Rhythm and Blues

Jackie Wilson’s “Baby Workout” presents some of his fine work as a rock and roll artist and is a good example of 1960s music. “Mr. Excitement” combined a beautiful, clear voice with his own style of athletic dance moves and always gave an incredible performance. It’s hard to believe he can do knee-drops and splits in those pants. “Baby Workout” was written by Jackie Wilson and Alonzo Tucker. It went to #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B chart in 1963. He performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show and later on Shindig.

Jack Leroy “Jackie” Wilson, Jr. (1934-1984), from Detroit, had more than 50 singles in many genres, including R&B, rock and roll, pop, and soul. His musical pioneering and performing influenced generations of artists. His athleticism and energy showed in his performances. He was known for his four-octave range and for being a charismatic  showman.

Here are the lyrics to “Baby Workout” by Jackie Wilson:

“Hey, you!
Come out here on the floor.
Let’s rock some more.
Come out here on the floor,
Honey, let’s rock some more, yeah!

Now when you get out here
Don’t you have no fear.
Put your hands on your hip
And let your backbone slip
And work out.

Oh, my momma, move up (first step),
Party move back (second step),
Shuffle to the left (third step),
Wobble to the right (fourth step).

Now it’s plain to see
You put a hurtin’ on me
But it’s a natural fact
I like it like that,
So work out!

Yeah, baby work out (work baby, work out)!
Honey, work out!
Ah, baby work out!
Shout and turn the joint out!
Work out!
Work out!
Work all night long!
Yeah, yeah! (round and around and around and around)
Baby, round and round we go.
Don’t you know, don’t you know?
Round and round we go,
Where we stop, nobody knows.
The band is swinging on the stand,
We’re moving in, we’re moving out.
Then we’ll step back now and end this dance with a shout,
So work out!

Now when I tell you to shout I want you to jump at it!
Yeah, let’s shout, baby, let’s shout! (shout baby shout)
Honey, let’s shout!
Baby, let’s shout!
Yeah, shout and turn it out, baby!
Let’s shout, let’s shout, shout all night long!
I gotta have it just one more time, Now here we go!
Round and round we go,
Now work out, work out, work all night long!
Work out, baby!
Work out woman!
Shout and turn the joint out!
Work out, work out, baby, baby…”

If you are interested in reading about and listening to more music by Jackie Wilson, please click here for “Lonely Teardrops” and for “Night.”

If you would like an album of music by Jackie Wilson, please click on the photo below:

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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