Here I am at my 500th Song of the Day. Haven’t missed a single day for nearly a year and a half. I admit there are times when I wonder if I can keep this going for very much longer but then I stop and think about dozens of songs and artists I haven’t been able to cover yet and I realize that the SOTD series will certainly never die for lack of material. If it dies, it will be because I give up. And I don’t give up easy.
I considered finding some meaningful song to position in this spot to mark the occasion, but I couldn’t come up with anything. And because I was featuring Beatles cover songs this weekend, I figured their most famous one is certainly worthy of the spot.
Like many people my age, I’m sure, the first time I heard The Beatles version of ‘Twist and Shout’ was in the parade scene of Ferris Beuller’s Day Off. So, yes, for a brief spell I believed that the voice in this song — one of the best pop voices of all time — belonged to Matthew Broderick. Of course I also thought Wayne Newton’s ‘Danke Schoen’ was sung by Broderick, so go figure.
This is an example of a band really owning a cover. Can you imagine anybody else performing ‘Twist and Shout?’ Well, thanks to YouTube, you don’t have to. Here is the original song by The Isley Brothers, which inspired The Beatles’ version. And before the Isley Brothers recorded it, it was first released in very different form by The Top Notes. Listen to all three versions… no contest.
The amazing thing is that the version of the song we know and love was the first take recorded during the lightning-fast Please Please Me sessions. They did another but John’s voice was shot so they stuck with the first. Not a bad start.
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
Cmon cmon, cmon, cmon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)
Well, work it on out, honey. (work it on out)
You know you look so good. (look so good)
You know you got me goin, now, (got me goin)
Just like I knew you would. (like I knew you would, wuu!)
Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
Cmon, cmon, cmon, cmon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it all out. (work it all out, wuu!)
You know you’re a twisty little girl, (twisty little girl)
You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you’re mine. (let me know you’re mine)
Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
Cmon, cmon, cmon, cmon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out, wuu!)
You know you’re a twisty little girl, (twisty little girl)
You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you’re mine. (let me know you’re mine, wuu!)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Meet Me In Montauk 
Your Wayne Newton comment still has me chuckling 🙂 I’m not sure I thought Broderick was singing, but that is definitely the defiinitive “clip” that plays in my mind whenever I hear this song. Is it available on YouTube? I may have to go search.
Yeah, this is just one of the most fun songs I’ve ever heard, again probably in part because of that introduction to it. And “come on and work it on out” is as good a piece of motivation on your 500th song as any other 🙂 Congrats on the milestone, and remember you can recruit some of your loyal readers to be guest bloggers every now and then since we don’t give up easily either 🙂
Consider it an open offer to all potential guest bloggers. Write ’em up and send ’em in and I’ll post ’em.
You really have to give credit to the Isley Bros for giving a great shape and sound to that original version. Yes, the Beatles then improved on that one, certainly from an energy perspective, but the structural credit goes to the Isleys.