Rock and Roll

Ah, nothing like dancing the twist in the early 1960s. It was a great time for rock n roll. The name of the song refers to the Peppermint Lounge on New York City’s 45th Street. The club attracted many celebrities who wanted to do the twist – and hear the music. The list goes on and on, but it included the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Liberace, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Truman Capote, and Annette Funicello. The dance fad was happening at the time at The Peppermint Lounge where Joey Dee and The Starliters (also occasionally spelled Starlighters) performed. The song covered both sides of the record because it was too long for a single side, which is often the case with dance music. It was released in 1961, and Part I went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart early in 1962. Part 2 was mostly instrumental so you could keep on dancing. Joey Dee and the Starliters had many personnel changes and people who came and went over the years, so it gets complicated. The famous lineup included Joey Dee, of course, David Brigati (who alternated lead vocal with Joey) as well as Larry Vernieri (vocals) , Carlton Lattimore organ), Sam Taylor (guitar), and Willie Davis (drums). Later in their history, there were several artists who became well-known, including Jimi Hendrix, Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Gene Cornish, Charles Neville, and Joe Pesci. Who knew?

Here are the lyrics to “Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee and The Starliteres:

“Well they’ve got a new dance and it goes like this
(Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op)
Yeah the name of the dance is peppermint twist
(Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op)
Well you like it like this, the peppermint twist

It goes round and round, up and down
Round and round, up and down
Round and round and a up and down
And a one two three kick, one, two, three jump

Well meet me baby down at 45th street
Where the peppermint twisters meet
And you’ll learn to do this, the peppermint twist
It’s alright, all night, it’s alright
It’s okay, all day, it’s okay
You’ll learn to do this, the peppermint twist
Yeah, yeah etc.”

If you are interested in purchasing an album of songs by Joey Dee and The Starliters, 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 Juke Box Saturday, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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