Althouse: Twist!

September 20, 2011

Twist!

The greatest dance record of all time.

And the greatest dance craze of all time.

37 comments:

Fred4Pres said...: A dance even spazy white people can do.

Talk about brilliant marketing!; 9/20/11, 6:42 PM
Shanna said...: I prefer the Let's Twist Again followup!; 9/20/11, 6:49 PM
ricpic said...: The Peppermint Lounge!; 9/20/11, 6:51 PM
chickelit said...: Der mit den Sternen tanzt!; 9/20/11, 6:52 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "Twist and Shout" is the best twist song.

And "Twistin' the Night Away."

I'm quoting one opinion. The part of the post that's not in quotes, however, is -- you must agree -- indisputable!; 9/20/11, 7:00 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I mean... not quotes... hyperlinked.

It's arguably the greatest dance record because it got people crazy about doing the twist.

It's not really the best dance song.

For example, I love the old dance song "The 81".... but no one ever knew how to do the 81.; 9/20/11, 7:03 PM
Popville said...: Tho one could argue over the greatest dance record, I doubt one could find a greater dance record label than Cameo-Parkway. Besides the song in the post, there was the Dovell's Bristol Stomp, Hully Gully Baby & You Can't Sit Down, Mashed Potato Time (the best dance) & Gravy by Dee Dee Sharp, The Orlons with Wah Watusi (my favorite) and South Street, Checker's Limbo Rock and even Bobby Rydell's Cha-Cha-Cha.; 9/20/11, 7:11 PM
traditionalguy said...: The twist twisted me up. it was the dance every man could do, or fake something.

Many guys had an excuse not to dance swing steps and the shag because they never learned how. But the women always had a partner for dancing once the Twist was introduced.; 9/20/11, 7:18 PM
ricpic said...: You could twist the night away in one spot! You didn't even have to take any steps straight forward and straight back like you had to in that devilish cha-cha-cha.; 9/20/11, 7:34 PM
ken in tx said...: The Twist can really hurt your back.; 9/20/11, 7:56 PM
FleetUSA said...: The Twist (and all the song variations) is still very popular with the country club set around here - VA. Everyone gets up to dance! All ages.; 9/20/11, 7:59 PM
FleetUSA said...: "The 81" sounds nice, but in New Orleans (my hometown) I never heard it and in the 60's I went to a LOT of dances. Sorry.; 9/20/11, 8:01 PM
bagoh20 said...: I gotta agree with that one, and if I can do it anyone can.; 9/20/11, 8:06 PM
edutcher said...: Agree with Shanna.

"The Twist" cover by Chubby Checker came out in the summer of '60, but the fad didn't really begin until the following winter.

Ann Althouse said...

"Twist and Shout" is the best twist song.

And "Twistin' the Night Away."

Agree with "Twistin' the Night Away", but Hy Lit (Ann remembers him) proclaimed the Eisley Brosthers' "Twist and Shout" was the Rock 'N' Roll National Anthem.

Many at the time agreed.

Popville said...

Tho one could argue over the greatest dance record, I doubt one could find a greater dance record label than Cameo-Parkway. Besides the song in the post, there was the Dovell's Bristol Stomp, Hully Gully Baby & You Can't Sit Down, Mashed Potato Time (the best dance) & Gravy by Dee Dee Sharp, The Orlons with Wah Watusi (my favorite) and South Street, Checker's Limbo Rock and even Bobby Rydell's Cha-Cha-Cha.

Cameo Parkway pretty much owned thew world until the Beatles came along.; 9/20/11, 8:08 PM
Jimmy said...: This is a fun song, thanks for posting and bringing back some memories!; 9/20/11, 8:30 PM
Carol said...: Don't forget the Slauson! or was that just an LA thing.; 9/20/11, 8:31 PM
Craig said...: CC was a permanent fixture in the 70s and 80s at the nightclub of the Edgewater Inn, Pier 71 on the Seattle waterfront, performing there two or three night a week whenever he didn't have an out of town gig. "Fish from your window," was the hotel's ad slogan. "Twisting The Night Away" was a Sam Cooke tune. He was shot dead in a motel parking lot in 1963.; 9/20/11, 9:18 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: When was the last time anyone saw a white man wearing a red sport coat or evening jacket?; 9/20/11, 9:28 PM
Craig said...: Correction, I think the Edgewater was Pier 69. Pier 70 was Trident Imports, selling cheap trinkets from Asia. Pier 71 was a boat dock that belonged to the navy.; 9/20/11, 9:32 PM
Known Unknown said...: Cliff Noble had "The Horse."

And the entire Barnyard of Hits.; 9/20/11, 9:35 PM
edutcher said...: Carol said...

Don't forget the Slauson! or was that just an LA thing.

It was cut off.; 9/20/11, 9:44 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Chubby Checker's hit record, "The Twist" was actually a blatant theft by Dick Clark from the song's original writers and performers, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, who were considered too black. It's even unfair to call it a "cover" because Checker's version is almost identical in every way. They added nothing but squeaky clean Checker, American Bandstand's marketing prowess and Dick Clark's name to the credits.

It was one of the greatest musical frauds of all time.

But, yes, after many moons and much legal rangling, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters made out very, very well.

And - for making good people fight for decades for what they created - Dick Clark is, was, and always will be, a dick.; 9/20/11, 9:54 PM
Fred4Pres said...: PETER V. BELLA said...
When was the last time anyone saw a white man wearing a red sport coat or evening jacket?

9/20/11 9:28 PM

Last time I watched Caddyshack.; 9/20/11, 10:23 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Dick Clark used to have a painting of himself in his attic, but he was freaked out by the image and destroyed the painting.; 9/20/11, 10:24 PM
Ralph L said...: Whatever happened
To my Transylvania Twist?; 9/20/11, 11:23 PM
AlanKH said...: E.M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHMrGx_jG0

Didn't every high school band with a horse-themed mascot play that song? (Mine did - the Richard King High School Mustangs.); 9/20/11, 11:30 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Best dance craze ever?

And what about

This.; 9/20/11, 11:33 PM
Chip S. said...: The white nurse's uniform is a great look. Wish they'd bring that back.

Maybe with a hot-pants option for candy-stripers.; 9/21/11, 12:55 AM
Craig said...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LXnJ5qOdP0&feature=related

You want to see a twist?; 9/21/11, 1:01 AM
AlanKH said...: And what about

This.

Call an exorcist.; 9/21/11, 4:31 AM
SJL said...: As a dance, the twist was popular because anyone could do it - even me, who usually only dances when I'm drunk or in love.; 9/21/11, 6:03 AM
lemondog said...: Government version of Twist and Cross Your Fingers; 9/21/11, 6:04 AM
Shanna said...: Didn't every high school band with a horse-themed mascot play that song?

Our mascot was not horse themed but we definately played that song. Brassy trumpets like crazy!

That and Tarzan Boy, for some reason.; 9/21/11, 6:14 AM
Kevin Walsh said...: The recording on the video is actually a rerecorded version, since the original was unavailable for sale for many years. I think it actually sounds better than the original.

The only record to hit #1 twice on 2 separate official releases.

www.forgotten-ny.com; 9/21/11, 10:05 AM
Kensington said...: I want to see a video of Althouse doing the Twist. How about it, professor?; 9/21/11, 11:47 AM
AlanKH said...: I thought the government version of the Twist was an enhanced interrogation method.; 9/22/11, 1:26 AM
MattCWM said...: The Twist has been around for ages, Thats funny that its called the twist, because there is an Tropical Twist we do that is a Spinnof of the dance the Organic Flower farm i work at specializes in Exotic Tropical Flowers Tho we do stock some that are not.; 9/29/11, 9:35 PM