Dance Rock: The Twist, Etc.
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The thrill of the late 1950s and the phenomenon of the early 1960s --the dance anyone can do-- was the twist. Nearly the hula-hoop movement without the hoop, the twist paved the way for the frug, watusi, monkey, pony, swim, snake, hully gully, etc., and even the limbo, mento, ska, and a new dance called the "regay" in some liners. Yes, these were the last days of teenagers and the older dancing generation sharing phonograph and stage. The basics were Chubby Checker with the hit song (and endless variations), the Isley's "Twist and Shout," and Joey Dee & the Starlighters creating a scene at New York's Peppermint Lounge. All this healthy activity led to attempts at the twist by big bands, high-society orchestras, Latin artists, and of course rock and soul bands. (The list below excludes most of the obvious twist sources, such as the Champs, Coasters, Joe Houston, Louie Prima, Huey Smith, etc.) The twist made its most interesting impact abroad, on French pop, Tahitian, and presumably even Indian and Hawaiian artists. It is a goofy legacy, but after all, it is where rock and social dancing parted company. Buying: Most dance-rock records are taken for granted, even by rock collectors, probably because so many are on budget labels. Look for original titles. |
Twist LPs
| Rating | |
| 7 | The Adventurers: Can't Stop Twistin'; Columbia CS-8547 |
| 8 | Aki Aleong & his Licorice Twisters: Twistin' the Hits; Reprise R-6011; 1961 |
| 8 | Aki Aleong & his Teen Twenty: C'mon Baby Let's Dance; Reprise R-6020; 1961 |
| 8 | Ray Anthony & his Bookends: The Twist; Capitol ST-1668 |
| 6 | Ray Anthony & his Bookends: The Swim; Capitol ST-2188 |
| 5 | Bill Black's Combo: Twist Her; Hi SHL-32006 |
| Carroll Brothers: College Twist Party; Cameo C-1015 | |
| Cal Carter: Twist Along [with Cal Carter]; Vee Jay 1041 | |
| 6 | Chubby Checker: Twist with; Parkway P-7001; 1961 |
| 6 | Chubby Checker: For Twisters Only; Parkway P-7002; 1961 |
| 5 | Chubby Checker: It's Pony Time; Parkway P-7003; 1961 |
| 6 | Chubby Checker: Let's Twist Again; Parkway P-7004; 1961 |
| 5 | Chubby Checker: Your Twist Party with; Parkway P-7007; 1962 |
| 7 | Chubby Checker: Twistin' Round the World; Parkway P-7008; 1962 |
| 6 | Chubby Checker: For Teen Twisters Only; Parkway P-7009; 1962 |
| 5 | Chubby Checker: Don't Knock the Twist ST; Parkway P-7011 (with others) |
| 5 | Chubby Checker & Bobby Rydell; Parkway P-7013 |
| 5 | Chubby Checker: All the Hits by; Parkway P-7014 (compilation) |
| 5 | Chubby Checker: Biggest Hits; Parkway P-7022 (compilation) |
| 7 | Roz Croney, Queen of the Limbo: How Low Can You Go?; Audio Fidelity/Dauntless DS-6309/DM-4309; 1963 (rare limbo-rock w/Sun Ra backing!) |
| 7 | King Curtis: Soul Time; Up Front UPF-157 (basic set reissued variously) |
| 5 | Bobby Darin: Twist With; Atlantic/Atco 33-138 |
| 7 | The Cliff Davis Sextet: Discotheque A-Go-Go for the "In" Crowd; Epic LN-24173 (mod soul/twist/bongo) |
| 6 | Danny Davis & the Titans: Let's Do the Twist for Adults; MGM SE-3997 (arr. Billy Mure) |
| 4 | Meyer Davis Plays the Twist; Cameo SC-1014 |
| 4 | Joey Dee: Doin' the Twist at the Peppermint Lounge; Roulette SR-25166 |
| 4 | Joey Dee: Hey! Let's Twist ST; Roulette SR-25168 |
| 6 | Joey Dee: All the World is Twistin'; Roulette SR-25171 |
| Joey Dee: Joey Dee; Roulette SR-25197 | |
| 5 | Joey Dee: Dance Dance Dance; Roulette SR-25221 |
| 4 | Johnny Douglas: Dance Party Discotheque; RCA Camden CAS-883; 1965 (w/vocal by "The Eagles") |
| 5 | Steve Douglas & the Rebel Rousers: Popeye, Twist, & Stomp; Crown CST-5254 |
| 6 | Duane Eddy: Twistin' & Twangin'; RCA Victor LSP-2525; 1962 |
| 8 | Duane Eddy: Dance with the Guitar Man; RCA Victor LSP-2648; 1962 |
| 7 | Les Elgart: The Twist Goes to College; Columbia CS-8585; 1962 |
| 6 | Fats & the Chessmen: Let's Twist with (Come On Everybody Let's Do the Twist); Alshire/Somerset SF-15100 |
| 7 | The Four Ayalons: Sing Along with Israel; ATE SAC-633; 1962 (Algon Theatrical Enterprises, Inc.) |
| 8 | Connie Francis: Do the Twist; MGM SE-4022 (stereo is abridged) |
| 6 | Stan Freeman & the Twisters: Everybody's Twistin'; Columbia CS-8362 |
| 5 | The Gauchos, Featuring Jim Doval; ABC-Paramount ABCS-506 (best for wack cover of "Out of Sight") |
| 7 | Steve Garrick & his Party Twisters: Come On Everybody Let's Twist!; Golden Tone 14092 |
| 5 | George & Teddy & the Condors: In Person from Ciro's Le Disc; Warner Bros./Reprise R-6135 |
| 7 | Curley Hamner: Dance Session Number One; Ascot AS-16003 |
| 6 | George Hudson & the Kings of Twist; Capitol ST-1578 |
| 7 | Ed Hurst: The Dance Album!-- 22 Greatest All-Time Dance Hits; Post 673 (compilation; various artists) |
| 8 | Bobby Jay & the Hawks: The Watusi--Everybody's Doing It Vol. 1; Warner Bros. WS-1562 |
| 6 | Bobby Jay & the Hawks: The Ska--Everybody's Doing It Vol. 2; Warner Bros. WS-1563 |
| 5 | Bobby Jay & the Hawks: The Monkey--Everybody's Doing It Vol. 3; Warner Bros. WS-1564 |
| 4 | Killer Joe's International Discotheque; Atlantic SD-8108; 1965 |
| 7 | Mango Jones w/Harry Ballu Singers: The Ska; Vee-Jay VJLP-1091 |
| 5 | Sammy Kaye: New Twists on Old Favorites; Decca DL-74247 |
| 5 | Captain Kings & the Monkeytimers: The Monkey Time; Palace 762 |
| 7 | Lou Klayman: Twistin' the Freilachs; Sonodor SON-104 |
| 6 | Major Lance: The Monkey Time; Okeh OKS-14105 |
| 7 | Lester Lanin: Twistin' in High Society; Epic BN-620 |
| 6 | Lester Lanin: More Twistin' in High Society; Epic BN-625 |
| 4 | Lester Lanin: Dancing at the Discotheque; Philips PHS-6---145 |
| 7 | Busby Lewis' International Discotheque Orchestra: International A-Go-Go Discotheque; Diplomat DS-2371 |
| 4 | Johnny McGee & his International Twisters: Everybody Twist; Pickwick/Grand Prix KS-193 |
| 6 | Buddy Morrow: Big Band Guitar; RCA Victor LSP-2018; 1959 |
| 7 | Arthur Murray's Music for Dancing--the Twist!; RCA Victor LSP-2494; 1961 (King Curtis Combo) |
| 5 | Arthur Murray Presents Discotheque Dance Party; RCA Victor LSP-2998; 1964 (Victor Gerard & Hip City Five) |
| 4 | The Night Owls: Twistin' the Oldies; Valmor LP-79 |
| 5 | Pierre Noles: Everybody Dance the Ay Bo Le; Coral 757447 (Haitian dance rock) |
| 6 | Earl Palmer: Drumsville!; Liberty LST-7201 |
| 7 | [The Drums of] Earl Palmer: Percolator Twist & Other Twist Hits; Liberty LST-7227 |
| 4 | The Panics: Discotheque Dance Party; Philips PHS-600-159 (live in NJ) |
| 4 | Seldon Powell & the All Stars: At the Hop; Music Makers/Promotion Makers PMI-101 (live in NYC; w/Eric Gayle, Bobby Bushnell, Bernard Purdie..) |
| 4 | The Regents Live at the A.M.-P.M. Discotheque; Capitol KAO-2153 |
| 7 | Round Robin & the Parleys: [Lloyd Thaxton Presents the] Greatest Dance Hits Slauson Style; Domain 101; 1964 |
| 7 | Ronnie & the Pomona Casuals: Everybody Jerk; Donna DO-2112; 1964 (covers James Brown's "Out of Sight") |
| 7 | The Temples: Bei Mir Twist du Schoen; Ad-Lib |
| 5 | Jim Tyler: Twist; Time S-2053 |
| 6 | Pat & Lolly Vegas at the Haunted House; Mercury SR-61059; 1965 (a good original, also "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" & "High Blood Pressure") |
| 4 | Mike Vinnie & his Twisters: Plenty of Twist!; Clarity 821 |
| 4/TD> | Uncredited: Discotheque; Premier/Coronet CX-252 |
| 3 | Uncredited: Discotheque Dance Party; Diplomat D-2334 |
| 3 | Various: Dancing Discotheque; Mercury SR-60964 |
| 3 | Various: Discotheque Dance Party; MGM SE-4258-2 (2-LP) |
| Various: Jet Set Dance Discotheque Vol. 1; Audio Fidelity DFS-7039; 1964 | |
| Various: Jet Set Dance Discotheque Vol. 2; Audio Fidelity DFS-7040; 1964 | |
| 6 | Various: Jet Set Dance Discotheque Vol. 3; Audio Fidelity DFS-7041; 1964 |
| 8 | Various: The Most of the Twist; Roulette SR-25176 |
| 6 | Various: Twist with the Stars; Mercury SR-60687 (good for Clyde McPhatter's cover of "What I'd Say") |
| 9 | Various: Twistin' Time; Knight LP-1001 (compilation from 45s) |
Partly Dance-Rock LPs
| Rating | |
| 7 | Mickey O'Bryan Quartet: Jamaica's Gift to the World; Ivanhoe IV-12345 (Caribeat, calypso jazz, mod soul, twist, calypso, bossa) |
| 7 | Troy Donahue/Connie Stevens/Ty Hardin/Stefanie Powers/Robert Conrad: Palm Springs Weekend ST; Warner Bros. WS-1519 |
| 6 | Jack La Forge: Hawaii & I; Purpletone P-715 ("Orchid Twist") |
| 6 | Connie Francis: Looking for Love ST; MGM SE-4229 |
| 7 | Connie Francis: The Very Best of; MGM ST-90510 |
| 4 | Earle Hagen: The New Interns ST; Colpix SCP-473; 1964 |
| 6 | Kenyon Hopkins: The Fugitive Kind ST; United Artists UAS-5065/UAL-4065; 1960 ("Get Crazy") |
| 7 | Henry Mancini: Experiment in Terror ST; RCA Victor LSP-2442; 1962 |
| 6 | Henry Mancini: Charade ST; RCA Victor LSP-2755; 1963 |
| 7 | Henry Mancini: The Pink Panther ST; RCA Victor LSP-2795; 1963 ("The Tiber Twist") |
| 6 | Jack Marshall: Tuff Jack; Capitol ST-1727 |
| 8 | Det Moor (comp./arr. Bob Mersey): Great Jazz from Great TV; Gallant GT-4001 ("Rock in the Rough" a.k.a. "Riff Raff") |
| 5 | Buddy Morrow: Night Train Goes to Hollywood; Mercury SR-60702 |
| 7 | Buddy Morrow & his "Night Train" Orchestra: Big Band Guitar; RCA Victor LSP-2218; 1959 |
| 7 | Buddy Morrow & his Orchestra: Poe for Moderns; RCA Victor LSP-2208; 1960 |
| 7 | Nino Palermo & his Serenaders; Philips 111.062.Y (lounge act/twist/Italian) |
| 7 | Nelson Riddle/Various: Exclusive Original Television Soundtrack Album; 20th Century-Fox TFS-4180; 1966 |
| 7 | Carl Stevens: African Sounds; Mercury PPS-6030 ("King Kong"; African/exotic rock/exotica/mod twist; partly on Various: Hit Motion Picture Themes; Mercury SR-60810) |
| 8 | Connie Stevens as "Cricket" in the Warner Bros. TV Show "Hawaiian Eye"; Warner Bros. WS-13825; 1960 |
| 7 | Leith Stevens & Stu Phillips: The Interns ST; Colpix SCP-427; 1962 |
| 4 | Billy Strange: The James Bond Theme--Walk Don't Run '64; GNP Crescendo GNPS-2004 ("In the Mood") |
| 7 | Ross Talbot: Bermuda is Paradise; Audio Fidelity AFSD-6125; 1964 (calypso; Talbot Brothers of Bermuda solo LP) |
| 7 | Various: [Great] Big Beat; Columbia Special Products/General Electric (2-LP) |
| 7 | Various: Bosworth Backgrounds: Modern Rhythm; Bosworth BLP-109; 1969 (production) |
| 6 | Various: Music for the Dance Crowd; Time S/310 (some overlap w/box) |
| 6 | Various: Music for the Dance Crowd; Time S/TT-310 (3-LP box; some overlap w/LP) |
Twist/Dance-Rock 45s
| Rating | |
| 6 | Eugene Church: Miami/I Ain't Goin' for That; Class 245 |
| 6 | The Dovells: You Can't Sit Down/Stompin' Everywhere; Parkway P-867; 1962 |
| 6 | The Fabulous Four: Mister Twist/In the Chapel in the Moonlight; Chancellor 45-1062 |
| 8 | Connie Francis: Roundabout/Bossa Nova Hand Dance; MGM K-13389 (B-side bossa-nova-twist) |
| 6 | Marvelettes: Twistin' Postman/I Want a Guy; Tamla 54054 |
| [The Monkey--dance; see also Vinyl Safari/exotic rock] | |
| 6 | The Raging Storms: Hound Dog [Twist]/The Dribble (Twist); Warwick M-677 |
| 7 | Freddy Tino & the Twisting Cyclones: Come On Let's Twist/Shoestring Twist; Ric 988 |
Hyp Records is a 3-part guide:
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