The Swinging Blue Jeans – Hippy Hippy Shake

The Swinging Blue Jeans – Hippy Hippy Shake – live recording from 1976.
“Hippy Hippy Shake” Single by The Swinging Blue Jeans
B-side “Now I Must Go”
Released 6 December 1963
Label His Master’s Voice Pop 1242 (UK), Imperial (U.S.)
Songwriter Chan Romero

“Hippy Hippy Shake” is a song written and recorded by Chan Romero in 1959. Romero was just 17 when he wrote this song, which is just 1:43 long. According to his entry in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, he was inspired by the song “Come On, Let’s Go” by Ritchie Valens. This being the early days of Rock and Roll, many songs were about dancing to the music – often in an uncontrollable manner.

The Swinging Blue Jeans cover reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and Canada’s CHUM Chart, and No. 24 in the US charts in early 1964. The song became their biggest hit in both the UK and North America. With this song the Swinging Blue Jeans became one of the earliest British acts to chart in the US during the British Invasion, following The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, and The Dave Clark Five, and debuting the same week as The Searchers.

What the Bluejeans brilliantly did was to up the tempo, turn up the volume and defy anyone listening not to find out how ecstatically they could dance for the two minutes or so the song lasted!

The line up that recorded The Bluejeans greatest sides was Ray Ennis on Rhythm Guitar and vocals, Les Braid on bass and keyboards, Ralph Ellis on lead guitar and Norman Kuhlke on drums.