Nino Tempo & April Stevens--Land Of 1000 Dances

[moonspinner55]

Nino Tempo looks pretty good in that black leather jacket. Not quite Tom Jones or even Engelbert--but close!

[freshair3451]

I just can't stop laughing. hahahahahahahaha

[shyman99]

Brilliant song and video. This is my favorite version of this song. There is so much going on musically in this recording and unfortunately the audio in this video does not do it justice. The video represents the unapologetic fun and carefree atmosphere in the mid-60's. The go-go dancers are top notch and are as much fun to watch as are Nino and April. I place this in my personal time capsule as one of the best recordings/videos from 1965.

[MikeBlitzMag]

Superb take on an often covered standard. With the subtle keyboard undercurrent and by executing in minors, the good Professors Stevens and Tempo brought a fresh perspective to it in much the same way that the other three standout versions (Cannibal and the Headhunters, Wilson Pickett and the original by Chris Kenner) did. Nino and April's LP on the White Whale label is an excellent example of first generation garage rock-related euphoria. Love it!

[19XWyomingGrizFan]

'makthnife,' normally I would agree with your assessment, most of the time. But have you listened to April & Nino's LP 'All Strung Out?' That to me is a pretty good Album IMHO

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

is this in public domain?

[dpohunter]

April and Nino...getting down with their bad 'selves! This is priceless camp. And don't forget... they are brother and sister! Werkin' Awn Uh Groovy Thang!!! Love it.

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

you should see this live at the film festival i attend. they show a lot of scopiotones, and the audience laughs...i videotape it off the screen.

[Charles787980]

Love the go-go dancer in red. 00:51 She's awesome.

[makthnife]

OMG...can't believe peeps get their panties in a bunch over dancing girls...it was the standard then...I'm more concerned with the awful music. Just terrible...This Tempo guy was/is a damn good musician but it ends there...everything with these two seems awkward, uncomfortable. Check out the live stuff on YT. All....odd. Like a train wreck, i can't look away.....

[THECLARENCES]

Amazing!

xoxo

The Clarences

[nicksacop]

wow, this seems like only yesterday...what show was this on? this is pre MTV, thank God!

[ScriptWorker]

CLASS!

[57buickcentury]

Got this song on their "Hey Baby" LP - the track is identical but it has crowd noise overdubbed mainly on the right channel.

[atlasperros]

the fuck is this pussy ass shit?.......

LOL

[Allhallowsday]

Yer the pussy; I listen to everything from THE STOOGES, THE RAMONES, ELVIS, SINATRA, BIX BEIDERBECKE, LOUIS ARMSTRONG, MAURICE RAVEL, CLAUDE DEBUSSY, JS BACH, GERSHWIN, ELLA FITZGERALD, THE DICTATORS, DREAD ZEPPELIN, BIG STAR, anything that's good. YOU obviously don't know your ASS from your ELBOW, shithead.

[atlasperros]

@Allhallowsday

faggot

[Allhallowsday]

sorry, tough guy; if you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen

[menyc]

@atlasperros

can you stop writing that

[atlasperros]

@Allhallowsday

Hey Old Shit Floater, suck a dick

[hebneh]

This is a cover of the Cannibal and the Headhunters version of this song, not the original by Chris Kenner. The Cannibal version was the most popular; it's where the familiar "Na, na na na na" came from. That happened because the lead singer couldn't remember the actual words.

I venerate this Scopitone, by the way.

[karlmahlmann]

really interesting. I take it this was a cover of the original Chris Kenner version with a psychedelic / go-go slant. very interesting.

[Jockopain]

Scopitone has some great time pieces from the sixties...check out Brooke Benton's "Mother Nature Father Time" . Groovy Dadio...Eric Von Zipper! I love it. We grew up at a great time!!!

[lakeladymel]

The freakiest thing I've ever seen. I"m loving it. Gotta watch it a couple more times. Wayyyyyyyy Groovy !

[SMITHFRANK]

I 'm almost expecting Eric Von Zipper to ride onto the set !! I love this stuff!! (I especiallly luv April...nice bod babe !)

Heggs has spoken ....Yeehaaa

[studebaker62]

Lots o-selfish people around here complaining about this "video. Guys, you need to TAKE IT IN CONTEXT. None of these scopeotones have "great" production values and you have to remember that this was an era when artists did lots of covers of other peoples music. Just love this for what it is instead of complaining about what it isn't.

[SuperBrianm]

@studebaker62 You hit the nail on the head, studebaker62

[lecriveuse]

wilson pickett doesn't have a worry in the world. eww and eek!

[online007man]

This got it all! How many V-neck sweaters do this guy own??? .-)

[lecriveuse]

nino is a hottie. don't be hatin! :p

[IDLERACER]

Scopitones all seem to utilize a weird color palatte. I wonder if 95% of this clip was always lavender and chartreuse, or if it just looks that way now because the film has deteriorated.

[Allhallowsday]

This video is GREAT, dated, sure, but NINO and APRIL are usually great (check out all of youtube before deciding if sometimes they strayed and simply weren't NINO and APRIL). I am a huge fan of NINO TEMPO & APRIL STEVENS (brother and sister) and think THIS is one of their overlooked treasures - oop and the best version of the campy cheezee song. I love it. THANKS FOR POSTING this WONDERFUL VIDEO!!!

[ochrerobe]

Whats Captain Kirk doing there?

[Picardy]

This is a total freak-out - love it!

[steveinbelgium]

This song is so out of character for these two singers, it just doesn't work.

[Yesimustbestupid]

Yeah, this belonged more to an artist such as Wilson Pickett, not Nino & April.

[Janster59]

this is FREAKY!!!

[JerseySlugga85]

What The FUCK????????

[jamesquinnzeta]

its kinda satanic... i like dancing women in cages, a family-sized portrait of a cat on the wall, "come on april", acid delicious, chanting, smiles almost evil, they know theyre destroying the wilson pickett song, a journey to nowhere. i expect to see the old batman run in at any moment. at the time it must have been orgiastic fun. as long as theres been cameras, theres been women exploitation "rap videos".

[irvingklaw57]

Very good point. Women were objectified in just about every Scopitone. The best is probably Joi Lansing's Web of Love. The worst is Kay Starr's Wheel of Fortune, it's just awekward.

[superbruce]

ah..women ( or should I just say " females", because a REAL women would not allow herself to be 'objectified' ) are STILL be objectified- this time at their own free will- just take a look at any current music video. The womens lib movement really didnt bring much progress in this area- just gave them the green light to mainstream 'sluttiness' and lude behavior...

[lecriveuse]

they must like the abuse or they wouldn't do it. as for feminists, their claim to fame is penis envy. for those who would disagree, read, comprehend then be quiet. i just shake my head when men are fully clothed while the females wear guitar strings.

[Allhallowsday]

Use spell check.

[imusfan48]

Nino Temple and April "Cleavidge"-and the 'Maidenform' Dancers. Viva Viagara!

[trublueone]

I am traumatized. Somewhere Wilson Picket is spinning in his grave. A travesty

[DickStainy]

If you mute the sound and play Wilson Pickett's version, the video isn't too bad.

[trublueone]

you are right :-)

[trublueone]

What. The. Hell?

[hebneh]

I love how Nino and April, who were sort of lounge/ballad singers, stepped into the go-go mode here. These sets and themes are strangely disjointed: from Asia, to a pussycat club, to a ship with cheerful sailorettes who do a wholesome striptease while Nino eggs them on...

But go-go dancing is always to be venerated, regardless.

[motormcnug]

HaHa ya you said it guys!!

[ctdsnark]

The opening riff of this minor-key rendition of this oft-recorded song suggests,to my ears,a possible mash-up between this,and "Jackie Blue" by Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

[MrAiredale]

This is my absolute favorite scopitone..Nino looks HOT. The dancers are fun, lively and colorful. Great energy and style. So Groovy!

[heine71]

Na-na-na-na-na...

[Echeevers]

Anyone know who that blonde dancer is? She's in several Scopitones and is f'n adorable. Wonder where she is now.

[Fender1980]

Nope. Is that the same girl from the Dick & Dee Dee video?

Anyways great version of 1000 Dances. Love the bass & organ.

[mikeymars]

I had the same thought - anyone with a collection of Scopitones (I have three full DVDs worth) knows that cute blonde shows up in scores of these things. From what I've read, these "chorus" cast for these things were often bit players recruited from the TV and film industry.

[emeraldpink]

I enjoyed the Tempo-Stevens part of this video, but could have done without the cheesecake in the background! These Scopitone (?) shorts nearly all featured this kind of "dancing". I felt it distracted from the musical performances.

[studebaker62]

The Scopitone dancers always seem to be dancing off the beat of the music. My guess is that the producers though that bouncing and jerking breasts would keep people entertained.

[BillyvonDumpling]

Enter the gates of heaven.