Jump to content

`Twist' named top song of Billboard Hot 100 era


Music Calgary

Recommended Posts

  • Members

The Twist was huge... it was a social phenomen, the pivot point between 50's rock and roll and 60's rock and soul. Loosely tied to the then-burgeoning civil rights movement, the Twist was seen as a symbol of integration. Many movies about the Twist featured integrated dance floors. In one Twist movie, twist icon Chubbie Checker and his white sidekick/manager/best friend in the movie were roommates -- a strikingly unusual interracial screen relationship at the time.

 

I think, in a way, the massive, sustained popularity of the Twist both iconicized and crystalized it historically -- but also has helped hold the phenomenon in historic isolation between the eras of the 50s and 60s...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I remember, in the 1970's, when the greatest hits of the rock era were totted up, "The Twist" was #1 then.

 

I would've thought by now something would've superseded it... I dunno... "I Like Big Butts" or something of that ilk...

 

Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford were seen dancing The Twist at the Peppermint Lounge in the early 60's...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...