You Can't Sit Down

Last updated
"You Can't Sit Down"
Single by The Dovells
from the album You Can't Sit Down [1]
B-side "Stompin' Everywhere"
ReleasedJune 18 1963
Recorded1959
Genre Rock [2]
Length2:19
Label Parkway
Songwriter(s) Dee Clark, Kal Mann, Cornell Muldrow [1]
The Dovells singles chronology
"You Can't Run Away from Yourself"
(1963)
"You Can't Sit Down"
(1963)
"Betty in Bermudas"
(1963)

The Original Instrumental, The Bim Bam Boos, 1959

"You Can't Sit Down" was originally recorded as in instrumental in 1959 as "Can't Sit Down" by The Bim Bam Boos on Dasher Records catalogue number D-500 and credited to Dasher - Muldrow; it featured Philip Upchurch on guitar and Cornell Muldrow on organ.

Contents

1963: Vocal Added Version, The Dovells / The Phrase "Hip Hop"

The Dovells added dance themed lyrics and vocals to their cover of the song and it was released in 1963. Although unrelated to specifically describing the much later music genre of the same name the song has the first known instance of the phrase "hip hop" in a recording, the lyric "...you gotta slop, bop, flip flop, hip hop, never stop". [3] the song reached a peak at No.3 on Billboard on April 27th of 1963 and charted for 14 weeks. [4] The lyrics also mention South Street in Philadelphia. Their label mates on Cameo-Parkway Records), the Orlons, released a song in the same year called "South Street" and in 1964 the two songs appeared on an album called "Golden Hits", comprising half Dovells songs and half Orlons songs in addition to their previous releases. [5]

Other versions

Usage in media

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Kingsmen</span> 1960s American rock band

The Kingsmen are a 1960s American rock band from Portland, Oregon. They are best known for their 1963 recording of R&B singer Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the No. 2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks and has become an enduring classic.

The Orlons are an American R&B group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that formed in 1960. The group won gold discs for three of their singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Ready (The Temptations song)</span> Song by The Temptations

"Get Ready" is a Motown song written by Smokey Robinson, which resulted in two hit records for the label: a U.S. No. 29 version by The Temptations in 1966, and a U.S. No. 4 version by Rare Earth in 1970. It is significant for being the last song Robinson wrote and produced for the Temptations, due to a deal Berry Gordy made with Norman Whitfield, that if "Get Ready" did not meet with the expected degree of success, then Whitfield's song, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", would get the next release, which resulted in Whitfield more or less replacing Robinson as the group's producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Money (That's What I Want)</span> 1959 single by Barrett Strong

"Money (That's What I Want)" is a rhythm and blues song written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, which was the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise. Barrett Strong recorded it in 1959 as a single for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. Many artists later recorded the tune, including the Beatles in 1963 and the Flying Lizards in 1979.

"Temptation" is a popular song published in 1933, with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Harlem (song)</span> 1960 song by Ben E. King

"Spanish Harlem" is a song recorded by Ben E. King in 1960 for Atco Records. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. "Spanish Harlem" was King's first hit away from The Drifters, peaking at number 15 on Billboard's rhythm and blues and number 10 in pop music chart.

"Teach Me Tonight" is a popular song that has become a jazz standard. The music was written by Gene De Paul, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song was published in 1953.

"Ruby Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by the Drifters. Their version was released as a single by Atlantic Records in 1956. It peaked at No. 10 on the US Hot R&B chart.

"Twilight Time" is a popular song with lyrics by Buck Ram and music by the Three Suns. Ram said that he originally wrote it as a poem, without music, while in college.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Away Little Girl</span> Popular song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King

"Go Away Little Girl" is a popular song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was first recorded by Bobby Vee for Liberty Records on March 28, 1962. The lyrics consist of a young man asking a young attractive woman to stay away from him, so that he will not be tempted to betray his steady girlfriend by kissing her. The song is notable for making the American Top 20 three times: for Steve Lawrence in 1963, for The Happenings in 1966, and for Donny Osmond in 1971. It is also the first song, and one of only nine, to reach US number 1 by two different artists. Also notable in each of the solo versions is the similar double-tracked treatment of the singer's voice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Nation Under a Groove (song)</span> 1978 single by Funkadelic

"One Nation Under a Groove" is a 1978 song by Funkadelic, the title track from their album of the same name. It has endured as a dance funk classic and is probably Funkadelic's most widely known song. "One Nation Under a Groove" was Funkadelic's first million selling single, as well as the third million selling single for the P-Funk organization overall.

"One Night" is a song written by Dave Bartholomew, Pearl King, and Anita Steiman. It originally was an R&B hit for Smiley Lewis in 1956, before being recorded with greater commercial success by Elvis Presley in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poison Ivy (song)</span> 1959 single by the Coasters

"Poison Ivy" is a popular song by American songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by the Coasters in 1959. It went to No.1 on the R&B chart, No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No.15 in the UK. This was their third top-ten hit of that year following "Charlie Brown" and "Along Came Jones".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whatcha Gonna Do? (song)</span> 1977 single by Pablo Cruise

"Whatcha Gonna Do?" is a song by American rock group Pablo Cruise. This song was written by David Jenkins and Cory Lerios, two of the band's members. "Whatcha Gonna Do?" was a track from their album A Place in the Sun in 1977.

"So Much in Love" is a song written by George Williams, Billy Jackson, and Roy Straigis. It was originally performed by Williams's American soul vocal group the Tymes and was released in the summer of 1963 on Cameo Parkway Records, which produced many pre-Beatles hits of the 60s such as The Twist. It quickly became The Tymes' first hit single, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on August 3, 1963, and remaining there for one week, as well as peaking at No. 4 on the Hot R&B Singles chart.

"Share Your Love with Me" is a song written by Alfred Braggs and Deadric Malone. It was originally recorded by blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland. Over the years, the song has been covered by various artists, most notably Aretha Franklin who won a Grammy Award for her 1969 rendition. Other artists who covered the song include The Band in 1973, Kenny Rogers in 1981, and most recently, Van Morrison in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wonder (1944 song)</span> 1944 single by Cecil Gant

"I Wonder" is a 1944 song written and originally performed by Pvt. Cecil Gant. The original version was released on the Bronze label, before Gant re-recorded it for the Gilt-Edge label in Los Angeles. The record made it to number one on the Juke Box Race Records chart and was Pvt. Gant's most successful release. In February 1945, pianist, Roosevelt Sykes hit number one with his version of the song. Sykes' version is notable in that it replaced Gant's version, at number one on the Juke Box Race Records chart.

"Funny How Time Slips Away" is a song written by Willie Nelson and first recorded by country singer Billy Walker. Walker's version was issued as a single by Columbia Records in June 1961 and peaked at number 23 on the Hot C&W Sides chart. The song has been featured in several live action films and television shows, such as in the first episode of the second season of AMC’s Better Call Saul and in the 2020 Netflix drama The Devil All the Time.

<i>The Kingsmen In Person</i> 1963 studio album by The Kingsmen

The Kingsmen in Person is the first album by the rock band The Kingsmen, released in 1963. The album featured "Louie Louie", the band's biggest success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)</span>

"You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" is a song composed by Burt Bacharach, with lyrics by Hal David. It was originally recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1964, who charted at number 34 in the US Billboard Hot 100 with her version. It was covered by the Stylistics in 1973, who reached number 23 in the US with their cover.

References

  1. 1 2 Allmusic song info
  2. Porter, James (2001). "The Hardy Boys". In Cooper, Kim; Smay, David (eds.). Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. Los Angeles: Feral House. pp. 211–213.
  3. "You Can't Sit Down". genius.com. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  4. "You Can't Sit Down". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  5. "The Orlons And The Dovells – Golden Hits". discogs.com. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  6. JMS. "Artist: The Dovells (Canary) You can't sit down / Wildwood days". secondhandsongs. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  7. Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles. 12th edition, 2009, p. 1013.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 170.
  9. Allmusic chart history
  10. "You Can't Sit Down". Brucebase. Retrieved 28 March 2020.