Twistin' The Night Away

Written By    Sam Cooke    [ABKCO Music Ltd. 1962]

Trivia

• Song is played in the movie 'Animal House' (1977)
• Inspiration came when he was at home watching footage of the Peppermint Lounge in New York on the Today Show
• Performed it live on the Jerry Lewis Show on December 7, 1963
• American (Oregon) based indie band The Shins in 2007 released 'Wincing the Night Away', the title is a play on Twistin' the Night Away

Studio Version

Recorded on December 18, 1961 at RCA Hollywood, Studio 1, USA

Produced by Hugo & Luigi, Engineer: Al Schmitt

Orchestra Conducted by Rene Hall

Musicians   

• Earl Palmer - drums
• Red Callender - bass
• Ernie Hayes - piano (on 18th)
• John Ewing - sax (18th)
• Jewell Grant - sax
• René Hall (guitar)
• John Kelsom (sax)
• Tommy Tedesco (guitar)
• Clifton White (guitar)

Billboard Review: Cooke has a solid effort, well keyed to the Twist rhythm, but clever in the song styling and arrangement as well. He sings with a neat touch here and the side can go.  (January 20, 1962)

Charts   

• Reached #9 in 1962 (U.S.), #1 R&B 
• UK #6
• Rod Stewart reached in #59 in 1973 and #80 in 1987 when he re-recorded it for the movie Innerspace

MP3 at Amazon.com

Singles    

• RCA 0566 b/w You Send Me 
• RCA 1277 - 7983 (January 9, 1961) b/w One More Time
• RCA 25006 b/w Cupid
• RCA 44949 
• RCA 45208  
• London 281 b/w You Send Me (New Zealand)

Albums   

• Twisting The Night Away (original)
• The Best of Sam Cooke   
• The Man And His Music
• The Man Who Invented Soul
• The One And Only Sam Cooke
• Portrait Of A Legend
• The Golden Age of Sam Cooke   
• Forever - 32 tracks    
• Hits!
• All Hits
• Sam's Soul 
• This Is Sam Cooke
• 20 Greatest Hits&
• 20 Golden Greats
• Wonderful World
• The Best Of (Paradiso)

Live Version 1 - At The Copa

Musicians: Cliff White - guitar, Bobby "Valentino" Womack - guitar, June Gardner - drums, Harper Cosby - bass, Sticks Evans - percussion, Joe Mele's Copacabana Band

Produced By: Al Schmitt        Conductor: Rene Hall

Recorded live at the Copacabana, New York City, July 8, 1964

Albums    Sam Cooke At The Copa

Live Version 2 - At The Harlem Square Club

Albums    

• Live At The Harlem Square Club  
• The Man Who Invented Soul (Box)

Lyrics    /    Chords

Let me tell ya 'bout a place
Somewhere up a New York way
Where the People are so gay
Twistin the night away

Here they have a lot of fun
Puttin' trouble on the run
Man you find the old and young
Twistin' the night away

Twistin, twistin, twistin the night away
Everybody's feeling great
They are Twistin' twistin'
Twistin the night away

Here's a Man in evenening clothes
How he got here I don't know, but
man, you oughtta see him go
Twistin' the Night away

He's dancing with the chick in slacks
She's a-moving up and back
Oh Man, there ain't nothing like
Twistin the night away

They're twistin. twistin, twistin,
Everybody's feeling great
They're twistin, twistin
They're twistin the night away

Let's twist a while, Feet up, feet back
Watusi, now fly, now twist
They're twistin the Night away

Here's a feller in blue jeans
dancing with the older queen
who's dolled up in a diamand rings
Twistin' the night away

Man you oughtta see her go
Twistin' to the Rock and Roll
Man you find the old and young
Twistin' the night away

Let's twist a while, feet up, feet back
Watusi, ? no twist  etc.
 

Covered By

Gerald Alston	Sings Sam Cooke (2008)
Joe Bourne	Step In Time (1994)
Clarence Clemon	Night with Mr.C (1989)
L.C. Cooke	Sings the Great Years of Sam Cooke
Divine	Maid in England (1996)
Dan Gardner	Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford in Sweden (1965)
Nicky Harris	Carolina Sand (2000)	Get it at Amazon.com
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers
The Marvelettes	Marvelettes Sing Smash Hits of 1962 (1962)
Scooter Lee	High-Test Love (1997)	Get it at Amazon.com
Leo Night & the Moonlighters	Struttin' Stuff (2002)	Get it at Amazon.com
Vel Omarr	Here's My Soul
The Ovations
Bobby Big Six Patrick	Ariola Star-Club (1999)
Keely Smith	Twist with Keely Smith (1996)
Rod Stewart	Never A Dull Moment (1973)	Get it at Amazon.com
Sugar Beats
Sulo	Soul Folks, The Sam Cooke Concerts	Get it at Amazon.com
Duke Tumatoe	Back to Chicago (1982)
Jerry Wilson		Get it at Amazon.com