Ding Fries Are Done: meme origins

Ding Fries Are Done is the title of a parody music video—a take on "Carole of the Bells." It was originally performed by a singer known as "Billy." The song is a callback to the days of working fast food jobs in the early '90s when the song first emerged.

Meme origins

The Christmas parody about fast food work was released in 1993 as part of a collection called, "A Very Spastic Christmas." Though commercials for the compilation album never aired, the album itself was released that holiday season. It was released on tape, but not widely. Listeners could only get a copy by mailing a check to a PO Box in Burbank, California.

The following year, the song gained popularity when it was featured on the Dr. Demento radio show, as part of its Christmas slate. It would become a recurring play in years to follow, having played nearly 50 times in the years since.

Ding Fries Are Done lyrics

The lyrics to Ding Fries Are Done by Billy (later identified as Brent Calvin) are:

I work at Burger King making flame-broiled whoppers, I wear paper hats.
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Ding! Fries are done. Ding! Fries are done.
Ding! Fries are done. Ding! Fries are done.
I gotta run. I gotta run. I gotta run. I gotta run.
Don't bob for fries in hot fat.
They hurt bad and so do skin grafts.
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Where is the bell? Wait for the bell.
Can't hear the bell. Where is the bell?

The Burger King video

A Burger King-based flash video was made to look like it goes along with the song. It first appeared on AmericanAngst and later, eBaums World and The Onion.

The video features an adult, who they claim is developmentally challenged, made to mouth along to the words in a marionette style. While it clearly originated as a parody, early internet users believed this to be a real commercial for the fast food brand.

Ding Fries Are Done and Family Guy

The song was even parodied by Family Guy, which the internet jokes is a "kiss of death." The moment was part of the episode called "Deep Throats," which aired in 2006.

Meme examples

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