Twist and Shout

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"Twist and Shout" is a song written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell. It was originally recorded by the Topnotes and the Isley Brothers and was later covered by The Beatles, with John Lennon on the lead vocals, and originally released on their first album Please Please Me. That version was recorded in a single take. It was covered again by Chaka Demus and Pliers, Jack Radics and the Taxi Gang, reaching #1 in the UK charts in January 1994.

History

Isley Brothers version

The Isley Brothers' version was the first major hit recording of the song, peaking at #17 on the US pop charts, and #2 on the US R&B charts. The song, with Ronald Isley on lead vocals, quickly became a frequently covered soul music tune in the early 1960s. According to Ronald, the song was supposed to be the b-side to the Burt Bacharach standard, "Make It Easy On Yourself", which was a hit for Jerry Butler. However, when the Isleys recorded "Twist & Shout", the brothers didn't think the song would do well as they hadn't had a hit in the three years since "Shout!" established them. Fortunately, however, the song became their first Top 40 hit on both the pop and R&B charts and for a time established the group for producing fast-paced songs during their earlier career.

Isley Brothers' version credits

• Lead vocals by Ronald Isley
• Background vocals by O'Kelly Isley, Jr. and Rudolph Isley
• Instrumentation by assorted musicians
• Written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell
• Produced by Bert Berns

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes

In 1962 the Decca record label signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, a group from Dagenham, Essex, in preference to The Beatles. Both groups auditioned for the label on the same day, and it has become folklore that The Beatles were rejected by them. Ironically, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes had no chart success until the "Beat group" boom in British rock, following the phenomenal success of The Beatles, surfaced, with the signing of Liverpool rock groups, which became known as “Merseybeat”. Brian Poole and the Tremeloes copied this style, and covered “Twist And Shout” four months after The Beatles had released their version, achieving number 4 position in the British charts.

The Who version

The Who covered the song live on several occasions, including at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970.

The Beatles version

The session in which The Beatles recorded their version of the track (in Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios in London) is one of the most famous in the history of popular music. By the late evening of 11 February 1963 The Beatles had recorded nearly all of the material which would become their first album, Please Please Me. The session had already lasted eleven hours, but the album still needed a big track to finish on and their long-standing live favourite "Twist and Shout" fit the bill perfectly. John Lennon was suffering from a cold and had been fighting a sore throat all day, and by this time (about 10pm) his voice was cracking despite regular doses of cigarettes, milk, tea and cough sweets. Producer George Martin knew that they would only be able to get one take in, or two at the most, before Lennon would have no voice left at all. He had deliberately kept the song for last, knowing the demands it made on the lead vocalist's voice.

Fortunately, The Beatles rose to the occasion - everything went right on take one with Lennon's shredded voice, half singing and half screaming the lead vocal, providing a memorably harsh, energetic quality which made the recording an instant classic and a turning point in the band's career as well as in British rock and roll in general. This raw first take appears without overdubs on Please Please Me. While a second take was also recorded, the first take proved to be superior and is easily the standout track on the album. John Lennon said later that his voice was not the same for a long time afterwards, and that "every time [he] swallowed, it felt like sandpaper".

The Beatles' cover was released in the US as a single by V-J on the Tollie label. (It reached #2 on April 4th 1964 - the week when the first five places on the chart were all Beatles singles.) In the UK, it was released on an EP with three other tracks from the Please Please Me album.

It is often regarded as one of the finest examples of British rock and roll for its vocal performance. ^[1]. The song was used as a rousing closing number on Sunday Night at the London Palladium in October 1963 and at The Royal Variety Show in November 1963, the former signalling the start of "Beatlemania". It was also performed on their Ed Sullivan Show appearance in February 1964.

Instrumentation for Beatles version

• John Lennon on rythym guitar,lead vocal
• Ringo Starr on drums
• Paul McCartney on bass guitar
• George Harrison on lead guitar

Paul and George sing back vocals at one microphone

 

1986 recharting

The Beatles version of the song enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in 1986 after Matthew Broderick lip synced it in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Coincidentally, the Rodney Dangerfield film Back to School (released two days after Ferris) also featured the song, this one sung by Dangerfield himself (patterned after the Beatles arrangement.) The use in the two films help propel the single up the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at #23 that summer.

References

1. ^ Ian Macdonald.Revolution In The Head, p.67

See also

• Twist and Shout (EP)

External links

• The Beatles' "Twist And Shout"