The Friday 5×2: Your “Dance Moves” Songs

Monday’s topic was “songs with dance moves in the title,” and I came up with a list of ten. You came up with more, although not quite ten, and I did some minor changes to some of the ones you came up with. Here’s this week’s list.

The Beatles, “Twist & Shout” Several of you asked why I didn’t include this one. Honestly, I didn’t bother looking, because I was afraid I’d run into the problem I always run into, that Beatles songs posted to YouTube get taken down faster than you can say “BMG.” I could have used The Isley Brothers’ version, then I found this on The Fab Four’s “official” channel. From their first album, 1963’s Please Please Me in the UK, Introducing… The Beatles! in the US.
Stray Cats, “Rock This Town” Birgit suggested this and the next two. This is the video I remember of this song. It was released in 1981 and reached #9 in both the US and UK.
Stray Cats, “Stray Cat Strut” The followup single to “Rock This Town,” also from 1981. It reached #3 in the US and #11 in the UK.
Louis Prima, “Jump, Jive & Wail” Birgit suggested The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s cover, but I figured that was too much Setzer, so I went with wild man Louis Prima here. The dark-haired woman standing in the background looking upset is his wife, Keely Smith. Theirs was not a happy relationship.
Booker T. & The MG’s, “You Can’t Sit Down” A song that’s been covered by many, both instrumntal and vocal, which means you might see it in a future Battle of the Bands. Eugenia suggested this and the next.
The Dovells, “Bristol Stomp” Eugenia suggested The Dovells’ version of “You Can’t Sit Down,” then I found this and decided to use it instead. Great doo-wop!
Robert Lindsay, “The Lambeth Walk” The song is from the musical Me and My Girl, written in the late Thirties by Noel Gay (music) and Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose (lyrics). It had its first run in the West End in 1937 and was made into a movie called The Lambeth Walk a couple of years later, when the world was preparing for war (there are numerous videos out there of Nazi soldiers marching aound to this song). “Bristol Stomp” made me think of this.
The Diamonds, “The Stroll” This was a popular dance in the late Fifties. It originated on American Bandstand, though this video is from Iowa (no idea where; the person who uploaded it said it was from Idaho).
Bill Haley & The Comets, “Rock-A-Beatin’ Boogie” Had to put a song with some boogie in it. The film clip is from 1945’s Yolanda And The Thief, and Fred Astaire’s dance partner is Louise Bremer.
Denver Airport Swing Dance Flash Mob Just looked like too much fun to pass on.

And that’s the Friday 5×2 for September 1, 2017. Have a good Labo(u)r Day weekend, if you’re headed out, if not, I’ll be here all weekend…

Monday’s Music Moves Me: Your Men’s Names Songs

I didn’t think we’d have enough suggestions, but this week you came up with ten song suggestions, one band suggestion, and I came up with a song for that band and one additional song that was suggested by an artist you named, so we have twelve big songs here for this week. Albums didn’t have that many songs in the old days, so you got a lot of music here.

ABBA, “Chiquitita” Not sure if Chiquitita is a man’s name, but I’ll take Birgit’s word for it.
Elton John, “Daniel” Dan said it was probably self-serving, but it was a classic by Sir Elton.
Elton John, “Levon” Dan’s suggestion brought this one to mind. As I pointed out a while back, “Levon” is “Novel” spelled backward, but really, it’s a great song. I did “Bennie and the Jets” last week for Two for Tuesday, but that’s another one.
Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue” Uncle Jack came up with this, and I thought it was perfect. The first time I heard it, hearing the 1000 Hz tone that blotted out the (for 1968) mild profanity made me just about jump out of my skin. Now the term “son of a bitch” (Shel Silverstein’s original words) is no big deal. Maybe it should be, I don’t know.
Dion, “Abraham, Martin, and John” Janet thought of the next three. This came out in 1968, shortly after Bobby Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King were assassinated, and I still get a lump in my throat when I hear it. Particularly now.
Toni Basil, “Mickey” Janet also thought of this, and yes, it’s annoying, but it really sold a lot of records, reaching #1 worldwide in 1982. The song was written as “Kitty” by the Australian songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, sort of the Scott Aitken Waterman of the Seventies, and Ms. Basil changed it so she could sing it.
Genesis, “Jesus He Knows Me” From the band’s 1991 album We Can’t Dance, it’s a satirical piece that was inspired by the financial hijinks of televangelists such as Jim Bakker, Robert Tilton, and Jimmy Swaggart. This is the uncensored version, so careful playing it at work or when the kiddies are listening.
The Beatles, “Hey Jude” Joey suggested this, and though it was probably my least favorite Beatles song (though it’s okay up until the nah-nah-nahs) it was probably their biggest hit, certainly one of their last. The flip side was the rocker “Revolution.”
Paul Revere & The Raiders, “Louie, Louie” Joey mentioned Paul Revere in ther comment, and I couldn’t find a song named that anywhere, so I improvised, assuming she meant Paul Revere the musician. It’s not clear whether The Kingsmen or Paul Revere & The Raiders recorded “Louie, Louie” first, but both bands recorded it in the same studio in Oregon.
Herman’s Hermits, “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am” Suggested by Mary B, this evidently was an old English music hall song, written by Fred Murray and R. P. Weston in 1910 and originally popularized by Harry Champion. When Herman and the boys recorded it in 1965, it became the fastest-selling record in history.
Jimmy Dean, “Big Bad John” Another of those songs I heard a lot when I was a kid, also suggested by Mary. Jimmy’s probably better known for pork sausage now, but he was a hell of a singer in his day.
Murray McLauchlan, “Me and Joey” Arlee gave us this one. Murray was born in Scotland and emigrated to Canada when he was five, living in a suburb of Toronto. He plays guitar, piano, and harmonica, and was the second singer-songwriter on True North Records, the first being Bruce Cockburn.

And that about wraps it up. That’s Monday’s Music Moves Me for August 21, 2017.

Monday’s Music Moves Me is sponsored by X-Mas Dolly, Callie, Cathy, and Stacy, so be sure and visit them, where you can also find the Linky for the other participants.

Monday’ Music Moves Me: Your “J” Songs, And A Couple More Of Mine

As is the custom here at The Sound Of One Hand Typing, after a post like last week’s (ten songs that start with the letter J), I ask if there are any you can come up with. I didn’t think there were ten suggestions, and there weren’t. There were eleven. Not being content to just stop there, I came up with four more to round it out to fifteen songs. Enjoy!

Frankie Laine, “Jealousy” Birgit came up with the first three, starting with this one, a big hit for Frankie Laine in 1951. There are a lot of songs named “Jealousy,” so I hope I got the right one.
Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock” Birgit came up with this, which was seconded by Joey. Theme song from the 1957 movie starting Elvis, this was the #1 song in the country the day my brother Jim was born.
John Mellencamp, “Jack & Diane” Birgit and Joey both came up with this, and I kind of figured Joey would have, John Mellencamp being from the southern Indiana town of Seymour and all. From John’s 1982 release American Fool, this spent four weeks at #1 and is John’s most successful single to date.
Barry Manilow, “Jump Shout Boogie” Ed Thierbach tells us this song is “not your typical maudlin Manilow.” And it’s a pretty swingin’ tune. From Barry’s 1976 album This One’s For You.
Foreigner, “Jukebox Hero” Janet and Joey both like this one. So does everyone else. This was the third single from the 1982’s 4, and reached #26.
The Rolling Stones, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” Mary B brings us this one and the next two. From 1968, and called “supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London” by Rolling Stone magazine, it reached #3 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Cash Box Top Singles chart.
Aerosmith, “Janie’s Got A Gun” The second single from 1989’s Pump, it peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 and #2 on the Mainstream Singles chart.
Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take The Wheel” The first single from 2005’s Some Hearts, it spent six week at #1 on the Country chart and reached #4 on the Top Christian Singles chart and made the Top 20 on the Hot 100.
John Lennon, “Just Like Starting Over” Joey came up with this and the next two. From Double Fantasy it was released in October 1980 in the US and UK and subsequently reached #1 after Lennon’s murder.
The Cure, “Just Like Heaven” This was the third single from The Cure’s 1987 release, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and reached #40 on the Hot 100, making it the band’s first hit in the US.
House of Pain, “Jump Around” This reached #3 in 1992 and is ranked at #24 on VH-1’s “Greatest Songs of the 90’s.”
Frankie Laine, “Jezebel” The last four choices are mine. I read that Frankie Laine had two big his in 1951 when I added “Jealousy” to the list. This is the other one, and I just had to add it.
Count Basie, “Jumpin’ At The Woodside” One of my perennial favorites, this was the song Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine used to dance to on The Gong Show.
Oliver, “Jean” Theme song from the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which starred Dame Maggie Smith in the title role. She would go on to play Professor McGonigal in the “Harry Potter” movies. Oliver, who earlier in 1969 had a hit with “Good Moning, Starshine,” which reached #3, saw this one reach #1 on the adult contemporary chart and #2 on the Hot 100.
Chet Atkins, “Jitterbug Waltz” Finally, some classic fingerstyle guitar from Chet Atkins, Certified Guitar Player. Fats Waller wrote this in 1942, and it’s one of the first songs to employ the Hammond organ, which became immensely popular in jazz afterwards.

I’ll stop there, even though I’m thinking of a few more. That’s Monday’s Music Moves Me for August 7, 2017.

Monday’s Music Moves Me is sponsored by X-Mas Dolly, Callie, Cathy, and Stacy, so be sure and visit them, where you can also find the Linky for the other participants.

The Friday 5×2: Your Destination Songs, Part 3

Here’s the third, and for now the last, installment of destination songs chosen by you, the readers of this here blog.

Paul McCartney, “Back In The USSR” Janet suggested this one, and while I couldn’t find The Beatles doing it (WMG issues, don’t you know), I did find Paul doing it live on The David Letterman Show, which is almost as good. The original was on The Beatles, more commonly known as “The White Album.”
The Mamas & The Papas, “California Dreamin'” This was another Janet suggestion. John and Michelle Phillips wrote it, and it was originally done by Barry McGuire, with The Mamas & The Papas singing backup. Their own version features an alto flute solo by the great Bud Shank, and P. F. Sloan did the initial guitar figure. It was released in late 1965 and it took until March of 1966 to reach its peak at #4 on both the Billboard Hot 100 (17 weeks) and the Cash Box survey (20 weeks). Both magazines rated it the #1 song of 1966, with Cash Box having it tied with SSgt. Barry Sadler’s “Ballad of The Green Berets.” Thanks as always to Wikipedia for providing all this info.
John McCormack, “It’s A Long Way To Tipperary” Uncle Jack suggested this one when he suggested songs about locations in Ireland. McCormick was the first to record it, in 1914. Tipperary is both a town and a county in south central Ireland, and its name means “The Well of Ara.” Just thought you’d like to know what I found out about it.
Jacques Brel, “Dans le Port d’Amsterdam“ Debbie came up with this one, saying that if I couldn’t find Jacques Brel’s version that David Bowie’s was almost as good. Well, we found the original. Jacques Brel is alive and well…
Tim McGraw, “Portland, Maine” Cathy submitted this. It’s from Tim’s 2014 album Sundown Heaven Town.
Johnny Cash, “I’ve Been Everywhere, Man” Dan and Kip both suggested it, and I can’t think of a better choice for the list. This was originally done by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959, and the destinations were all within Australia. Hank Snow came up with the original US version in 1962, and Johnny recorded it in 1996 for his album Unchained. Ironically, it didn’t go anywhere in the Country charts.
Martha & The Muffins, “Echo Beach” Annalisa suggested this. Martha & The Muffins, a Canadian group, recorded this in 1979 for their album Metro Music. It was released as a single in 1980 and achieved Gold status in October of that year, and won the Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy) for Best Single that year. It was their only international hit, peaking at #10 in the UK and #6 in Australia. I don’t think it went anywhere in the US…
Green Day, “Jesus of Suburbia” Another Annalisa choice, this is from Green Day’s seventh studio album, 2004’s American Idiot, and was the last single released from that album. This is the full version; the “radio edit” was only 6½ minutes long. It reached #27 on Billboard‘s Alternative Singles chart in the US, #17 in the UK.
Bucks Fizz, “Land Of Make Believe” Annalisa’s last suggestion was this song from 1981. As a single, it reached #1 in the UK in January 1982. Bucks Fizz were winners of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, with “Making Up Your Mind.”
The Beatles, “Penny Lane” Guitarspotting recommended this, and practically all The Beatles’ songs that had a destination. BMG is releasing some videos on Vevo, and this is one of them. Originally intended for inclusion in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, it was released in February 1967 as part of a double A-sided single with “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Which of the two A-sides to promote was the subject of some concern for WLS in Chicago, and I remember voting for “Strawberry Fields Forever” in the telephone poll. My choice didn’t win. It reached #1 in the US on both the Hot 100 and the Cash Box survey, #1 in Canada and Australia, but only #2 in the UK and Ireland.

There will be other destination lists in the near future, I promise, just not in the immediate future. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to make them, and when I get enough we’ll do this again. For now, that’s The Friday 5×2 for July 21, 2017.

The Friday 5×2: Your Destination Songs, 2

Here’s the second installment of destination songs you chose.

Bob Dylan, “Mississippi” Biker Chick recommended this one. It first appeared on his 2001 album Love And Theft. This is a live version recorded in Central Point, Oregon in October of that year.
Johnny Cash, “Galway Bay” Uncle Jack had suggested we could find a whole bunch of songs with destinations in Ireland in them, and this is another example of one. There are actually two versions of this one, one more popular in Ireland, and this one, written by Dr. Arthur Colahan in 1947 and recorded by many, probably most famously by Bing Crosby.
Willie Nelson, “Georgia on A Fast Train” Janet suggested the song “Georgia” by Willie Nelson, and I found two that included the name of the Peach State. This is a live version that features Toby Keith and Joe Walsh.
Willie Nelson & Ray Charles, “Georgia On My Mind” This is the other song with “Georgia” in the title. Those of us who live in Georgia tend to think of Ray Charles’ iconic version, which Geogia Public Broadcasting would play at signoff, back in the olden days when they signed off. By chance, I found a version that had both Willie and Ray.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” Arlee suggested this. I was going to say it might be Skynyrd’s most famous tune, then I remembered “Free Bird.” A local station, which used to play “classic rock” (the same songs, practically in the same order, every day), did this one around 9:30 every morning. Now they play music by boy bands. Serves ’em right.
Marc Bolan and T. Rex, “Dandy In The Underworld” Annalisa surprised me with this one, because T. Rex was popular when I was in high school. This is a live-on-TV version of the title track from their 1977 album. Tragically, Marc Bolan died later that year in a car accident.
Billy Joel, “Allentown” Janie suggested this. From his 1982 album The Nylon Curtain, this was released as a single the following year and reached #17 on the Hot 100.
Pablo Cruise, “A Place In The Sun” Mark came up with this. It was the title track from their 1977 third album. As a single, it only reached #42, but it’s one of their more popular songs anyway.
Fats Domino, “Walkin’ To New Orleans” Eugenia thought of this. Bobby Charles wrote this for his idol, and Fats liked it, with a few minor modifications. The strings were added as an afterthought, and they really added a lot to the song. This reached #6 on the Pop chart and #2 on the R&B chart in 1960.
Joni Mitchell, “Woodstock” Guitarspotting suggested this, and said either the version by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young or the one by Joni Mitchell would be all right. Personally, I like Joni’s version better: it’s slower and more jazzy.