Doin' Mickey's Monkey

The Miracles - Doin' Mickey's Monkey - MOTOWN M5-217V1
Originally released on TAMLA TM245 - 1963

Side A
Mickey's Monkey
Dance What You Wanna
The Wah-Watusi
The Twist
Dancin' Holiday
Land Of 1000 Dances

Side B
I Gotta Dance To Keep From Cryin'
The Monkey Time
The Groovey Thing
Twist And Shout
Do You Love Me

This 1963 Miracles album is all about dancing and contains the smash hit 'Mickey's Monkey', their take on the monkey dance craze. 'Mickey's Monkey' was their third million selling single in as many years and made it to No. 3 on the US R&B charts and No. 10 on the Billboard charts. As well as the Miracles, members of the Supremes, Marvelettes and Temptations can be heard singing in the background. The follow up single 'I Gotta Dance To Keep From Cryin' didn't do quite as well on the charts (No. 35 on Billboard) but is probably better remembered as it has been covered by so many bands since. Both the singles were written by Holland, Dozier, Holland, 'The Groovey Thing' by Smokey and 'Dancin' Holiday' by Miracle Bobby Rogers. The rest of the album is made up of cover versions of popular dance tunes. Not that there's any filler in this album the whole thing is designed to keep you dancing from start to finish.

Just in case you don't remember or don't know how, here's how to do the monkey....

Now you've mastered that, put it to good use with this.......

And here's the other single from the album, 'I Gotta Dance To Keep From Cryin'.....

Rocky Roberts And The Airedales

Rocky Roberts & Les Airedales - Monkey, Bird & Riviera - 1964
BARCLAY Records 80233 S

Side A
T. Bird (Bird)
I'll Take Care Of You (Blues)
Looking For A Love (Bird)
Non Ho L'Eta (Yes Yes My Love) (Slow)
I Got Money (Monkey)

Side B
Monkey A Valbonne (Monkey)
My Tears (Bird)
Somebody Mentioned Your Name (Slow)
Mov' On (Monkey)
Shout PT 1 (Monkey)
Shout PT 2 (Bird)

After leaving the US Navy, Rocky (Charles) Roberts decided to settle in Europe to be a singer with his band the Airedales. Clad in sharp suits and shades, with all the latest dance moves they became an instant success. Their brand of high energy R&B and soul cover were very popular in Europe, particularly Italy where Rocky went on to have solo hits. In fact their sound is not dissimilar to the live albums of another US ex-serviceman, Geno Washington. This album, recorded live in person at Club du Valbonne in the south of France, is typical of their output and is great. Handily they note the dance required for each song (which I've replicated above) so you don't end up looking a fool at your local disco.

Here's Rocky and the boys performing 'T. Bird' in 1966.......

Go, Go Go, Go Gorilla Go......

The Ideals - The Gorilla / Mo Gorilla - 1963

The Ideals were a vocal group from Chicago who may or may not have included Major Lance in their line up at one time. When this song was recorded the line up was Reggie Jackson, Leonard Mitchell, Robert Tharp and Sam Stewart with the lead vocals of Eddie Williams, the backing band was the Outlaws. Released to cash in on the monkey dance craze by local label Concord, it was soon picked up for national distribution by the Cortland label. It never troubled any nation charts but it did earn the group their first national tour. The version I have (shown above) is a reissue by Norton Records on banana yellow vinyl and backed with their follow up single 'Mo Gorilla'.

So put on your dancing shoes and dance the Gorilla.......