Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Pop Culture»Fads
    Fads 3 Mins Read

    Twist, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Of all the fads, foibles and crazes that swept the Sixties (and there were LOTS), few caught on as universally as The Twist.

    It started when Detroit R&B singer Hank Ballard devised a song to accompany the twisting movements that his backing band, The Midnighters, had introduced while appearing at Atlanta’s Peacock Club.

    Hank elaborated on the dance routine, called it “The Twist” and recorded it in November 1959. Issued as the flip of his Teardrops On Your Letter, Ballard’s version was not a hit, but when former comedy impressionist Chubby Checker performed his cover version on Dick Clark’s influential American Bandstand TV show, The Twist took off and went to #1 in September 1960.

    twist_45

    Unlike almost any dance before it, The Twist required that partners did not touch each other.

    In Chubby’s own words, it went like this; “Imagine you’ve just stepped out of the shower and you’re drying your back with a big towel. At the same time, you’re stubbing out a cigarette with your foot”.

    The craze moved out of the teen arena when actress Zsa Zsa Gabor was seen dancing to Chubby’s hit at New York’s celebrated Peppermint Lounge. On 11 July 1961, an article in Billboard magazine revealed that The Twist was now popular among adults at dance club contests in Philadelphia.

    Twist records quickly became a musical sub-genre of their own. There was The Peppermint Twist, The Latin Twist, Soul Twist, Ya Ya Twist, Twist and Shout, Twist Twist Senorita, Twistin’ The Night Away, Dear Lady Twist and countless others.

    twist_004The ‘sensation of America’ came to Britain in 1961 when Chubby Checker’s record Let’s Twist Again stayed in the singles charts for 30 weeks.

    The Twist became the most popular dance craze of the decade and also spawned clothing (Thom McAn’s ‘Chubby Checker Twister Shoe’ proved rather popular) and all manner of Twist merchandise.

    Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt Kicker Five’s The Monster Mash released in October 1962, managed to spoof both the Twist and another hit dance, the Mashed Potato.

    The Twist initiated a slew of new dance crazes; The Frug, The Jerk, The Swim, The Monkey, The Pony, The Shake, The Watusi and The Hully Gully. Even The Addams Family butler had a dance – The Lurch – named after him. None of these, though, would capture the imagination in quite the same way as The Twist. But not everybody was convinced.

    Bishop Burke of the Catholic diocese in Buffalo, New York, banned The Twist in 1962, ensuring it could not be heard or danced to in any Catholic school, parish hall or youth club. A community dance centre in Tampa, Florida, followed suit shortly after.

    Journalist Beverley Nichols put his finger on what disturbed the establishment about The Twist when he wrote: “The curious, perverted heart of it is that you dance it alone”.

    In November 1964, Cathie Harvey established a world record for non-stop twisting at the Theatre Royal in Tyldesley, Lancashire by twisting for 102 hours.

    As the decade closed, however, it became clear that The Twist had changed forever the way young people danced. Nobody waltzed at Woodstock. Nobody sambaed to the Stones. Virtually all subsequent free-form rock & roll writhing is descended from The Twist.

    Related Posts

    • New Coke
      New Coke
      "New Coke" almost spelt the end for the Coca-Cola empire in 1985. They changed the flavour of Coke and the…
    • Chu-Bops
      Chu-Bops
      Chu-Bops were packs of record-shaped pink bubblegum that came housed in a small 3" X 3" replica album cover. The…
    • Sea Monkeys
      Sea Monkeys
      There have been plenty of toys that allowed children to put their natural creative energies to work. Lego, Erector sets, and countless…
    • Teddy Boys
      Teddy Boys
      The original teen fashion rebel of the post-war era, the "Teddy Boy" paved the path of rebellion for all hooligans…
    • Beatlemania
      Beatlemania
      By 1963 the newspapers were calling it "Beatlemania" - and there was no doubt that Britain was in love with…
    • Bobbysoxers
      Bobbysoxers
      The white anklets known as bobby sox (socks) rocked the conservative world when teenagers began wearing the socks with saddle…
    • Brat Pack
      Brat Pack
      When young actors like Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Matthew Broderick and Rob Lowe moved out of obscurity and into films…
    • K-Tel
      K-Tel
      K-Tel were famous for their TV commercials pitching their mass-market compilation LPs and tapes and their household 'gadgets'. Everything they…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleTupperware Parties
    Next Article Who Shot JR?

    Comments are closed.

    A Labour of Love

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love for me since 1998.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small – to help me with the running costs of the site and ensure I can keep Nostalgia Central running for your entertainment and education.

    Thank you so much, and please enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Man Accused (1959)
      Bob Jenson (Ronald Howard)  is in the middle of celebrating his […]
    • John Martyn
      John Martyn was born Iain David McGeachy on 11 September 1948 in […]
    • Girls Town (1959)
      Wealthy hot rod addict Chip Gardner (Harold Lloyd Jr.) is killed […]
    • Baader-Meinhof (Red Army Faction)
      “Baader-Meinhof” became the popular name for the […]
    • Valentines, The
      Australian group The Valentines formed in Perth (Western […]
    • Crimewatch
      1 9 8 4 – Current (UK) Based on a German series […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-65006801 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Terry Hall: Coventry scooter ride-out pays tribute to singer

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Hundreds of people ride through Coventry on what would have been the singer's 64th birthday.
    10 hours ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 6
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    metro.co.uk/2023/03/13/the-whos-roger-daltrey-thinks-theres-no-point-releasing-an-album-18434779/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    The Who's Roger Daltrey thinks there's 'no point' releasing another album

    metro.co.uk

    Bad luck.
    15 hours ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-64963359 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Sir Michael Caine's first Rolls Royce sells at Duxford for £120K

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The Italian Job actor hired a chauffeur to drive the 1968 Silver Shadow, with its doors still intact.
    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64900348 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mystic Meg: Astrologer dies aged 80

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The TV star, whose real name was Margaret Lake, was a well-known TV figure in the 1990s.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Do you think she know it eas going to happen

    PlayTalk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay

    Talk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 7
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Guitarist Gary Rossington had survived a 1977 air crash that killed several of his bandmates.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    What a talented man. Lucky enough to see original band in concert. BRILLIANT.

    Rest in peace Dickie Davies. An absolute giant of British sports broadcasting.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Dickie Davies, World of Sport presenter, dies at 94

    www.theguardian.com

    The broadcaster became something of a cult figure after fronting the ITV show for 20 years
    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Yes, one of the great presenters. R.I.P.

    For fans of the radio series Round The Horne (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty close to the edge, even by modern standards. Bona! 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA

    For fans of the radio series "Round The Horne" (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty "close to the edge", even by modern standards. Bona!

    open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA
    ... See MoreSee Less

    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    For those interested, the complete “Jules and Sandy” is available on Audible…

    Bona to vada your jolly old eek. Lovely riah....

    RIP the beautiful Stella Stevens, who has died at the age of 84.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Stella Stevens: Nutty Professor and Poseidon Adventure star dies at 84

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The co-star of Elvis Presley also worked in TV on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.
    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    A very young Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison and friends. 

If they only knew what lay ahead . . .

    A very young Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison and friends.

    If they only knew what lay ahead . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 18
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    I always hated the Beatles, and as it happens I still do.

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Tag Cloud
    1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games British Invasion Britpop Bubblegum music Canada Civil rights Cold War Computer games Crime Disc Jockeys Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Folk rock Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen James Bond JFK Kraütrock Labels Madchester Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave New Zealand Nixon Northern Soul NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Politics Power Pop Prog rock Pub rock Punk Radio Reggae Rolling Stones Scotland Ska Ska revival Skiffle Soul music Space Race Sport Surf music Video games Vietnam war
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.