- Album This song officially appears on the Live At The BBC Official live.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Get Back sessions - January 3, 1969 - Day 2
Jan 03, 1969
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“Hippy Hippy Shake” is a song written and recorded by Chan Romero in 1959. That same year, it reached #3 in Australia. Romero was just 17 when he wrote the song.
The Beatles version
A live version of “Hippy Hippy Shake” can be found on The Beatles album Live at the BBC. This version was recorded in July 1963, almost certainly pre-dating the Swinging Blue Jeans recording. The Beatles also played this song in their early days when they performed in small clubs. Another version, recorded on 10 September 1963 for “Pop Go The Beatles” can be found on On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2.
There were millions of groups around at that time – The Blue Angels, The Running Scareds – but they were mostly lookalike groups; The Shadows and Roy Orbison had a lot of followers. Then there were groups like us, more into the blues and slightly obscure material. And because we had the unusual songs, we became the act you had to see, to copy…
We had too much material anyway. We couldn’t record it all when we did get a deal, so other groups took songs from our act and made hits out of them – like The Swinging Blue Jeans with The Hippy Hippy Shake, which was one of my big numbers.
From the liner notes of On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2:
Although not a hit, “The Hippy Hippy Shake” by Chan Romero became popular in Liverpool when DJ Bob Wooler played it at The Cavern Club. He recalled lending his copy of the UK Columbia single to Paul so the group could learn it. When The Beatles appeared on the BBC TV programme Juke Box Jury in December 1963, they reviewed “The Hippy Shake” by their Mersey mates The Swinging Blue Jeans. Their unanimous judgement that it would be a hit proved to be true, both in the UK and America. Chan Romero had recorded his song in 1959 at Gold Star studio in Los Angeles with the same musicians who played on “La Bamba” by his hero Ritchie Valens.
Last updated on December 3, 2016
Lyrics
For goodness' sake
I've got the hippy hippy shake
I've got the shake
Whoo! The hippy hippy shake
Whoo! I can't keep still
With the hippy hippy shake
I get my fill
With the hippy hippy shake
Ooh my babe
Ooh the hippy hippy shake
Well now you shake it to the left
Shake it to the right
Do the hippy shake shake
With all of your might.
And you shake
Whoo! Yes, you shake
Ooh my babe
Ow! The hippy hippy shake
Well now you shake it to the left
Shake it to the right
Do the hippy shake shake
With all of your might
And you shake
Whoo! Yes you shake
Ooh my babe
Whoo! The hippy hippy shake
Ow! The hippy hippy shake
Yeah, the hippy hippy shake
Ooh yeah
Officially appears on
Official live • Released in 1994
1:49 • Radio show • L1 • Originally recorded by Chan Romero in 1959, it was another Mersey anthem that gave the Swinging Blue Jeans a British number two hit in January 1964.
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- Terry Henebery :
- Producer
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963
On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2
Official live • Released in 2013
1:46 • Live • L2
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- Ian Grant :
- Producer
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 10, 1963
Live At The BBC (2013 remaster)
Official live • Released in 2013
1:49 • Radio show • L1.2013 • Originally recorded by Chan Romero in 1959, it was another Mersey anthem that gave the Swinging Blue Jeans a British number two hit in January 1964.
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- Terry Henebery :
- Producer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963
Official album • Released in 2013
1:43 • Live • L3
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 04, 1963
Bootlegs
Star Club - Hamburg, Germany - December 1962
Unofficial live
2:26 • Live • The recording date is a guess - all we now for certain is that the Star-Club tapes were recorded between December 18 and 31, 1962.
Concert From the concert in Hambourg, Germany on Dec 31, 1962
The Beatles At The Beeb - Volume 1
Unofficial live • Released in 2003
1:43 • Live
Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Mar 16, 1963
The Beatles At The Beeb - Volume 2
Unofficial live • Released in 2003
2:02 • Live
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 04, 1963
The Beatles At The Beeb - Volume 4
Unofficial live • Released in 2003
2:11 • Live
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963
The Beatles At The Beeb - Volume 6
Unofficial live • Released in 2003
2:12 • Live
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 10, 1963
Live performances
“The Hippy Hippy Shake” has been played in 10 concerts.
Latest concerts where The Hippy Hippy Shake has been played
Jun 01, 2008 • United Kingdom • Liverpool • Anfield Stadium
Feb 15, 1964 • Part of BBC Sessions
Sep 10, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
Jul 30, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
Jun 04, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
Going further
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