"The Wah-Watusi" is a song written by

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 ...

and performed by

The Orlons The Orlons are an American R&B group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 1960. The group won gold discs for three of their singles. Career The quartet consisted of lead singer Rosetta Hightower (June 23, 1944 – August 2, 2014), Shi ...

. It reached No.2 on the U.S. pop chart behind

Bobby Vinton Stanley Robert "Bobby" Vinton (born April 16, 1935) is a American former singer and occasional actor, who also hosted his own self-titled TV show in the late 1970s. As a teen idol, he became known as "The Polish Prince", as his music paid trib ...

's "

Roses Are Red (My Love) "Roses Are Red (My Love)" is a popular song composed by Al Byron and Paul Evans. It was recorded by Bobby Vinton, backed by Robert Mersey and his Orchestra, in New York City in February 1962, and released in April 1962, and the song was his first ...

", No.5 on the U.S. R&B chart, and No. 12 in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

in 1962. It was featured on their 1962 album ''The Wah-Watusi''. "The Wah-Watusi" sold over one million copies and was awarded gold disc status. The song ranked No.24 on ''Billboard'' magazine's Top 100 singles of 1962.

Other versions

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 ...

, on her 1962 compilation album ''All the Hits by Dee Dee Sharp''. *

Annette Annette may refer to: Film and television * '' Walt Disney Presents: Annette'', 1950s television series * ''Annette'' (film), a 2021 musical film Other * Annette (given name), list of people with the name * Annette Island, Alaska * Tropical Stor ...

, as a single in 1964, but it did not chart. *

The Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential groups ...

, on their 1963 album ''

The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey ''The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey'' is an album by The Miracles, released in 1963 by Tamla Records. It includes the group's Top 10 smash single "Mickey's Monkey", written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, which was later recorded by seve ...

''. *

The Ronettes The Ronettes were an American girl group from Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley. The ...

included their version on the 2011 various artists album ''The Philles Album Collection''. Their rendition had originally been released on The Crystals' 1963 album ''The Crystals Sing the Greatest Hits Volume 1'', but The Crystals received credit for the song.

In popular culture

*The Orlons' version was featured in the 2011 film ''

The Help ''The Help'' is a historical fiction novel by American author Kathryn Stockett and published by Penguin Books in 2009. The story is about African Americans working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi, during the early 1960s. A ''USA To ...

'' and was included on the soundtrack. *The Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

has adapted the song as a commercial jingle for a number of years.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc4bH9u1O_c Wachusett Summit Commercial *In an episode of "

Mama's Family ''Mama's Family'' is an American sitcom television series starring Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper, Mama (Thelma Harper). The series is a Spin-off (media), spin-off of a recurring series of sketch comedy, comedy sketches called "The Family (sketc ...

," Naomi and her friend Luann are singing and dancing to it.

References

1962 songs 1962 singles 1964 singles Songs about dancing Songs with lyrics by Kal Mann Songs written by Dave Appell Dee Dee Sharp songs The Miracles songs Annette Funicello songs The Ronettes songs {{1960s-single-stub