The Beatles Unravelled #26
The Story of Twist and Shout
The Top Notes originally recorded Twist and Shout with producer Phil Spector. This was shortly after he started as a house producer at Atlantic Records. Co-writer Bert Berns was very disappointed with the Spector version and as a result, he took the song to Wand Records to record it with the Isley Brothers. The Beatles went on to make the song their own. The story of Twist and Shout.
6 to 12 May – The Twist and Shout Story
guest feature on the Mop Tops and The King show
Steve Chelmsford presents the Mop Tops and the King radio show. Certainly, a great name for a show that is all about the music of The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
Every other week, author of Rock’n’Roll Unravelled Derek Shelmerdine presents The Beatles Unravelled, alternating with Elvis Presley Unravelled.
The podcast provides this 1-minute segment of a little bit of Beatles and Elvis Presley history. Moreover, the Unravelled stories take a look at some of the more obscure parts of the story.
The MTK Network broadcasts the show, with 100 radio stations around the world. Consequently, the Mop Tops and the King is playing somewhere in the world, every day of the week.
Show Schedule for times and radio stations.
(Times on the Show Schedule are Eastern Time. The UK is five hours ahead.)
Listen Again – PODCAST watch this space…
The Twist and Shout Story
The Twist and Shout story…
Twist and Shout has an interesting pedigree.
The original version was released by the Top Notes in 1961. This was an early Phil Spector production, recorded shortly after he joined Atlantic Records as a house producer.
Co-writer Bert Berns was deeply unimpressed with the result. Consequently, he took the song to Wand records where he produced a version himself with the Isley Brothers. This proved to be a smart move because it gave the Isley Brothers their first hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Twist and Shout also became a live favourite with Beatles’ fans everywhere. They originally released it on their UK debut album, Please Please Me. It was released subsequently in America on their first album on the V-J label, Introducing the Beatles. After their legendary appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February 1964, they started the British Invasion. (During the next two or three years, British bands dominated the American music scene.) After that appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles began a stream of hit records in America. Twist and Shout provided them with their sixth American hit, with a #2 on Tollie label. It wasn’t released as a single in the UK.
On the 4 November 1963 the Fab Four appeared on the prestigious Royal Command Performance TV show. When they performed Twist and Shout, John Lennon introduced the song with one of his most famous quotes. “Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands and the rest of you just rattle your jewellery”.
Extracts from Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
All of the Elvis Presley Unravelled and The Beatles Unravelled podcasts are based on extracts from Derek Shelmerdine‘s book Rock’n’Roll Unravelled.
The Beatles – Extracts taken from Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
Elvis Presley – Extracts taken from Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
These extracts are only a small fraction of the stories, discographies, and other associated Beatles and Elvis information in the book.
About the book – Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots to mid-1970s punk.
In addition to the music, the book looks at the social factors influencing the music. The Vietnam War, fear of communism and Civil rights struggle certainly helped to shape the sounds of the time.
If it’s relevant to the music of the 1950s. ’60s, ’70s and its roots – it’s in the book. In addition to bands, artists, classic albums and singles, recording sessions, gigs and festivals, you’ll also find stories about influential managers, how bands came together, lineups and – SO MUCH MORE…
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled‘s unique three-part structure
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled has three sections: Timeline, What Happened Today and Pocket Histories.
What Happened Today – looks at the events happening on a day-by-day basis.
Consequently, as the review in Record Collector magazine puts it in its review of the book, “Shelmerdine has made a painstaking effort to documented pretty much every event that will prove significant in shaping popular music”. In addition, the review went on to describe the book as, “comprehensive… invaluable”.
Moreover, the cross-referenced events in What Happened Today create the other two sections, Timeline and Pocket Histories.
Timeline – consequently provides a date-order listing of all of the events in What Happened Today.
Pocket Histories – further extends the cross-referencing. As a result, this builds a picture of the lives and times of the artists, bands and events in What Happened Today.
TO BUY – a signed copy of Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
For all previous editions of…
The Beatles Unravelled and Elvis Presley Unravelled
First Broadcast: The Twist and Shout Story
6 to 12 May 2022, on the MTK network.
