Rock and Roll

The song “Limbo Rock,” which was written by Kal Mann (as Jan Sheldon) and Billy Strange, is about, well, limbo dancing. The first recording of the piece was an instrumental by The Champs (of “Tequila” fame) in 1961. The version by Chubby Checker, which has lyrics, became very popular in 1962, going to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Cash Box Chart, and #3 on the R&B Chart.  Many other artists have covered the song, including Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Chet Atkins and Hank Snow, and The Ventures. It also is featured on various children’s music albums.

Chubby Checker was born Ernest Evans in Spring Gulley, South Carolina, in 1941, and grew up in Philadelphia. He is a singer, songwriter, performer, and TV personality. known for making the twist popular through his cover of Hank Ballard’s “The Twist.” (The professional moniker Chubby Checker was based the name Fats Domino. The story goes, it came about from a conversation between Dick Clark’s wife and Checker after he had been doing some impressions of singers, including Domino.) Chubby Checker continues to record and perform.

Here are the lyrics to “Limbo Rock” by Chubby Checker:

“Every limbo boy and girl
All around the limbo world
Gonna do the limbo rock
All around the limbo clock

Jack be limbo, Jack be quick
Jack go unda limbo stick
All around the limbo clock
Hey, let’s do the limbo rock

Limbo lower now
Limbo lower now
How low can you go?

First you spread your limbo feet
Then you move to limbo beat
Limbo ankolimboneee
Bend back like a limbo tree

Jack be limbo, Jack be quick
Jack go unda limbo stick
All around the limbo clock
Hey, let’s do the limbo rock

La, la, la
La, la, la
La, la, la…

Get yourself a limbo girl
Give that chick a limbo whirl
There’s a limbo moon above
You will fall in limbo love

Jack be limbo, Jack be quick
Jack go unda limbo stick
All around the limbo clock
Hey, let’s do the limbo rock

Don’t move that limbo bar
You’ll be a limbo star
How low can you go?”

For other songs by Chubby Checker: “Three Takes on the Twist” and “Pony Time.”

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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