Papa Oom Mow Mow

"Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow"
Original 45 rpm disc
Single by The Rivingtons
from the album Doin' the Bird
B-side	"Deep Water"
Released	1962 (1962)
Format	7" record
Recorded	1961
Genre	Doo-wop
Length	02:17
Label	Liberty
Writer(s)	Carl White, Al Frazier, Sonny Harris, Turner Wilson Jr.
Producer(s)	Adam Ross
The Rivingtons singles chronology
"Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" (1962) "Kickapoo Joy Juice" (1963)

"Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is a 1962 novelty nonsensical doo-wop song by the Rivingtons. It peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 35 on the Cashbox charts. The band released two similar follow-up songs over the next several months, "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow (The Bird)" and "The Bird's the Word".

Together with the Rivingtons' 1963 novelty song "The Bird's the Word", "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" was the basis for the song "Surfin' Bird", a number 4 hit in 1963 by the Trashmen. The combination of the songs, played at a much livelier pace than the original doo-wop songs, was ad-libbed at an early live performance by the band and later released as a single. Initially, the 45 did not credit the original songwriters, but after threats from the Rivingtons' attorneys the songwriting credits were amended.

The Trashmen's follow-up single "Bird Dance Beat" referenced "Surfin' Bird" in the lyrics and featured several sections of the "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" syllables.

The song was later covered by the Beach Boys for their first live album, Beach Boys Concert, in 1964—this track entering the Philippines top 10 February 26th 1966 according to Billboard—and, again sung by Brian Wilson, on their album Beach Boys' Party! in 1965. The track was also included on the Music for Pleasure compilation album The Beach Boys Good Vibrations released in the UK in the 1970s.

In 1967, the Freshmen scored a Top 10 hit with the song in Ireland. Versions by both The Sharonettes and Gary Glitter made the UK Top 40 in 1975. This was Glitter's first non-top-10 single after 11 consecutive top-ten hits. The Ramones also have their version of this song.