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Playlist for September 24, 2008 from 7:00PM - 10:00PM
Current New Orleans Time: Fri, 1:50am
Playlist Date & Time: 9/24/2008 7:00PM - 10:00PM
Program: Records from the Crypt with Billy Delle
Land of a 1000 Dance (Songs)!
The movie “Hairspray” reminded us of a time when music and dance was first experienced as a visual event that didn't require attending a live performance. National shows like American Bandstand, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is, Shin Dig! and too many campy local productions made it easy for Americans to see and copy the dances. In response, musicians poured out even more dance songs than ever. No greater a New Orleanian that the young Ignatius J. Riley considered these shows both blasphemous and the highlight of his, uhh, romantic life.
Tonight we feature these dance songs but since there are probably more dance songs than beads at the Endymion Parade, we're going to focus on those songs that have the instructional lyrics. You know, "put your hands on your hips and let your backbone slip" or "wibble when you walk" - the kind of lyric that blends crass poetry with highway signage.
As a special treat, on this playlist's web links we've posted web links to even more music and dance videos. Ranging from an anonymous teenager teaching the steps to the Mashed Potato to James Brown demonstrating all his moves. As with most of my playlist links, there is everything from Wilson Pickett knocking out a seriously killer version of Funky Broadway to Wednesday and Gomez Addam demonstrating the Watusi and The Freddy.
A wacky show with more music than we can fit into three hours so send me an e-mail and I'll give you a large list of additional videos and dance songs as collected by Tom Morgan and myself. Don't worry about timeliness, I'll keep this list for years. E-mail me at soundieswwoz@yahoo.com or click on my name / playlist on this the WWOZ website. Hey, don't send a blank e-mail, send a photo of you doing one of the dances.
Now go practice the Watusi and Mashed Potato in front of the mirror and be ready in case WWOZ initiates a dance contest to replace our fund drives.
A big thanks to Tom Morgan for sending along more dance songs than millipedes have feet (and letting me scoop him on doing this special). Of course, he has been granted the traditional three wishes from the WWOZ genies and we all hope he enunciates his wishes very clearly. Remember the best possible outcome is what happened to a young kid from Utah named Anders Osborne who wished to become the sweetest blues singer in America and instead became the Swedish Blues Singer. Individual result may vary....
Watusi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CoesFHwEXM
Watusi and the Freddy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqhKO4f784c&feature=related
Mashed Potato
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzGPpPUML94&feature=related
Dee Dee Sharp doing the Mashed Potato
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQBKpV9emKc&feature=related
Little Eva doing the Locomotion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1mQwXW2MVg&feature=related
Chubby Checker doing The Fly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8XBsNa8EwQ&feature=related
Joey Dee and the Starlighters with the Pepperment Twist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8XBsNa8EwQ&feature=related
Los Straightjackets are still touring around doing this great music and dances:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FQVCkio0uY&feature=related
Alvin Cash and The Crawlers Twine Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaqtYIXdZl8
The Horse as danced on Teen Time – you know one of those after school dance shows that got Ignatius Riley so worked up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4XFk2VCgVc&feature=related
Boogaloo Down Broadway on a Teen Time dance contest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4XFk2VCgVc&feature=related
The Madison from the movie Band of Outsiders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBeAqPwmZx8&feature=related
Madison dance lesson in French with the most fashionable boots since shrimper:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBeAqPwmZx8&feature=related
The Continental by the Dovells:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGQ5T9Ye4nk&feature=related
The “Whack-a-Mole?” - Dick Dale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7svj3o055KE
The Potato Chip from the Buddy Dean Show (The show Hairspray was patterned after).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKyL4L6iolE
And Buddy brings us the Madison (you can imagine John Waters watching this very show):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT_QNC6o24E
James Brown giving dance lessons:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdz88MBWomo
Whitey's Lindy Hop Dancers (because they're so good):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTg5V2oA_hY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49ocW71YPfs&feature=related
Rufus Thomas Funky Chicken at Wattstack – Nobody could work a crowd like Rufus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9gO59ooAA8&feature=related
Perez Prado with Mambo dancers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4RT1J1Q5nA
Chicken Fat workout performed by Dinah Shore, Nanette Fabray and New
Orleanian Al Hirt holding up our city's reputation for good health:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHbQqthU4M&feature=related
Eddie Bo performing the Hook and Sling at JazzFest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVPvsM0X9ec
Johnny Otis on his television show performing Hand Jive with three hand jive dancers that refreshingly don't fit the mold.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEeeGMpM_Nk
Running back, Rick Bell of USC fame had a more talented family member in Archie Bell. Here he is doing the Tighten Up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUBpPC9asdM&feature=related
I'm sympathetic to the person who posted this video and considers it a better song than Archie Bell's Tighten Up. So this non-dancing video makes it on musical merit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTlWcXaq5gA
Wilson Picket driving the dancers wild with Funky Broadway. This was a show not to miss:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGqZkA_B4tU
Chris Kenner for Kenner documentarian David Kunian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlyDkn3dYtg
Booker T with dancers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzPuQDHUO3g
Where the Action Is, a national television music and dance show with a big promotional introduction premiered on the Johnny Quest Show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrUzJyNhrIw
Chuck Berry on Hullabaloo, another musci dance show with the Hullabaloo dancers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuvLnn9WaIg&feature=related
Playlist Tracks
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Louis Jordan
After School Swinging Session
Let the Good Times Roll
Bear FAmily
Louis captures the inspiration for tonight's show - that after school dance session.
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Johnny Otis
Willie and the Hand Jive
Johnny Otis Presents
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Clarence Samuels
Putt Putt
Samuels was a local guy who was often associated with Roy Brown but didn't catch the same rocket ship out of town. He had the pipes and talent as a blues shouter and this great instructional dance song should have delivered the magic.
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Link Wray
Mashed Potato Party
Mr. Guitar
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Murray the K
The Lone Twister
thanks to WMFU.org
Yes, that Murray the K singing a twist song.
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Alvin Cash and the Crawlers
Twine Time
Beg Scream and Shout
Rhino
Web link has Alvin sing and doing the Twine Time
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Rufus Thomas
Funky Chicken
Stax Profiles
Stax
Rufus worked a crowd better than the best. Here he clears the stands at the WattStax concert then chases everyone back into the stands. Talk about instructional - this is one of the best dance video clips of the night.
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Archie Bell
Tighten Up
Tighten Up 45
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Archie Bell
I Can't Stop Dancing
The Philly Sound
TSOP
Houstonian Archie Bell was one of the greatest proponents of the dance song. He probably got furthest from the novelty to making this the dance song the basis of his musical persona. Too bad "Tighten Up" broke after he went into the army - it is a bit hard to promote if you're on patrol in Vietnam.
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The Fantastic Johnny C
Boogaloo Down Broadway
Beg, Shout and Scream
Rhino
Everyone should precede their name with such an honorific as "The Fantastic... (your name here).
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Jr. Walker and the All Starts
Shake and Fingerpop
Beg, Shout and Scream
Rhino
So many songs that include the "Shake" that we could do a show just on Shake songs (and about twenty shows on mambo, cha cha, and twist).
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Impressions
Twist and Limbo
The Impressions go to the well by adding yet another twist song to the world but then show their mettle by combining the twist with the also popular limbo. So New Orleaneans, get out the broom and practice the limbo because it is a dance where you won't spill your drink. Oh yeah, there are also more limbo songs than residents of St. Bernard.
The web link to the vocal group hall of fame is worthy of a bookmark. Forget Wikipedia for looking up vocal groups, Wiki is like 3.2 beer compared to the grappa of Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
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Sam Cooke
Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha
Best of Sam Cooke
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Unknown
Cha Cha Cha
Finally, Corky and Slavik show you, yes you the dance step you need for romance and social acceptance.
"Don't point at me daddy-o, I'll cut your finger off."
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Sam Cooke
Twisting the Night Away
Best of
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Jackie Wilson
Shake! Shake! Shake!
Higher and Higher
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Sam Cooke
Twisting the Night Away
Best of
I bet there were more hit songs made about the twist than any other dance song (which might explain why there are so many twist songs - ride those coat tails).
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Sam Cooke
Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha
Portrait of a Legend 1951-64
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Ike and Tina Turner
Shake
Ike and Tina covered a surprising amount of dance songs with their own earthy sound.
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Rufus Thomas
Funky Robot, Do The Double Bump, The Breakdown.
Stax Profiles
Stax
So many Rufus dance songs and I'm not sure we're going to play them all but without a doubt we are playing the Funky Chicken
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Rufus Thomas
Funky Chicken
The web link! GO TO THE WEB LINK NOW!
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Ike and Tina Turner
Locomotion
A cover of the Little Eva song. The Little Eva version is on the web link.
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The Capitols
Cool Jerk
Beg Scream and Shout
Rhino
This Rhino six cd collection is not only great for dance songs, it is one of those must have collections.
A clip from Teen Time with that dancing that used to send Ignatius right over the edge.
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The Turbans
When You Dance
Vocal Groups: Classic Doo Wop Remastered
Rule of thumb - any group that begins their name with "The" turns out better music.
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The Five Du-Tones
Monkee See Monkey Do
Shake a Tail Feather
There are plenty of Monkey dance songs but there is also a disproportionate amount of songs about monkeys in general. My collection has about fifty monkey songs but only one zebra and one gorilla song. It also has no chimp songs and only two duck songs (sorry Ruthie I tried to better represent your passing).
Web link is to a traffic reporter dancing his way through
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The Charlioteers
Don't Play No Mambo
Vocal Groups Classic Doo Wop
Another Jackie Wilson clip with great group dancing, this time from Shin Dig!
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Chris Kenner
Land of a 1000 Dances
Chris Kenner Collection
Video of the Dixie Cups on Shin Dig! I believe the house pianist was Billy Preston.
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Lee Dorsey
Ride Your Pony
The Definitive Collection
Lee Dorsey dancing it up and performing Ride Your Pony at a 1967 concert in Finland. Can you pick out any of your neighbors from the band?
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Chris Kenner
Let Me Show You How (To Twist)
Chris Kenner Collection
Ahh, one more Lee Dorsey because there is no such thing as too much Lee Dorsey.
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Ernie K-Doe
Popeye Joe
New Orleans Popeye Party
K-Doe behind the board and presiding over the universe.
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Huey Piano Smith
Popeye
New Orleans Popeye Party
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Earl King
Do the Grind
Street Parade
Earl's goodbye coincided with Jazz Fest. I hope he felt his Street Parade lived up to his song of the same name.
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Jimmie "J"
The Jet
Wardell Quezerque's Sixty Smokin Soul Senders]
Can't find a good video on Jimmie J but I like the commentary on Johnny Rivers, John Fred, and Jimmy Clanton. Not even distantly related to tonight's theme.
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Guitar Ray
Patty Cake Shake
Wardell Quezergue: Sixty Smokin' Soul Senders
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Senator Jones
Boston Fleet
Wardell Quererque Sixty Smoking Soul Senders
Funky Delicacies
2002
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Lydia Marcelle
Everybody Dance
Wardell Quezergue: Sixty Smokin' Soul Senders
Funky Delacacies
2002
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The Spiders
Sukey, Sukey, Sukey
Imperial Sessions
Imperial
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Cookie and the Cupcakes
Shake 'em Up
Kings of Swamp Pop
See Flattownmusic.com
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Professor Longhair
Whole Lotta Twistin
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Lucky Millinder
The Jumpin Jack
Apollo Jump
Proper
Lucky with Rosetta Tharp. Lucky wasn't a musician but what an ear and mind as he consistently put together great music. Next web link has him with Ernestine Allen.
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Lynn Roberts
Chicken Fat
45 rpm thanks to WFMU.org
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Tiny Tim
Chicken Dance
Goobers - A Collection of Kids Songs
Something happened to me about a decade ago. I started considering Tiny Tim not as a novelty but as a classic jazz singer with early 1900's vocal stylings. Think Linzi Zaorski and you'll follow me into this hell of Tiny fandom. Oh yeah, this clip is the cure for the taking Tiny-Tim-Too-Seriously affliction. (And no he is not Garrison Keilor relative.)
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Robert Parker
Barefootin
Beg, Scream and Shout
Rhino
I got excited when I saw a youtube video of "Robert Parker and Gio" until I realized it wasn't the New Orleans Robert Parker singer or GiO stripper. Just two lugs hitting each other. For the rest of the country, there is much better entertainment here in New Orleans when Robert Parker (or GiO) are featured.
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Sammy Ridgley
Shake a Shake Sue
Wardell Quezergue: Sixty Smokin' Soul Senders
Funky Delacacies
2002
An nice interview with Wardell from a documentary re: 2007 Community Arts Award Show.
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Chris Kenner
She Can Dance
Chris Kenner Collection
An unrelated video of Gatemouth in 2000. Miss you Gate.
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Chuck Dallis
Moon Twist
Yeah, combine the lyrics of a twist dance step with an imaginary rocket ship to the moon lyric. It'll sell a million kid, just watch.
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The Flares
The Monkey Walk
Press 2810 45 RPM
Web link is of Gino Washington, the guy featured in the next song. Are you doing The Monkey yet?
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Gino Washington
Come Monkey With Me
Gino's great song stays hot after all these years and has my favorite dance song lyrics; "put your hand on your hips and let your backbone slip." Poetry in loco-motion.
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The Five Du-Tones
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Shake a Tail Feature
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Smoky Wood and His Woodchoppers
Keep on Truckin
Western Swing and Country Jazz
Proper
Smoky was the western swing version of a viper and the mixture seemed to produce pretty good music.
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Modern Mountaineers
Everybody's Trucking
Western Swing and Country Jazz
Proper
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Further Information
Louisiana Music Collective
