Soul

The song was written by Brook Benton, Clyde Otis, and Luchi de Jesus. It was first recorded Priscilla Bowman, backed by The Spaniels, in 1958. However, the pairing of Benton and Washington has great chemistry. In 1960, their version rose to #1 on the R&B Chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The pair also had success with “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)” in 1960.

Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) was a singer and pianist, in a wide variety of styles from jazz to blues to pop. Brook Benton (born Benjamin Franklin Peay in Lugoff, South Carolina) was a very successful singer, songwriter, and producer.

Here are the lyrics to “A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)” by Brook Benton and Dinah Washington:

If you’re gonna give me good kisses like that
Honey don’t you know i’m gonna give them right back
’cause that’s a kissing good way
(mmmm that’s a kissing good way)
Ah that’s a kissing good way
(that’s a kissing good way)
That’s a kissing good way
To mess around and fall in love
(don’t mess around, don’t mess around)

Ooh if you’re gonna start out hugging me tight (right)
Don’t mess around come and hug me right
’cause that’s a hugging good way
(that’s a hugging good way) yeah ha ha
That’s a hugging good way (that’s a hugging good way)
That’s a hugging good way
To mess around and fall in love
(don’t mess around, don’t mess around)

You know you called me on the phone (yeah i got your number)
Just because i was alone
Yes,you came around a wooing (why not)
You better ask somebody if you don’t know what you’re doing

Now that you’ve kissed me and you rocked my soul
Don’t come round knocking rock ‘n’ roll
’cause that’s a rocking good way
(that’s a rocking good way) that’s a rocking good way
(that’s a rocking good way) that’s a rocking good way
To mess around and fall in love
Don’t mess around (tell me baby) don’t mess around

Well you know you call me on the phone
And just because I was all alone

(That’s why I called you baby)
You came around a wooing
You better ask somebody if you don’t know what you’re doing

Mmm now that you kissed me and rock my soul
Don’t come round knocking rock ‘n’ roll
That’s a rockin’ good way (that’s a rocking good way)
Dinah that’s a rocking good way, (I’m with you baby) that’s a rocking good way
That’s a rocking good way to mess around and fall in love

You’d better know it, baby (Ha ha, I’m diggin’ you)
It’s a rocking good way (And I love to rock, how about you?)
Ah baby, you got what it takes (ain’t that something?)
You dig the rock?…[fade]

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, 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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