Limbo Rock
| "Limbo Rock" | ||||
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| Single by Chubby Checker | ||||
| from the album Limbo Party | ||||
| B-side | "Popeye the Hitchhiker" | |||
| Released | October 1962 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Genre | limbo, rock, Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:22 | |||
| Label | Parkway | |||
| Writer(s) | Jon Sheldon, Billy Strange | |||
| Chubby Checker singles chronology | ||||
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"Limbo Rock" is a popular song about limbo dancing written by Kal Mann (under the pseudonym Jon Sheldon) and Billy Strange. An instrumental version was first recorded by The Champs in 1961. The first vocal version was recorded in 1962 by Chubby Checker (on Parkway Records): it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number one on the Cash Box charts. The Chubby Checker recording also made it to number three on the R&B charts.[1] Checker then released a sequel, Let's Limbo Some More, in 1963 and that peaked at #20 in the Billboard chart.[2] Phil Sweetland wrote an article about The New Limbo Rock (Limbo Remix), that appeared in the New York Times on December 25, 2003. This new version was produced by the hill & hifi; aka Mike Rogers and Gary Lefkowith & features Inner Circle. Mr. Sweetland stated that at “age 62 and 43 years after The Twist, Chubby Checker once again comes up with a top-five single: a hip-hop-flavored version of another of his 1960's hits, Limbo Rock. He also states in the Christmas Morning Article that the Dec. 20 issue of Billboard listed it at No. 3 on its hot dance singles sales chart, making it Mr. Checker's first top-five hit since the original Limbo Rock in 1962.
Cover Versions
The song was covered by a long list of artists including Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, The Champs, The Ventures, Fozzie Bear, Sebastian the crab, Chet Atkins and Hank Snow (on their joint album C.B. Atkins & C.E. Snow by Special Request), The Knickerbockers, Klaus Wunderlich, The Routers, Arthur Lyman, Skiantos, Jaume Sisa. Because the song is literally about limbo, versions of the song by lesser-known cover bands appear on various Latin music, Calypso music and reggae compilation records. It also appears on a number of children's music albums.
Soundtrack
The Chubby Checker recording was featured in the film Hairspray.
References
External links
| Singles |
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| Related articles | |
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