30 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Last one (promise). It's not from the 80s. It's wholesome and perky and appropriate for a kiddo. Yes, I googled it.

Lumineers -- ho hey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvCBSSwgtg4

I'm going to spend the next half-hour kicking myself for not thinking of "And She Was".

Thanks for a fun topic.
posted by Broccoli Bear at 5:32 PM on February 10

Normally, I wouldn't recommend Fear to a 4-year-old, but they do have a song called "Hey" and that's the only lyric...
posted by AJaffe at 5:33 PM on February 10

"Shout" (Otis Day and the Knights version) has a good hey part at the end.

"Candy Everybody Wants"by 10,000 Maniacs has heys throughout.
posted by 23skidoo at 5:35 PM on February 10 [3 favorites]

Don't dream it's over, Crowded House.

Hey now, hey now... etc
posted by Youremyworld at 5:36 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]

no mention of tom petty?
posted by dorian at 5:41 PM on February 10 [4 favorites]

The Beatles, Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey
posted by MoonOrb at 5:41 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:42 PM on February 10

What Do You Love More Than Love - Dar Williams
posted by epj at 5:46 PM on February 10

Hey Baby, by DJ Otzi.

Or the original version
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 5:50 PM on February 10

Thanks so far everyone! Some of these are SO OBVIOUS (Blitzkrieg Bop and Rock n Roll Part 2, for instance) that I can't imagine how they didn't immediately jump to mind. Please keep them coming if you think of more!

I'll be going through and listening to any I don't recognize and try to mark some best answers, but I appreciate them all.

Just wanted to note that the more punctuated the HEY!, the better. So, for example, Hey Jude doesn't really fit the bill as much because you don't shout the Hey part as much.
posted by stefnet at 5:54 PM on February 10

Express Yourself by Madonna has the "Hey, hey, hey, hey" part right smack in there.
posted by MoonOrb at 5:55 PM on February 10

Hey Soul Sister - Train
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:59 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Hey hey you you

... get into my car!
posted by ceribus peribus at 6:04 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Weird Al Yankovic's "Ricky"

Oh Ricky, you're so fine
You're so fine you blow my mind
Hey Ricky, hey Ricky

Oh Lucy, you're so fine
You're so fine you blow my mind
Hey Lucy, hey Lucy
posted by anon4now at 6:05 PM on February 10

Hey Hey Hey from Korean rock band Jaurim
posted by needled at 6:06 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

The theme song to the kids show Arthur (a favorite of mine even as an adult!)
posted by bluloo at 6:08 PM on February 10 [4 favorites]

Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne (the chorus is "Hey! Hey! You! You! I don't like your girlfriend")
posted by Salvor Hardin at 6:08 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Bruce Springsteen's "Rosalita" is a super energetic song that ends with repeated shouts of "hey hey hey hey".
posted by Flannery Culp at 6:20 PM on February 10

Shut Up and Let Me Go by The Ting Tings.
posted by The Deej at 6:26 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

The Rolling Stones' "I can't get no satisfaction": hey hey hey, that's what I say...

The Talking Heads' "Hey Now" from True Stories: I want a popsicle! I want a bicycle!
posted by steinwald at 6:29 PM on February 10

I was thinking of that Ting Tings Deej, but I'm guessing introducing the phrase "shut up and let me go" to a 4 year old might not be the best idea...
posted by maryr at 6:32 PM on February 10

Lionel Hampton - Hey-Ba-Ba-Re-Bop
Bo Diddley - Hey! Bo Diddley
Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson
Os Mutantes - Hey Boy
Lou Courtney - Hey Joyce
World's Famous Supreme Team - Hey D.J.
Stevie Wonder - Hey Love
Johnny Cash - Hey Hey Train, Hey Porter
posted by hydrophonic at 6:33 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Hey Hey You Say - Papas Fritas
posted by tantrumthecat at 6:42 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

leonard Cohen - Hey, That's no way to say Goodbye

hey hey baby - otis redding
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:55 PM on February 10

Hey Hey We're the Monkees?
posted by wwax at 6:58 PM on February 10

Previously.

From that thread:

"All Star" - Smash Mouth

"Mr. Tambourine Man" — Bob Dylan

"Don't Come Around Here No More" — Tom Petty

"Hey! Baby" — Bruce Channel
posted by John Cohen at 7:00 PM on February 10

Madonna's "True Blue" starts with "Hey!" "What?" "Listen..."
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:12 PM on February 10

OK GO: "Get Over It." First "Hey!" is at 0:38. It's part of the chorus so it's sung multiple times, but not multiple times in a row.
posted by Bunglegirl at 7:19 PM on February 10

What about that song that goes, "Na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye?"
posted by chickenmagazine at 7:26 PM on February 10

Säkkijärven Polka by the Swingle Singers? (One bit might be too drunken for a four-year-old?)
posted by sculpin at 7:28 PM on February 10

Hey by the Pixies. Does talk about whores a lot, but maybe you can play it off as "horse at the door, horse in my bed, but hey! Where...have you...been..." etc.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 7:36 PM on February 10 [4 favorites]

Hey Hey by Eric Clapton from the Unplugged album. Pretty much all heys.
posted by zooropa at 7:39 PM on February 10

The Angels, "my boyfriend's back" (and you're gonna be in trouble, hey na, hey na, my boyfriend's back!)

This song was so much fun to sing along to as a kid.
posted by bilabial at 7:53 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

"Mr. Feather" by ELLEGARDEN has "hey" several times in the lyrics ("Hey Mr. Feather, Hey Mr. Clever, etc.). The lead singer says the word "shit" three times, though, so it might not be the best fit.
posted by topoisomerase at 8:23 PM on February 10

I see They Might Be Giants already got one mention, but here are some more.

One bit from Fingertips goes:

Hey now everybody now
Hey now everybody
Hey now everybody now

and the track Counterfeit Fake has:

Hey, hey, counterfeit fake
History wants you, they made a mistake

they're both very short tracks with a high 'hey' ratio.
posted by jepler at 8:23 PM on February 10

Roy Head, Treat Her Right. Lots of "Heys" start at 1:26

Muddy Waters' version of Hey, Hey

Big Bill Broonzy's instrumental version, just for fun.
posted by Right On Red at 8:26 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]

Superchick Hey Hey

(and if "Hoy Hoy Hoy" is close enough, there's this one by the Collins Kids - one of my daughter's favourites.)
posted by peagood at 8:40 PM on February 10

Mr Limousine Driver by Grand Funk
posted by Fortnight Bender at 8:41 PM on February 10

Oh - and the Stray Cats Rebels Rule.
posted by peagood at 8:46 PM on February 10

And Gene Vincent Woman Love (Sorry for triple-dipping. I'm dozing a bit, and they keep popping into my head.)
posted by peagood at 8:53 PM on February 10

Seventeen from Repo! the Genetic Opera might work, if you're comfortable with chopping off the end of the song which contains a line or two of profanity.
posted by Night_owl at 10:27 PM on February 10

Hey hey hey! by Room Eleven.
posted by Caconym at 11:36 PM on February 10

Can't believe this hasn't been said, but GANGNAM STYLE has lots of "HEY!"'s

There's a part where they sing:

A rum de wo sa rang su ro wo
Gu re no hey gu re ba ro no hey
A reum de wo sa rang su ro wo
Gu re no hey gu re ba ro no hey
Ji gum bu to gal de ka ji ga bol ka

And that's translated as:

Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end

And that part is repeated a couple of times in the song.

Oddly enough, it's not "HEY, SEXY LADY!", but "EH, SEXY LADY!", so we can't count that.
posted by FJT at 12:03 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

Beautiful Sunday by Daniel Boone
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:49 AM on February 11

It's Hoye! rather than Hey!, but I think the bhangra classic Maar Charappa really fits.
posted by bardophile at 1:17 AM on February 11

Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms.
posted by kinetic at 4:10 AM on February 11

The Byrds - Mr. Spaceman
posted by hydrophonic at 4:37 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

Century Plant by Victoria Williams it appeared in the movie 'Camp'. A very emphasized "Hey!" is part of the chorus.
posted by jaimystery at 5:09 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

The Fat Albert Theme by Dig.
posted by boba at 6:29 AM on February 11

Drunken Sailor - this version says "Hoo-ray up she rises", but I always sing it as "way - hey up she rises." But maybe not what you want a four year old singing?

Also Paddy Doyle's Boots, which should be ridiculous enough for a four year old.
posted by heigh-hothederryo at 6:32 AM on February 11

Levellers - Battle of the Beanfield
posted by salmacis at 6:49 AM on February 11

Hey, hey, hey, hey, don't you forget about Simple Minds
posted by oenzemain at 7:42 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

"Supernaturally" Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
posted by thenewbrunette at 7:44 AM on February 11

My Boyfriend's Back (hey la, hey la, my boyfriend's back!)
posted by briank at 7:48 AM on February 11

Johnny Winter has a song that starts with 48 consecutive “Heys”, delivered as a call-and-response between him and the backing singers, then repeats that whole sequence half-way through. It’s called “Hey Hey Hey Hey” and it has a cracking little blues guitar solo in it too.

Then there’s Hey Bartender (The Blues Brothers), Hey Hey My My (Neil Young), Hey America (James Brown), Hey Santa Claus (The Moonbeams), Hey Porter (Johnny Cash), Hey Good Lookin’ (Hank Williams), Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix), Hey Little Girl (The Gladiolas) Hey Big Spender (Shirley Bassey), Hey Now (Tony Grimes).....
posted by Paul Slade at 8:22 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

I'm a little late to the game, but this probably isn't 4-year-old appropriate anyway (1970s era Robert Palmer).

Hey, hey Julia, you're acting so peculiar
I know I'd never fool you in a million years
A horn section you resemble and your figure makes me tremble
And I sure would like to handle what's between your ears.
posted by she's not there at 8:41 AM on February 11

Correction: That's Hey Santa Claus, by The Moonglows.
posted by Paul Slade at 8:51 AM on February 11

Sonic Youth's "Androgynous Mind" has profanity, but the end with the "hey"s (hey hey it's ok, hey hey it's ok!) could maybe be the only part you play? Hm.
posted by ifjuly at 12:03 PM on February 11

Hey Hey What Can I do by Led Zeppelin. Yes, its a song about being in love with a prostitute, but it's pretty euphemistic and they probably won't understand it until they're older.
posted by dry white toast at 12:46 PM on February 11

Over, Under, Sideways, Down by The Yardbirds.
posted by marxchivist at 1:18 PM on February 11

Styx's "I'm Okay" starts out with "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!"
posted by kristi at 2:34 PM on February 11

Eesh. How could I forget how often I hear mrgood's band practicing this in the basement: Webb Pierce Teenage Boogie
posted by peagood at 4:28 PM on February 11

My favourite "Hey hey hey" is Vampire Weekend's A-Punk, though it may be a bit more "ay ay ay".
posted by spongeboy at 4:03 AM on February 12

Hanson has a song called "Hey".
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:49 AM on February 12

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
His name is my name too
Whenever we go out,
The people always shout,
"HEY John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt!"
Tra la la la la la la

Repeated ad infinitum.

The "HEY" should be shouted as loudly as needed to inspire giggles.
posted by marsha56 at 1:38 PM on February 12

Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne (the chorus is "Hey! Hey! You! You! I don't like your girlfriend")

Bonus: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend, by The Rubinoos, who sued Lavigne for copyright infringement ("Hey! Hey! You! You! I wanna be your boyfriend!")
posted by naoko at 5:04 PM on February 12 [1 favorite]

"Candy Everybody Wants" by 10,000 Maniacs

"Get Off of My Cloud" by the Rolling Stones
posted by Boogiechild at 6:41 PM on February 12

"Look At Little Sister" written and performed here by Hank Ballard but I'm sure I'd never heard it until I heard Stevie Ray Vaughan covering it .
posted by dancestoblue at 1:34 AM on February 13

[Chorus:] Hey Carrie Anne \ What's your game now, can anybody play?:The Hollies - Carrie Anne
posted by enfa at 11:49 AM on February 13

Total Love by Teenage Head "HEY!!...Gang way!!...something, something, something..."
posted by bonobothegreat at 11:59 AM on February 13

Touch Sensitive by The Fall. HEY HEY HEY HEY!
posted by poodelina at 7:00 AM on February 15 [1 favorite]

Holiday by Green Day
posted by MoonOrb at 10:44 AM on February 16

Hello by Martin Solveig
posted by MoonOrb at 11:13 AM on February 16