Come on, baby! Checker marks 50 years of the Twist

Yahoo News ^ | Fri Jul 9, 4:09 pm ET | JOANN LOVIGLIO, Associated Press Writer Joann Loviglio, Associated Press Writer

[Chi-townChief]

PHILADELPHIA – Fifty years to the day after the release of the hip-swiveling tune "The Twist," the man who made it famous celebrated the occasion in his hometown.

Chubby Checker performed Friday at a free noontime concert at Philadelphia City Hall. About 1,000 people joined in on the gyrations, some even invited onstage by the South Philadelphia-bred singer.

"The Twist," released as a single on July 9, 1960, burst into the rock 'n' roll stratosphere after Checker performed it for Dick Clark on his Philadelphia-based "American Bandstand."

Checker's 1960 cover version of the Hank Ballard and the Midnighters song — released a year earlier to mild success — became a smash hit and turned the dance into a pop culture touchstone. It remains the only single to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts during two separate runs, in 1960 and again in 1962.

[bobby.223]

great! 44 and 1/2 years old here then. what a nice time. thanks!! oh man....so long ago...

[Erasmus]

Here's a nice alternative version.

[stylecouncilor]

Wow! That’s a great story. :)

[stylecouncilor]

I’ve always wondered how to do The Hucklebuck. ;) Guess I’ll try to google it. I love those dances!

[Glenn]

There was a $5.00 cover and beer was $2.50 a bottle!

$2.50? That was some VERY expensive beer! Were you wealthy?

[Young Werther]

Growing up in the NY metropolitan area in the 50s and early 60s was great. I attended Rutgers and weekend trips to New York were wonderful.

At the Cafe Wha I was intoduced to Fat Albert. Bill Cosby was a regular there. As were Peter, Paul & Mary, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Joan Rivers, and Richard Pryor.

WheneverI showed my ID the locals would exclaim "Oh youse from JOISEE!" I would reply "and you're from New Amsterdam". That always got a HUH!

[Revolting cat!]

Eh, nothing beats the latest and the greatest!

[Revolting cat!]

The King of Twist

[Pacific]

Popular song! - For a rewrite from the (Dem's) ProLife TOP 40! -

This great hit from the (50's) / 60's would need some work (maybe a lot of work), to make the lyrics fit the music. But it tells the story that needs to be told:

You're gonna' have a ba-by, that looks like THIS! If they talk about a-bor-shun, well here's the jist! They'll kill your little baby, and then it'll look like THIS! But they don't want'a tell you, 'Cause you might say NO!, All they want is your mon-ey, and that's the *TWIST* !!

[stylecouncilor]

Yeah I definitely grew up in the wrong era-haha. When I lived in Los Angeles I would frequent Club Transistor in Chinatown, which played 60’s pop, soul & Motown, and all the “kids” dress very 60’s. The mod sub-culture is alive and well! :)

[metesky]

Nor should he be.