# Chipmunks column

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipmunks-column/256998>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [July 26, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipmunks-column/256998 "2004-07-26T22:50:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipmunks-column/256998/1 "2004-07-26T22:50:27Z")

</div>

Not much to add to this one  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_019b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_019b.html)

But David Seville, as he was billed in the credits, also appeared in “Rear Window” as the songwriter that Jimmy Stewart can see from his window. He composes a song so beautiful that keeps a woman from killing herself.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipmunks-column/256998/2 "2004-07-27T01:30:16Z")

</div>

What I don’t get is, why does having an uncle in Washington state mean you put “walla walla” in a song?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipmunks-column/256998/3 "2004-07-27T02:25:50Z")

</div>

> [@AndrewT](#):
>
> What I don’t get is, why does having an uncle in Washington state mean you put “walla walla” in a song?

There is a town in Washington State that is actually named “Walla Walla” (it sounds like something from the Land Down Under, but it’s not). Any USAian child grows up knowing this, but I’m sure having a family connection puts it more into mind.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipmunks-column/256998/4 "2004-07-30T04:48:21Z")

</div>

**AndrewT** , you’ve never had a Walla Walla Sweet Onion? Mmm-Mmm good!

Anyhoo… I just had to comment on this bit…

> [@Cecil](#):
>
> (The song, you may remember, is a child’s timeless lament about the slow passage of time before the holidays, sung about 23 octaves above high C.)

… and point out that, while I appreciate the literary use of hyperbole, I must point out that a note sung 23 octaves above high-C would be utterly inaudible to human ears. And unfortunately, the Chipmunks aren’t inaudible. I believe that a note that high, played at sufficient “volume”, would probably be capable of shattering diamonds. And would also probably end life as we know it.

😛