hi-de hi-de

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>"Hi-dee" and its numerous variants such as "hi-dee-ho" is a greeting.

Right, and also a nonsense interjection.

I'm reminded of "Minnie the Moocher" (Cab Calloway, ca. 1930, I think): the
chorus has "hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi".

>Hence the second stanza you quoted appears to mean something like
>
>And when I begged you for a little sympathy,
>Didn't you even try to [call me up and say hi to me]?

Only if the "didn't" is actually meant to be "did", I think.

I picture the "hi-de hi-de" as being either

(1) something frivolous like "la-di-da" or "har-de-har" ... thus, "Didn't
you even try to [make fun of me]/[make light of my troubles]?"

or

(2) a nonsense replacement for something like "casually seduce"/"f*ck" ...
thus, "Didn't you even try to [take advantage of me]?"

Just speculation.

-- Doug Wilson