Bundesarchiv Bild 183-C0517-0010-005, Berlin, Deutschlandtreffen, tanzende Jugendliche

The following songs, in alphabetical order by year, are associated with the dance "The

Twist Twist may refer to: In arts and entertainment Film, television, and stage * ''Twist'' (2003 film), a 2003 independent film loosely based on Charles Dickens's novel ''Oliver Twist'' * ''Twist'' (2021 film), a 2021 modern rendition of ''Olive ...

" and the associated cultural craze:

1959

* " The Twist" (

Hank Ballard Hank Ballard (born John Henry Kendricks; November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003) was an American singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of The Midnighters and one of the first rock and roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an inte ...

) — originally released by Hank Ballard and

the Midnighters The Midnighters were an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan. They were an influential group in the 1950s and early 1960s, with many Rhythm and blues, R&B hit records. They were also notable for launching the career of lead singer Hank B ...

as a

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

, but going to No. 1 in the US upon being covered by

Chubby Checker Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including The Twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighte ...

(released 1959, charted in 1960 and 1962), who would become the artist most associated with the Twist phenomenon. The song was subsequently covered numerous times, often by Checker himself, including a duet with

the Fat Boys The Fat Boys were an American hip hop trio from Brooklyn, New York, who emerged in the early 1980s. The group was briefly known originally as the Disco 3, originally composed of Mark "Prince Markie Dee" Morales, Damon "Kool Rock-Ski" Wimbley, a ...

in 1988.

1960

* "Kissin' and Twistin'" (

Don Kirshner Donald Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) was an American music publisher, music consultant, rock music record producer, producer, talent manager, and songwriter. Dubbed "the Man with the Golden Ear" by Time (magazine), ''Time' ...

Al Nevins Albert "Al" Nevins (born Albert Tepper; May 3, 1915 – January 25, 1965) was an American musician, producer, arranger, guitarist and violinist. He was also a member of pop trio The Three Suns, and is considered one of the major forces behind the ...

) — Fabian * "Teen Twist” — Buddy Miller (Doyle Stone) * "Twistin' The Night Away” —

Sam Cooke Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred ...

* "Twistin' USA" (Kal Mann) —

Danny and the Juniors Danny & the Juniors are an American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania originally consisting of Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova. Formed in 1955, they are most widely recognized for thei ...

, released as a b-side by Chubby Checker in 1961.

1961

* "

Dear Lady Twist "Dear Lady Twist" is a song written and produced by Frank Guida, and performed by Gary U.S. Bonds. It reached #5 on the U.S. R&B chart and #9 on the U.S. pop chart in 1962. It was featured on his 1962 album ''Twist Up Calypso''. The song ra ...

" (

Frank Guida Frank Guida (May 26, 1922 – May 19, 2007) was a Sicilian-American songwriter and music producer credited with discovering Gary U.S. Bonds, whose hits, including "New Orleans" and " Quarter to Three", he produced. He was also a songwriter for ...

) — Gary "U.S." BondsBronson (2003), p.93. * "Florida Twist" (Caruso-Pomilli) — Bill Haley & His Comets * "

Let's Twist Again "Let's Twist Again" is a song written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, and released as a single by Chubby Checker. One of the biggest hit singles of 1961, it reached No.8 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' pop chart (No.3 on ''Cash Box'') in August of that ye ...

" (

Kal Mann Kal Mann (born Kalman Cohen; May 6, 1917 – November 28, 2001)
- accessed June 2010 was an American

Dave Appell David Appell (March 24, 1922 – November 18, 2014) was an American musician, musical arranger and record producer born in Philadelphia. Career Appell (pronounced "AP-el") is associated mainly with the Cameo-Parkway record label, in whose his ...

) — Chubby CheckerBronson (2003), p.85. * "Mama Don't Want No Twistin'" (H. Glover-C. Vaccaro) —

Jo Ann Campbell Jo Ann Campbell (born July 20, 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American singer who was one of the pioneers of rockabilly. Campbell began attending music school at the age of four, and won many honors as a drum majorette at Fletcher High S ...

* "Oliver Twist"/"Celebrity Twist" (

Gladys Shelley Gladys Shelley (née Shaskan, December 15, 1911 – December 9, 2003) was an United States, American lyricist and composer, who was responsible for over 300 songs. Early life Gladys Shaskan was born in Lawrence, Nassau County, New York, Lawrence, ...

-Rod McKuen) —

Rod McKuen Rodney Marvin McKuen (; April 29, 1933 – January 29, 2015) was an American poet, singer-songwriter, and actor. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range ...

* " The Peppermint Twist" (

Joey Dee Joey Dee and the Starliters (also credited as Joey Dee and the Starlighters) is an American popular music group. The group is best known for their million-selling recording "Peppermint Twist" (1961). The group's most notable lineup is considere ...

Henry Glover Henry Bernard Glover (May 21, 1921 – April 7, 1991) was an American songwriter, arranger, record producer and trumpet player. In the music industry of the time, Glover was one of the most successful and influential black executives. He gai ...

) —

Joey Dee and the Starliters Joey Dee and the Starliters (also credited as Joey Dee and the Starlighters) is an American popular music group. The group is best known for their million-selling recording "Peppermint Twist" (1961). The group's most notable lineup is considere ...

, reached No. 1 in the US (displacing Chubby Checker's "The Twist"), subsequently covered by

Sweet Sweetness is a basic taste most commonly perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketones ...

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

. * " Rock-A-Hula Baby ("Twist" Special)"" (Wise, Weisman, Fuller) —

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

* "Spanish Twist" (Bradford) —

Bill Haley & His Comets Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...

; released as a B-side by the Isley Brothers in 1962; also known as "Twist Español" on some international releases. * “Twist All Night” —

Louie Prima Louis Leo Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he forme ...

* “Umgowa Twist” —

The Ravens ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

* “Xmas Twist” — The Twistin’ Kings * "Tequila Twist" (Chuck Rio) —

The Champs The Champs are an American rock band, most famous for their Latin-tinged rock and roll instrumental "Tequila". The group took their name from that of Gene Autry's horse, Champion, and was formed by studio executives at Autry's Challenge Recor ...

* "

Twist and Shout "Twist and Shout" is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). It was originally recorded by the Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked by the Isley Brothers ...

" (

Phil Medley Philip Medley (April 9, 1916 – October 3, 1997) was an American songwriter, notable for his composition "Twist and Shout", which he wrote along with Bert Russell. The song was made famous by both The Isley Brothers and The Beatles. Medley also ...

Bert Russell Bertrand Russell Berns (November 8, 1929 – December 30, 1967), also known as Bert Russell and (occasionally) Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s. His songwriting credits include "Twist and Shout", "Piece ...

) — originally recorded by

the Top Notes The Top Notes was a R&B vocal group, centered around the singers Derek Martin and Howard Guyton. They released a number of singles in the early 1960s, amongst which was the first recording of "Twist and Shout", which was a hit when recorded by th ...

, then covered by

the Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...

and

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

(with

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

on the lead vocals); followed by numerous subsequent cover versions.

Note: These last two are compound sequel songs, with "Tequila Twist" serving not only as a sequel to "The Twist", but also as a sequel to the Champs' 1958 hit "
Tequila Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the Agave tequilana, blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands ...
", and "Twist and Shout" serving as a sequel to both "The Twist" and the Isley Brothers' 1959 hit " Shout".

1962

* " The Alvin Twist" (

Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. Ross S. Bagdasarian (; January 27, 1919 – January 16, 1972), known professionally by his stage name David Seville, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor, best known for creating the cartoon band Alvin and the Chipmu ...

) —

The Chipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply The Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for novelty records in 1958. The group consists of three s ...

* "Arkansas Twist" (B.L. Trammell) —

Bobby Lee Trammell Bobby Lee Trammell (January 31, 1934 – February 20, 2008) was an American rockabilly singer and politician. Biography Trammell was born on a cotton farm near Jonesboro, Arkansas to Wiley and Mae Trammell, who were cotton farmers.Bobby Lee ...

* "The Basie Twist" (

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

) —

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

* "Big Bo's Twist" (W. Thomas) — Big Bo and the Arrows * "Bristol Twistin' Annie" (Lewis-Styles) —

The Dovells The Dovells were an American doo-wop band (music), group, formed at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1957, under the name 'The Brooktones'. The original members were Arnie Silver, Len Barry, Len Borisoff, Jerry Gross (alias ...

(No. 27) * "Do You Know How To Twist?" (Ballard-Redd-Nath) —

and

(No. 87) * " Everybody's Twistin'" (Koehler-Bloom) —

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

(originally released as "Ev'rybody's Twistin'") * “Double Twist” (Freddy Fowell, Derry Wilkie) — Howie Casey & The Seniors * “Dry Bones Twist” (Rudy Toombs) — The Drivers * "Hey, Let's Twist" (Glover-Dee-Levy) — Joey Dee & the Starliters (No. 20) * "Jungle Twist" (Miller-Jackson) — Camil & Sylvia * "La Leçon De Twist" (Danyel Gérard, Lucien Morisse, Giuseppe Mengozzi) —

Dalida Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti (; 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987), professionally known as Dalida, was an Italian-French singer and actress born in Egypt. She sang in eleven languages and sold millions of records internationally. Her best known son ...

(France release) * "Let Me Do My Twist" (Henry Glover-Joey Dee-Morris Levy) —

with Joey Dee & The Starliters * "Mama Don't Allow No Twistin' Here" (Connie St. John)/"Twistin' At The Waldorf" (D. Meehan) — Don Meehan * "Mama Don't Allow No Twistin'" —

Barbara Dane Barbara Dane (born Barbara Jean Spillman; May 12, 1927) is an American folk, blues, and jazz singer, guitarist, record producer, and political activist. She co-founded Paredon Records with Irwin Silber. "Bessie Smith in stereo," wrote jazz cri ...

(no songwriter credit; "Arranged and Adapted by Barbara Dane" on label) * "Mister Twister" (C. Mapel), "Teach Me How to Twist" (E. Curtis), and "Kissin' Twist (Kiss 'n' Twist)" (Michael Canosa) —

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...

(multiple international releases) * “Muleskinner Twist” — (Rodgers) Ray Kannon & The Corals * "Oliver Twist" (Gladys Shelley, Rod McKuen) —

* "Percolator (Twist)" (Bideau-Freeman) — Billy Joe & the Checkmates (No. 10) * “Pop'eye Twist” (Caddy) —

The Tornados The Tornados (The Tornadoes in North America) were an English instrumental rock group of the 1960s that acted as backing group for many of record producer Joe Meek's productions and also for singer Billy Fury. They enjoyed several chart hits ...

* “Raunchy Twist” (Justice, Manker) — The G-Men * “Santa's Doing The Horizontal Twist” (Jess Hotchkiss) — Kay Martin * "Sister Twister" (

Otis Blackwell Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include "Fever" (recorded by Little Willie John), "Great Balls of Fire" and " Breathless" (recorded by Jerry Le ...

) —

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

* "

Slow Twistin' "Slow Twistin'" is a song written by Jon Sheldon, and recorded by American rock and roll musicians Chubby Checker and Dee Dee Sharp (the latter being uncredited on the single and early albums). Released as a single in 1962, it peaked at number 3 ...

" (Jon Sheldon)/"La Paloma Twist" (Kal Mann) — Chubby Checker (

Dee Dee Sharp Dee Dee Sharp (born Dione LaRue; September 9, 1945, in Philadelphia) is an American R&B singer, who began her career recording as a backing vocalist in 1961. Career Although Sharp had been playing the piano from an early age and directed chur ...

credited on "Slow Twistin'" on album version only) * "

Soul Twist "Soul Twist" is a 1962 instrumental crossover single for saxophonist, King Curtis. His debut single on the R&B charts was his most successful, hitting number one for two weeks. "Soul Twist" crossed over to the top 40, where it was one of three si ...

" —

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musicia ...

* "Transylvania Twist" (B. Pickett, G. Paxton & J. MacRae) — Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers * “Twist Enos Twist” (J. Testa, H. York) — The Page-Boys * "Twist Fever" (

Alan O'Day Alan Earle O'Day (October 3, 1940 – May 17, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter, best known for writing and singing " Undercover Angel," a million-selling Gold-certified American No. 1 hit in 1977. He also wrote songs for many other notab ...

) — Arch Hall, Jr. & the Archers (appeared in the 1962 film ''

Wild Guitar Wild, wild, wilds or wild may refer to: Common meanings * Wild animal * Wilderness, a wild natural environment * Wildness, the quality of being wild or untamed Art, media and entertainment Film and television * ''Wild'' (2014 film), a 2014 A ...

'', but remained unreleased as a recording until appearing on the 2005 album of the same name; also on the album was "Guitar Twist" (also written by O'Day).) * “Twist Lackawanna” (Walker, Fuqua, White) —

Jr. Walker Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. (June 14, 1931 – November 23, 1995), known professionally as Junior Walker, was an American multi-instrumentalist (primarily saxophonist and vocalist) who recorded for Motown during the 1960s. He also performed as a sess ...

* "Twist-Her" (B. Black) —

Bill Black's Combo William Patton Black Jr. (September 17, 1926 – October 21, 1965) was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll. He played in Elvis Presley's early trio. Black later formed Bill Black's Combo. Ear ...

(No. 26) * " Twist, Twist Senora" (Anderson-Barge-Guida) —

Gary U.S. Bonds Gary U.S. Bonds (born Gary Levone Anderson, June 6, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, known for his classic hits "New Orleans" and " Quarter to Three". Career Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Bonds lived in Norfolk, ...

* "Twistin' All Night Long" (Slay-Crewe) —

with

Freddy Cannon Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. (born December 4, 1936), better known by his stage name Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", " Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", and " ...

* "Twistin' and Kissin'" (M. Weiss-E. Lewis) — Ronnie & the Hi-Lites * "Twistin' Postman" (Bateman-Holland-Stevens) —

The Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who wa ...

Note: This record also served as a compound sequel, referencing not only "The Twist", but also the Marvellettes' 1961 number-one hit " Please, Mr. Postman"

* "Twistin' Matilda (and the Channel)" (Norman Span) —

Jimmy Soul Jimmy Soul (born James Louis McCleese; August 24, 1942 – June 25, 1988) was an American vocalist. He is best remembered for his 1963 number one hit, "If You Wanna Be Happy." Background Born in Weldon, North Carolina,Twistin' the Night Away "Twistin' the Night Away" is a song written and recorded by Sam Cooke. It was recorded on 18 December 1961 and released as a single in 1962. It became very popular, charting in the top ten of both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 (#9) and Billboard's ...

" — written and originally released by

(No. 9), with a charting cover by

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

(No. 59, 1973 and 1987) and additional covers by

the Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who wa ...

(1962) and

Divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine

(

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

) * "Twistin' with Linda" (R. Isley-R. Isley-O. Isley) —

The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...

* "Twisting Bells" (Farina-Farina-Farina) —

Santo and Johnny Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll instrumental duo of Italian descent from Brooklyn, New York, composed of brothers Santo Farina (born October 24, 1937) and Johnny Farina (born April 30, 1941). They are known best for their instrum ...

* "Twisting in the Jungle" (Earl Gary-Van Aloda)/"Twistology" — Buddy Bow (Belgium release) * "Twisting Time" — King Curtis * "Twisting with the King" — King Curtis * “Whole Lotta Twistin' Goin' On” (Dave "Curlee" Williams) —

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made ...

1963

* "Do the Twist" (

Dale Hawkins Delmar Allen "Dale" Hawkins (August 22, 1936 – February 13, 2010) was a pioneer American rock singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist who was often called the architect of swamp rock boogie. Ronnie Hawkins was his cousin. Biography He began ...

} — The Isley Brothers (from the album '' Twisting and Shouting'') * "Home on the Range Twist"/"Spaghetti Twist" — The Fortune Tellers (Japan release) * "Twist It Up" (K. Mann-D. Appell) — Chubby Checker * “Twist Train (Night Train)” (Washington, Lipkins, J. Forest) — The Brain Twist * "The Twister" (E. McDaniel) —

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, incl ...

(UK release) * “Twisting & Shaking” — (J. T. Ratliff) J. T. Ratliff * "Wesoły Twist (The Gay Twist)" (F. Leszczyńska, H. Rostworowski) — Helena Majdaniec (Poland release)

1964–present

* "Whole Lotta Twistin'" — Professor Longhair 1959-62 (date range of reissues on 1995's ''New Orleans Twist Party'') * " Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)" —

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

(

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

) * "I Won't Be Twisting This Christmas" —

Father Guido Sarducci Father Guido Sarducci is a fictional character created by American comedian Don Novello. Sarducci is a chain-smoking priest with tinted glasses, who works in the United States as gossip columnist and rock critic for the Holy See, Vatican newspaper ...

(1980) * "Twist & Crawl" — The Beat (1980) * "

Twisting by the Pool Twisting by the Pool is a 1983 song by British rock band Dire Straits which appears on ''ExtendedancEPlay''. It was released as a single in 1983, peaking at No. 1 in New Zealand, No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart and at No. 12 on the US ''Billboard ...

" —

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...

(

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

) * " Twisting" —

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a d ...

(1990) * " The Wilbury Twist" —

The Traveling Wilburys The Traveling Wilburys were a British-American supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. Originating from an idea discussed by Harrison and Lynne during the sessions for Harrison's 1987 album '' ...

(1991) * "Can You (Point Your Fingers and Do the Twist?)" —

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, Ca ...

(1995) * "

Bomb the Twist ''Bomb the Twist'' is an EP by the Japanese rock band the 5.6.7.8's, released on January 11, 1996. The song " Woo Hoo" was featured in the 2003 film ''Kill Bill Volume 1'', directed by Quentin Tarantino and was subsequently featured in Vonage comm ...

" —

The 5.6.7.8's The 5.6.7.8's are a Japanese rock band from Tokyo. They first started performing as a quartet in Tokyo, and recruited guest performers during their Australian tour. They became a trio in 1992, before touring Australia. Members The 5.6.7.8's fo ...

(

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

) * "

" —

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...

(2000) * " The Denial Twist" —

The White Stripes The White Stripes were an American rock duo from Detroit formed in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White (songwriter, vocals, guitar, piano, and mandolin) and Meg White (drums and vocals). After releasing several singles and three albums with ...

(2005) * " Then I Go Twisting" —

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

(2011)

References in other songs

The following songs, while not songs specifically about the Twist or twisting, reference the dance/phenomenon in their lyrics. *"

Monster Mash "Monster Mash" is a 1962 novelty song by Bobby "Boris" Pickett. The song was released as a single on Gary S. Paxton's Garpax Records label in August 1962 along with a full-length LP called ''The Original Monster Mash'', which contained several ...

" — Bobby "Boris" Pickett & The Crypt Kickers (1962). Conatins the lyric "Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?" *"

Shake a Tail Feather "Shake a Tail Feather" is a song written by Otha Hayes, Verlie Rice, and Andre Williams and originally recorded in 1963 by the Chicago-based group the Five Du-Tones. The original recording reached #28 on ''Billboard''s Hot R&B Singles chart and ...

" — Originally recorded in 1963 by

the Five Du-Tones The Five Du-Tones were an American soul music, soul vocal group, who enjoyed success in the Novelty and fad dances, dance craze era of the early 1960s. The group comprised Willie Guest, Robert Hopkins, LeRoy Joyce, Oscar Watson and James West. They ...

. Notable covers have been done by

Mitch Ryder Mitch Ryder (born William Sherille Levise, Jr.; February 26, 1945) is an American musician who has recorded more than 25 albums over more than four decades. Career Ryder formed his first band, Tempest, when he was at Warren High School, and th ...

the Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...

the Kingsmen The Kingsmen are a 1960s rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of R&B singer Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the No. 2 spot on the ''Billboard'' charts for six weeks and ha ...

and

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

. *"

Gates of Steel Gates is the plural of gate, a point of entry to a space which is enclosed by walls. It may also refer to: People * Gates (surname), various people with the last name * Gates Brown (1939-2013), American Major League Baseball player * Gates McFadd ...

" —

Devo Devo (, originally ) is an American rock band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a ...

(1980) *" My Kingdom" — Echo & the Bunnymen (1984) *" Aneuryism" —

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...

(1996)

Dance litany songs

Several pop songs have referenced the Twist among several other songs, sometimes calling on listeners/dancers to change their dance step when the singer calls out the name of a different dance. *"

Do You Love Me "Do You Love Me" is a rhythm and blues song recorded by the Contours in 1962. Written and produced by Motown Records owner Berry Gordy Jr., it appeared twice on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, reaching numbers three in 1962 and eleven in 1988 ...

" —

The Contours The Contours is one of the early American soul singing groups signed to Motown Records. The group is best known for its classic chart-topping 1962 hit, "Do You Love Me", which sold over 1 million copies and became a major hit again in 1988. His ...

(1962). Covered by

The Dave Clark Five The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark served as the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964 they had their first UK top ten sin ...

(1964) and many others. *"

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 ...

" —

Chris Kenner Christophe Kenner (December 25, 1929 – January 25, 1976) was an American, New Orleans-based Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and songwriter, best known for two hit singles in the early 1960s, "I Like It Like That (Chris Kenner song), I Like It Li ...

(1963). Covered by many acts, including most notably by

Cannibal & the Headhunters Cannibal & the Headhunters were an American rock band from East Los Angeles, California. They were one of the first Mexican-American groups to have a national hit record, "Land of a Thousand Dances", recorded on the Rampart label. They were the o ...

(1965) and Wilson Picket (1967). *"

Papa's Got a Brand New Bag "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a song written and recorded by James Brown. Released as a two-part single in 1965, it was Brown's first song to reach the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Top Ten, peaking at number eight, and was a number-one R&B hit, topp ...

" —

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...

(1965) *"

Do the Strand "Do the Strand" is the first song from English rock band Roxy Music's second album, ''For Your Pleasure''. In contrast to the songs from Roxy Music's eponymous debut album, this song starts suddenly without any instrumental fanfare. Like the res ...

" —

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...

(1973) *"

" — Ray Charles (1980). While listed above as a song that merely references "The Twist", the Charles version that he performed in the 1980 film ''

The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''. Belushi and Aykroyd fronted the band, in character, respective ...

'' added additional lyrics in which Charles additionally calls for the Twist, the

Monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as the simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes, which constitutes an incomple ...

the Frug The Frug ( or /frug/) was a dance craze from the mid-1960s, which included vigorous dance to pop music. It evolved from another dance of the era, the Chicken. The Chicken, which featured lateral body movements, was used primarily as a change of pa ...

and the

Mashed Potato Mashed potato or mashed potatoes (American and Canadian English), colloquially known as mash (British English), is a dish made by mashing boiled or steamed potatoes, usually with added milk, butter, salt and pepper. It is generally served as a ...

, to be performed by a crowd gathered outside Ray's Music Exchange.

References

{{reflist Twist songs, List of *