I'm Not No Limburger

Been re-acquainting myself with Pee-wee's Playhouse.

I guess what started this was when I watched the Wayne White docu/film Beauty is Embarrassing about White's art career. I dug the part where he worked as one of the creators of the Pee-wee's Playhouse TV show which served as a springboard for White's burgeoning work in design (on another of my favorite shows, Beakman's World as well), creating some of the most arresting & iconic images in pop culture. 

As I was watching the first episode, I was lifted off the potato couch by Peewee declaring, "It's Dance Time!"  Well, yes it is.

I thought to start with "Land of 1000 Dances" by Wilson Pickett, but realized 'the Pick' only mentioned six.

In the original version of the song, Chris Kenner names sixteen dances, which immediately put my in mind of "Dance this Mess Around" by the B-52s. They do all sixteen dances, even though they only list eight.

Add to that the "Hippy (hippy forward) Hippy Shake" & "The Mess Around" that they don't list, but mess around & dance.

Then Chubby does "Dance the Mess Around" & lists six more dances that no one else mentioned. Add a few more that nobody bothered to enumerate (the Isley Brothers did note the Shingaling & the Skate) & now we're getting into the spirit of things, though far from those 1000 dances as promised.

Various – It's Dance Time (in 1000 dances or less)

Disc 1 –

Land of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett

Pony Time – Don Covay

The Twist – Hank Ballard & the Midnighters

Mashed Potato Time – Dee Dee Sharp

Shout – Isley Brothers

Wah Watusi – The Orlons

The Jerk – The Larks

Land of 1000 Dances – Chris Kenner

The Fly – Chubby Checker

If You Can Hully Gully (I Can Hully Gully too) – Ike & Tina Turner

Hand Jive – The Strangeloves

Dance the Slop with Me – Mike Roger & his Machine-guns

Shake a Tail Feather – The Five Du-Tones

Bop Crazy Baby – Vern Pullens

Band of Gold – Don Cherry

Hernando's Hideaway – The Everly Brothers

Pop-Eye – Huey 'Piano' Smith

Dance this Mess Around – B-52s

Boogaloo Down Broadway – The Fantastic Johnny C

Camel Walk – The Ikettes

The Dirty Dog – The Mar-Keys

Hippy Hippy Shake – Chan Romero

The Mess Around – Bobby Freeman

Disc 2 –

Dance the Mess Around – Chubby Checker

(I Do the) Shimmy Shimmy – Bobby Freeman

The Hucklebuck – Chubby Checker

Let's Do the Stroll – Donnie Elbert

Birdland – Chubby Checker

Nobody but Me – Isley Brothers

The Shingaling – The Emperors

Skate Now – Lou Courtney

Monkey Time – Major Lance

Do the Freddie – Chubby Checker

The Madison – Ray Bryant Combo

C'mon & Swim – Bobby Freeman

Rip it Up – Bill Haley & the Comets

The Shift – Dave 'Baby' Cortez

The Walk – Jimmy McCracklin

The Locomotion – Little Eva

Hitch Hike – Marvin Gaye

The Clapping Song – Shirley Ellis

Bristol Stomp – The Dovells

Keep on Dancing - The Gentrys

Foot Stomping - The Flares

Cinnamon Cinder, It's a Very Nice Dance

Do the Push & Pull – Rufus Thomas

Get on the good foot,

NØ