"Pony Time" is a song written by
Don Covay
Donald James Randolph (March 24, 1936 – January 31, 2015), better known by the stage name Don Covay, was an American R&B, rock and roll, and soul singer-songwriter most active from the 1950s to the 1970s.
His most successful recordings incl ...
and John Berry (a member of Covay's earlier
vocal group, "the Rainbows"), and originally recorded in 1960 by Covay with his group "the Goodtimers".
The song achieved greater success when it was recorded by
Chubby Checker the following year, becoming his second US #1 (after his 1960 single "
The Twist"). Chubby Checker's recording of "Pony Time" was also a number one hit on the R&B charts.
The "Boogety Shoe" phrase was used in
Barry Mann
Barry Mann (born Barry Imberman; February 9, 1939) is an American songwriter and musician, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.
He has written or co-written 53 hits in the UK and 98 in the US.
Early li ...
's hit song "Who Put the Bomp" (1961).
Chart performance
All-time charts
In popular culture
A reference to the new dance style is mentioned in the song "Back to the Hop" (1961) by
Danny and the Juniors, and the song was featured in the 1988 film ''
Hairspray''.
The song introduced a new dance style, The Pony, in which the dancer tries to look like he or she is riding a horse. The beat is 1&2, 3&4, etc. In the dance the feet are kept comfortably together, while various arm and hand motions are possible. Movement around the dance floor may occur, but there is no line-of-dance. Couples, who generally face each other, do not touch
Sixties Dance and Dance Crazes
- Sixties City and turns and chase positions are possible.
The Pony dance is mentioned in the Wilson Pickett song "Land of a Thousand Dances
"Land of a Thousand Dances" (or "Land of 1000 Dances") is a song written and first recorded by American rhythm and blues singer Chris Kenner in 1962. It later became a bigger hit in versions by Cannibal & the Headhunters and Wilson Pickett. A ve ...
", in the Nick Lowe song " I Knew the Bride", and in The Go-Go's song " We Got the Beat". Cindy Wilson of The B-52's can be seen performing the Pony in the video for their 1980 song, " Give Me Back My Man", as well as in other films of the band performing between 1978 and 1980 (including their 1980 appearance on '' Saturday Night Live''). The band completed the period effect by wearing early 60s-style outfits and hairstyles.
See also
*List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1961 (U.S.)
These are the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number one hits of 1961.
That year, 16 acts achieved their first number one song, such as Bert Kaempfert, The Shirelles, Lawrence Welk, The Marcels, Del Shannon, Ernie K-Doe, Roy Orbison, G ...
* List of number-one R&B singles of 1961 (U.S.)
References
1961 singles
Chubby Checker songs
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Cashbox number-one singles
Songs written by Don Covay
Cameo-Parkway Records singles
1961 songs
Don Covay songs
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