About Us:

We are the members of the Nick Hathaway Society of America, International. We represent the tens of fans of Mr. Hathaway's music around the world, from the isle of Manhattan to Staten Island.

 

"There never was a songwriter quite like Nick Hathaway." -- Will Friedwald (author, writer)

Highlights

Of a "Life" Led the "Hatha" Way

JAMESON BABCOCK born in Chester, Pennsylvania, to his mother and father.

BABY JAMESON speaks his first words: "Ooka dooka dicka dee." No one could imagine what these words portended.

PIANO LESSONS -- People probably gave them in his hometown of Chester, Penn.

NICKNAME -- Young Jameson takes on the nickname "Nick," which is short for "Nickname." His new name seems to suit the budding composer, who showed an ability to take, or "nick," from the music he loved.

JULLIARD -- Nick applies to this prestigious musical conservatory in New York City.

EARLY WORK -- Upon receiving the decision from Julliard, Hathaway starts his first job, working on the streets of New York's historic Tin Pan Alley, which had by this time become the floral district.

THE MAN IN THE HATHAWAY NON DE PLUME -- Inspired by the label in a friend's shirt, Nick takes his professional name. "Nick" "Hathaway" is born!

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST SONG! High up in his penthouse/above the Square of Times/Nick writes his first love song/and this is how it rhymes: I'm hot for you You're hot for me Ooka dooka dicka dee

 

 

 

"CHOO-CHOO" POP -- Hathaway writes lyrics to C. K. Dexter Haven's piano concerto, "Choo-Choo Mama."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"In the history of the American avant-garde, Nick Hathaway stands out as a figure of rare conventionality." -- George E. Lewis, Edwin H. Case Professor of American Music, Columbia University

 

"MOUSETRAP" MAN -- Hathaway is selected by the great director Jeffrey Cordova to write the songs for the avant-garde play, Man in a Mousetrap. Fascinatingly, this conceptual production had no songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ED SULLIVAN SHOW -- Nick attends the legendary CBS variety program. Stars this evening include Kate Smith, the Brazilia Circus, and Canadian funnymen Wayne and Shuster.

 

 

 

NASHVILLE NICK -- Hathaway displays his hillbilly side with his country composition "If You're Running Away from Me, I'm Behind You All the Way"

PSYCHE! -- Nick gets into a groovy bag, retreating in seclusion for hours to compose the fifteen-movement psychedelic opus he conceived of as "a middle-age symphony to Satan." Only one part of this lost masterpiece survives: the seven-minute "The War Between the States of Mind."

REHAB -- Hathaway reads all about the Betty Ford Center for rehabilitation from alcohol and drug abuse, which has treated such notables as Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Cash, and Lindsey Lohan.

 

THE METICULOUS YEARS -- Inspired by his growing experience as a proofreader for trade journals, Hathaway composes works including "Upon Whom May I Rely?" "Love Is She," and "Nor I You," among the most grammatical of songs in American music.

R.I.P., JAMESON "NICK" (BABCOCK) HATHAWAY -- Hathaway passes into history, with his musical legacy.

 

"Nick" Nacks

Free downloads

Sheet music

<--- "Choo Choo"Mama

 

 

 

 

Audio files

Muldaur, Ooka Dooka Dicka Dee sung by Geoff Muldaur

Ooka Dooka Dicka Dee sung by Jill Sobule and John Doe

Choo Choo Mama sung by Allan Harris

 

Portrait of Nick Hathaway (fascimile)

Links

• Nick Hathaway on Wikipedia
• Heylin's book on Google Books
• Sounes's book on Google Books
• YouTube: Jill Sobule and John Doe pay tribute to the late songwriter Nick Hathaway
• YouTube: Geoff Muldaur sings Nick Hathaway
• Remembering the Forgettable Nick Hathaway
• Nick Hathaway, writer of "Ooka Dooka Dicka Dee," dies at 96
• The Daily For Blog, Ooka Dooka Dicka WHAT?
• An April Fool's Day obituary from Prof. David Hajdu