1960s
dance-craze party
pre-1960s
“Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie”
Pinetop Smith (Alabama) 1928
“The Hucklebuck”
Paul Williams (Tennessee) 1949
“The Bunny Hop”
Ray Anthony 1952
“Cherokee Dance”
Bob Landers
Specialty 1956
“The Waddle” (Theo Theobalt)
The Slades (Austin, TX)
Domino 800B 1958
“The Shag (is Totally Cool)” (Foster-Flood)
Billy Graves
Monument 401 1958
“The Walk” (McCracklin)
Jimmy McCracklin (St. Louis)
Checker 885A 1958
“The Freeze”
Tony & Joe 1958
“Madison Time” (Eddie Morrison-Ray Bryant)
Ray Bryant Combo (Philly/Detroit)
calls by Eddie Morrison
Columbia 1476 1959
“(Baby) Hully Gully” (Smith-Goldsmith)
The Olympics 1959
1960s
“Pony Time” (Covay-Berry)
The Goodtimers (D.C.)
1960
“The Slop” (Smith-Goldsmith)
The Olympics (L.A.)
Arvee 595B 1960
“The Twist”
Chubby Checker (Philly)
1960
“Finger-Poppin’ Time” (Ballard)
Hank Ballard & the Midnighters (Detroit)
1960
“Everybody Fish” /
“Part 2” (Collier-Kerrin)
The Hallequins
Collier 2501 1961
“The Peppermint Twist” (Henry-Dee-Glover)
Joey Dee & the Starliters (New Jersey)
1961
“Bristol Stomp” (Mann-Appell)
The Dovells (Philly)
1961
“The Slosh” (Fredricks-Coleman)
Bernadette
Beach 5 1961
“The Watusi”
The Vibrations (L.A.)
Checker 969A 1961
“The Wah-Watusi” (Mann-Appell)
The Orlons (Philly)
Cameo 218A 1962
“The Locomotion”
Little Eva 1962
“Limbo Rock” (Strange-Sheldon)
Chubby Checker (Philly)
1962
“The Scrape” (Eddy)
Duane Eddy
1962
“The Climb” (Leiber-Stoller)
Duane Eddy
Dance with the Guitar Man
Colpix 1962
“Limbo Limbo” (Richard A. Caire)
Kai-Ray
Lodestar 7462 circa 1962
“The Cinnamon Cinder” (Russ Regan) /
“Bandido” (Bob Totem)
Pastel Six
Zen 102 1962
“Chicken Twist” (Adkins)
Hasil Adkins
recorded 1962
“Humpty Dump” (Falcone-Rodriquez)
Bernadette Caroll
Vital 1650 1962
“Mashed Potato Time” Dee Dee Sharp (Philly)
1962
“Do the Bird” (Mann-Appell) Dee Dee Sharp (Philly)
Cameo 244 1963
“Mickey’s Monkee” (H-D-H)
The Miracles (Detroit)
Tamla 1963
“Harlem Shuffle” (Relf-Nelson)
Bob & Earl(L.A.)
Marc 104 1963
“Do the Del Viking” / “part 2” (Holloway)
Patrice Holloway
Taste 125 1963
“The Bounce” (Ward-Fizer-Lewis)
The Olympics 1963
“The Smock” (Lennie Guarino)/
“Dance Party” (Lateers)
Lateers
World Artists 1006 1963
“The Bird’s the Word”
The Rivingtons
Liberty 1963
“El Watusi” (Barretto)
Ray Barretto
Tico 419 1963
“Dick Dale Stomp” (Dale)
Dick Dale & his Del-Tones
1963
“Twine Time” (Williams-Rice) /
“The Bump” (Rice-Cash)
Alvin Cash & the Crawlers (St. Louis)
Mar-V-Lus 6002 1963
“Come Monkey With Me” (G. Washington)
Gino Washington (Detroit)
Wand 147 1964
“The Swim” (Barry-Greenwich-Venet)
The Butterflys
Red Bird 009B 1964
“C’mon & Swim” (Coman-[Sly Stone]Stewart)
Bobby Freeman (S.F.)
1964
“Peg Leg” (Vacon) Jerome Clemmons
ABC Paramount 10532 1964
“Kick That Little Foot Sally Ann” /
“Slauson Party”
Round Robin (L.A.)
Domain 1404 1964
“Shaggy Dog” (Mickie & Bernie Lane)
Mickey Lee Lane (Austin, TX)
Swan 4183 1964
“Ride Your Pony” (Naomi Neville)
Lee Dorsey
1965
“The Climb”
The Kingsmen (Portland) 1965
“The Jerk” (Don Julian)
“Keep Jerkin'” (Walters-Julian)
“Slauson Shuffle Part 1” (Julian)
“Slauson Shuffle Part 2” (Julian)
The Larks (L.A.)
The Jerk Money 1102 1965
“Everybody’s Doing the Jerk” (Seals)
Jimmy Seals & the Champs (Texas)
Challenge 59270A 1965
“Jerkin’ the Dog” (Shaw) /
“Fishin’ Pole” (Shaw)
Mighty Hannibal (Atlanta)
Mirwood 5510 1966
“The Duck”
Jackie Lee (L.A.)
1966
“Shoot-A-Basket” (Lemon-J. Dixon)
Meadowlark Lemon
RSVP 1125B 1966
“The Shotgun and the Duck” (Matthews-Nelson) /
“Temptation Walk” (Smith-Nelson)
Jackie Lee (L.A.)
Mirwood 5510 1966
“Cool Jerk”
The Capitals 1966
“The Skate” (Gant-Morris)
The Invitations
MGM 1966
“Do the Freddie”
Freddie & the Dreamers 1966
“The Bounce” (Ward-Fizer-Lewis) /
“The Duck” (Smith-Nelson)
The Olympics (L.A.)
Mirwood 5525 1966
“Karate / part 2” (Buford-J. Taylor)
Mr. Clean & the Cleansers (Houston)
Camelot 136 circa 1967
“The Horse” (Jesse James)
Cliff Nobles (Alabama)
Phil-L.A. of Soul 1968
“The Bounce” (Ward-Fizer-Lewis)
The Fantastic Johnny C. (S. Carolina)
Boogaloo Down Broadway
Phil-L.A. of Soul 1968
“Doin’ the Banana Split” (Barry White)
The Banana Splits
Kelloggs/Hanna Barbera 34579 1968
“Karate KK” (Dougherty-Grimaldo)
Tommy Dougherty
with Lou Grimaldo & the Symbols
Dance City USA 101 circa 1968
“Do the Sissy”
Charley Simmons & the Royal Imperials
PJ Records (New Orleans) 107 1968
“The Frankenstein Walk”
Gene Bowlegs Miller
Hi 2161 1969
post-1960s
“Push and Pull (the Tom Jones)”
(Willien Henderson-Leonard Henderson)
The Dwi Peoples Paraphernalia (Chicago)
BRC 102 circa 1971
“The Bump” (Milan Williams)
The Commodores
Machine Gun
Motown 769 1974
“The Twist (Yo, Twist)”
The Fat Boys
Tin Pan Apple 1988
“The Wiggle”
Rappers Convention
1986
instant dance party
just add good-time people, a sound system, and a dance floor
this list might be cliché, but if people can sing along and know the song, they're more likely to get off the wall
get on the floor
Intro: “2001” Deodato
“Family Affair” Mary J. Blige
“Hey Ya!” OutKast
“Celebration” Kool & the Gang
“Love Shack” B-52s
“Let’s Dance” Ramones
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” Cyndi Lauper
“Bad Boy Boogie” AC/DC
“Anarchy in the UK” Sex Pistols
“Super Freak” Rick James
“1999” Prince
“Sex Machine” James Brown
“Brick House” Commodores
“Rollercoaster” Ohio Players
“Flashlight” Parliament
“Why Can’t We Be Friends” War
“Car Wash” Rose Royce
“Dancing Queen” Abba
“I Feel Love” Donna Summer
“Heart of Glass” Blondie
“Le Freak” Chic
“Ring My Bell” Anita Ward
“Boogie Wonderland” Earth, Wind and Fire
“Rapper’s Delight” Sugarhill Gang
“King Tim III” Fatback Band
slow it down
(add when needed)“Easy” Commodores
“All of Me” John Legend
“Time After Time” Cyndi Lauper
“Strawberry Letter #23” Brothers Johnson
“Wonderful World” Sam Cooke
Mid-tempo transition
(add when needed)“Wonderful World Beautiful People” Jimmy Cliff
“I Can See Clearly Now” Johnny Nash
“Brown-Eyed Girl” Van Morrison
“Lowrider” War
“My Girl” Temptations
“What’s Going On” Marvin Gaye
“Baby Love” The Supremes
“Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” 4 Tops
“ABC” Jackson 5
“Everybody is a Star” Sly & the Family Stone
“Three Little Birds” Bob Marley
get on the Floor (Again)
“Stir it up” Bob Marley
“Shout” Isley Brothers
“I Want to Take You Higher” Sly and the Family Stone
“Stand” Sly and the Family Stone
“Dance to the Music” Sly and the Family Stone
“Everyday People” Sly and the Family Stone
“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” Sly
“Loco-motion” Little Eva
“Shotgun” Jr. Walker
“Superstition” Stevie Wonder
“Superstition” Jeff Beck, etc.
“Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” The Temptations
“You Can’t Hurry Love” The Supremes
“Upside Down” Diana Ross
“On the Floor” Jennifer Lopez
“Wild Thing” Tone Loc
“Wild Thing” Troggs
“Tequila” The Champs
“Louie Louie” The Kingsmen
“Don’t Leave Me this Way” Thelma Houston
Outtro: “2001” Deodato
Sounds Good 