| "Twist and Shout" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bythe Top Notes | ||||
| A-side | "Always Late (Why Lead Me On)" | |||
| Released | August 1961 (1961-08) | |||
| Recorded | February 23, 1961 | |||
| Studio | Atlantic, New York City | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:05 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Phil Spector | |||
| The Top Notes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Twist and Shout" is a 1961 song written byPhil Medley andBert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). It was originally recorded byThe Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked bythe Isley Brothers for their albumTwist & Shout in 1962. The song has been covered by several artists, includingthe Beatles,Salt-N-Pepa, andChaka Demus & Pliers, who experienced chart success with their versions.
The Top Notes, an AmericanR&B vocal group, recorded "Twist and Shout" at theAtlantic Studios on February 23, 1961. The session was arranged byTeddy Randazzo and produced byPhil Spector.[a] The Top Notes' Howard "Howie" Guyton provided the lead vocals,[1] with accompaniment by saxophonistKing Curtis, guitaristJohn Pizzarelli, drummerPanama Francis, and backing vocaliststhe Cookies.[2]
In a song review forAllMusic,Richie Unterberger described the Top Notes recording as "aLatin-tinged raveup with a drab generic R&B melody" that he felt was "not very good".[3]Bert Berns, the song's co-writer, was dissatisfied with the recording and Spector's production.[4] It failed to chart.[5]
| "Twist and Shout" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bythe Isley Brothers | ||||
| from the albumTwist & Shout | ||||
| B-side | "Spanish Twist" | |||
| Released | May 1962 (1962-05) | |||
| Recorded | New York City, 1962 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:27 | |||
| Label | Wand | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Bert Russell | |||
| The Isley Brothers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Whenthe Isley Brothers decided to record the song in 1962 for their albumTwist & Shout, Berns (who also used the name Bert Russell) assumed the role of producer. According to Unterberger, the new arrangement infused the tune with more "gospel-fired soul passion":[3]
[T]he real master trick of this rearrangement was a new bridge consisting solely of four ascending sung notes, the tempo becoming more emphatic and dramatic, ending in exultant sustained whooping before a "shake it up baby" led the Isleys back into the verse.[3]
"Twist and Shout" became the group's first single to reach the Top 20 on the USBillboard Hot 100 singles chart.
This version of the song was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame in 2010.[6]
| Chart (1962–1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[7] | 42 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[8] | 17 |
| USHot Rhythm & Blues Singles[9] | 2 |
| USCash Box Top 100[10] | 7 |
| USCash Box Rhythm & Blues Singles[11] | 3 |
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Twist and Shout" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| "Twist and Shout" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US single of the Beatles recording | ||||
| Single bythe Beatles | ||||
| from the albumPlease Please Me | ||||
| B-side | "There's a Place" | |||
| Released |
| |||
| Recorded | February 11, 1963 | |||
| Studio | EMI, London | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:32 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | George Martin | |||
| The Beatles US singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Beatles' rendition of "Twist and Shout" was released on their first UK albumPlease Please Me in 1963, inspired by the Isley Brothers' version.[5]John Lennon provided the lead vocals and initially felt ashamed of his performance in the song "because I could sing better than that, but now it doesn't bother me. You can hear that I'm just a frantic guy doing his best." A second take was attempted, but Lennon had nothing left due to ahoarse voice, and it was abandoned.[12] At the end of the song, Lennon can be heard coughing. The Beatles' version of "Twist and Shout" has been called "the most famous single take inrock history."[13]Mark Lewisohn called it "arguably the most stunningrock and roll vocal and instrumental performance of all time."[14]
The song was released as a single in the US on March 2, 1964, with "There's a Place" as its B-side. It was released by Chicago-basedVee-Jay Records on theTollie label and reachedNo. 2 onBillboard's singles chart on April 4, during the week that the top five places on the chart were all Beatles singles.[15][16] It was the only million-selling Beatles single in the U.S. that was a cover song, and the only Beatles cover single to reach the top 10 on a national record chart.[17] The song failed to hit No. 1 because the group's own follow-up single "Can't Buy Me Love" held the spot.[16]Cash Box rated the song No. 1 that same week.[18]
In the UK, "Twist and Shout" was released byParlophone on aneponymous EP with "Do You Want to Know a Secret", "A Taste of Honey", and "There's a Place" from thePlease Please Me (1963) album. Both the EP and album reached No. 1. In Canada, it became the title track to thesecond album of Beatles material to be issued byCapitol Records of Canada on February 3, 1964.[19]
The song was used as the Beatles' closing number onSunday Night at the London Palladium in October 1963 and atThe Royal Variety Show in November 1963; theRoyal Variety performance was included on theAnthology 1 compilation album in 1995. The Beatles performed the song on theirEd Sullivan Show appearance in February 1964, and they continued to play it live until the end of their 1965 American tour. Additionally, they recorded "Twist and Shout" on nine occasions forBBC television and radio broadcasts, the earliest of which was for theTalent Spot radio show on November 27, 1962.
In 1986, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick)lip-synced to the Beatles' version of the song in the filmFerris Bueller's Day Off. Coincidentally, theRodney Dangerfield filmBack to School (released two days afterFerris) also featured the song, this one sung by Dangerfield himself in character as Thornton Mellon and patterned after the Beatles' arrangement. The use in the two films helped propel the single up theBillboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 23 at the issue date September 27, 1986, giving the group their second chart single of the 1980s (the other being "The Beatles' Movie Medley" in 1982).[20]
In 2008, the Beatles' version was voted second best cover song in a poll byTotal Guitar.[21]
In November 2010, 47 years after its recording, the Beatles' version of "Twist and Shout" made a debut on theUK singles chart. One of a number of Beatles tracks re-entering the chart in the aftermath of their new availability oniTunes, it peaked at No. 48.
Credits by Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon[22]
| Chart (1963–1964) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentina (CAPIF)[24] | 1 |
| AustralianKent Music Report[25] | 5 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[26] | 38 |
| CanadaCHUM Chart[27] | 5 |
| Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[28] | 18 |
| Finland (Official Finnish Charts)[29] | 1 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[30] | 11 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] | 9 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[32] | 1 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[33] | 7 |
| Spain (Promusicae)[34] | 5 |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[35] | 2 |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[36] | 3 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[37] | 2 |
| USCash Box Top 100[38] | 1 |
| West Germany (GfK)[39] | 10 |
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard Hot 100[40] | 23 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[41] | 16 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[42] | 48 |
| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[43] | 5 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI)[44] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[45] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[46] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[47] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[48] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Twist and Shout" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byBrian Poole and the Tremeloes | ||||
| from the album Twist and Shout | ||||
| B-side | "We Know" | |||
| Released | June 1963 (1963-06) | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:07 | |||
| Label | Decca | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Mike Smith | |||
| Brian Poole and the Tremeloes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1962,Decca Records signedBrian Poole and the Tremeloes, a British group fromDagenham, East London, in preference to the Beatles. Both groups had auditioned on the same day, and it has become legend that the Beatles wererejected by the label. Ironically, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes had no chart success until thebeat boom inBritish rock had surfaced, following the success of the Beatles. This triggered the frenzied signing of most of the popular Liverpool rock groups of that period by the major record labels, and their distinctive "sound" became known asMerseybeat. Brian Poole and the Tremeloes imitated this style, and covered "Twist and Shout" for their album of the same name four months after the Beatles had released their version, and achieved the No. 4 position in the UK Singles Chart.[49]
However, according toBrian Poole, "we were doing 'Twist and Shout' on stage before we knew anybody else doing it and we felt we could have a hit with it. Unfortunately, we had it in the can for about a year before Decca decided to release it as a single".[50]
| Chart (1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[51] | 38 |
| Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[52] | 4 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[53] | 3 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[54] | 4 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[55] | 4 |
| West Germany (GfK)[56] | 10 |
| "Twiste et chante" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single bySylvie Vartan | ||||
| from the albumTwiste et Chante | ||||
| Language | French | |||
| English title | "Twist and Sing" | |||
| B-side | "Il faut choisir" | |||
| Released | October 1963 (1963-10) | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:00 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Songwriters | Phil Medley,Bert Russell,Georges Aber | |||
| Sylvie Vartan singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Twiste et chante" onYouTube | ||||
In 1963, the song was adapted intoFrench byGeorges Aber as "Twiste et chante", meaning "Twist and sing" and was recorded byFrench pop singerSylvie Vartan and was released as the third and final single off of hersophomore album of the same name that October.[57] The song peaked at Number 8 in the French Belgian charts in February 1964.[58] Apromotional video was also filmed for the song.[59] Vartan also performed the song on the American variety music programShindig! on March 24, 1965, along with a cover ofBarrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" (in English).[60]
| Chart (1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[58] | 8 |
| "Twist and Shout" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bySalt-N-Pepa | ||||
| from the albumA Salt with a Deadly Pepa | ||||
| B-side | "Get Up Everybody" | |||
| Released | October 1988 (1988-10) | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 3:48 | |||
| Label | FFRR | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Hurby Luv Bug Azor | |||
| Salt-N-Pepa singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Americanhip hop trioSalt-N-Pepa recorded a cover version on their 1988 albumA Salt with a Deadly Pepa. It was released as a single and was met with success, reaching the top five in Spain, the Netherlands and the UK, where it reached No. 4, as well as the top 40 in Belgium and West Germany and on theIrish Singles Chart.
| Chart (1988–1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[61] | 11 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[62] | 18 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[63] | 5 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[64] | 5 |
| Spain (AFYVE)[65] | 5 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[66] | 4 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[67] | 45 |
| USHot Rap Songs (Billboard)[68] | 18 |
| West Germany (GfK)[69] | 37 |
| Chart (1988) | Position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[70] | 91 |
| "Twist and Shout" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byChaka Demus & Pliers featuring Jack Radics andTaxi Gang | ||||
| from the albumTease Me | ||||
| Released | December 6, 1993 (1993-12-06) | |||
| Genre | Reggae fusion | |||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Mango | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
| |||
| Chaka Demus & Pliers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Twist and Shout" onYouTube | ||||
Jamaicanreggae duoChaka Demus & Pliers, collaborating with Jack Radics andTaxi Gang, recorded "Twist and Shout" for their fourth album,Tease Me (1993). It was released as single on December 6, 1993, byMango andIsland Records, and topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1994. The song was also a top-10 hit in Ireland (No. 9),Flanders (No. 7), the Netherlands (No. 6), Denmark (No. 4), and New Zealand (No. 2). It was nominated in the category for Tune of the Year at the International Dance Awards 1995.[71]
Rick Anderson from AllMusic named the song "a fun novelty".[72]Larry Flick fromBillboard magazine wrote, "Who'da thunk this Beatles evergreen would become viable fodder for a reggae reconstruction? It has, and it works far better than you might imagine." He added, "With assistance from Jack Radis and Taxi Gang, Chaka Demus & Pliers playfully skip around a fast and jaunty island groove, darting in and out of familiar lyrics with bits of chatter andtoasting. Visionary programmers will find this will flow over playlists like a fresh, cool breeze."[73] Troy J. Augusto fromCash Box declared it as an "infectious cut", that "add peppy new island life to this classic made famous, of course, by The Beatles."[74]
In a review for theGavin Report, Dave Sholin commented, "Summertime—time to hit the beach and party! And what better for the occasion than this upbeat production that puts a new twist on the Isley Brothers' original and Beatles' cover?"[75] Alan Jones fromMusic Week named it a "fine reggae re-reading", that "contains all the usual Chaka Demus & Pliers hallmarks, with sweetly cooed verses alternating with rapped passages. Just right for the party season."[76]James Hamilton from theRecord Mirror Dance Update described it as a"'La Bamba' based raver's reggae inflected but surprisingly conventionalSly & Robbie revival, a party season smash".[77] Leesa Daniels fromSmash Hits gave "Twist and Shout" three out of five, writing, "The tune at Christmas parties this year. Chaka and Pliers and a few mates have made a mega mover of a groover."[78]
| Chart (1993–1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[79] | 13 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[80] | 12 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[81] | 7 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[82] | 37 |
| Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[83] | 4 |
| Denmark (IFPI)[84] | 4 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[85] | 7 |
| Europe (European AC Radio)[86] | 12 |
| Europe (European Dance Radio)[87] | 18 |
| France (SNEP)[88] | 23 |
| Germany (GfK)[89] | 32 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[90] | 12 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[91] | 9 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[92] | 6 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[93] | 8 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[94] | 2 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[95] | 16 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[96] | 17 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[97] | 1 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[98] | 1 |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[99] | 1 |
| UK Club Chart (Music Week)[100] | 41 |
| Chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[101] | 31 |
| Chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[102] | 76 |
| Belgium (Ultratop)[103] | 81 |
| Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[104] | 43 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[105] | 48 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[106] | 94 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[107] | 26 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[108] | 60 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[109] | 49 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[102] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[110] | Gold | 5,000* |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[111] | Gold | 400,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | December 6, 1993 |
| Mango | [112] |
| Japan | February 25, 1994 | Mini-CD | [113] | |
| Australia | March 14, 1994 |
| [114] |
Vianey Valdez had a top ten hit in Mexico with her version, "Muevanse Todos". It got to no. 4 for the week of August 1, 1964.[115]
