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)
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
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
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