THE BIRDIES- "THE HUCKLEBUCK '65" (1965)

"Start a little movement in your WOH-WOH-WOH!"

"The Hucklebuck" was a Big Band and Jump Jive standard from the 40's. Everybody had a variation of it in their repertoire. The reason was that 'hucklebuck' was a euphemism for something the latter part of it rhymed with. When couples trysted to it on the dancefloor, band leaders knew how to swing that sexual energy. It survived into Rock'n'Roll through versions like Chubby Checker's, which may be where the Birdies learned to shake a tailfeather.

The "Girls In the Garage" CD I culled it from was no help for any info about them. (Where are Alec Palao or Lois Wilson when you need them? Hopefully making the all-girls NUGGETS box set of my dreams!) But a fan informed me they were another guise of Darlene Love & the Blossoms! Ms. Love is legendary for her chameleonic turns behind the mike under different names: The Crystals ("He's a Rebel"); Bobb B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans; and the K-C-Ettes, behind guitarist Al Casey ("Surfin' Hootenanny"). Darlene had a funny story of evading producer Phil Spector when he was mad at her for working other studios under aliases, but now that story sounds really ominous. Darlene is also famous for portraying Danny Glover's wife in the 'Lethal Weapon' movies, and is just as potent a performer today.

To have a Movement, ya gotta move first. Rock propelled the hips before it prodded people to be hip in awareness. As Feminism would soon declare, "the personal is political". Just the act of freeing your body, your inhibitions, your appearance, your choice of partner, or your choice of music was tantamount to a political action. In a turbulent time when the youth were starting to question everything about any arbitrary boundaries, every move they made away from these was rebellion. No neat little boxes for them. More like a spectrum of rooms to explore and exceed. In this moment, the air is electric with the tension of possibility...

Check out more of my Herstory Of Rock videos on my YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/funknroll

A great site about 60's women rockers to check out is:
http://www.myspace.com/girlgaragemayhem

(All rights reserved, Fan-made video for promotion of the artist.)
Tym Stevens

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• SmallFaces
• Liverbirds
• BeatMusic
• GarageRock
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[hisofia]

Do you know anything about a girl named Robin Clark? I've heard two songs with her, Daddy Daddy (gotta get a phone in my room) and For Your Sake but I can't find any information about her anywhere! They are really catchy 60's teen girl pop songs

[funknroll]

No, that's a new one to me; I'll keep my eyes and ears out. Thanks!

[OrlaDoherty2386]

If you're looking for an all-girl nuggets, have you got the boxset from Rhino? Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found.

4 discs of various treats from the 60s ladies, from the twee lovesong to the dancefloor stomper via the classic death song.

[funknroll]

You're right, that's a great box set; I've loved it since it came out.

My hope is that they make a 'garage rock' box set for the grrrls. There's way too many female rock combos out there who fell through the cracks from no promotion.

"This looks like a job for producer extroidinaire Alec Palao!" (hint hint, Rhino or Sundazed or Ace Records)

[aguida70]

The Birdies were one of the many guises of Darlene Love and the Blossoms

[funknroll]

Wow, that's fantastic to learn! I love Darlene Love, especially her vocals on "Guitars Guitars Guitars" and "Surfin' Hootenanny" for guitarist Al Casey. She was operating under so many names then. Her story about ducking Phil Spector's wrath about it used to be funny, but now seems scary. Thanks for that heads-up!

[lgbtTV4]

@LouisDE1 wrote "my favorite version is by Connie Francis. Her version was used on an episode of "The Honeymooners" where Norton was teaching Ralph how to to dance"

That version was actually recorded by Kay Starr in 1949. As far as I know, Connie Francis never recorded the song. It doesn't appear in her discography.

[jaegere05]

@funknroll Girls in the Garage Comps! Im sure you know about those if you have this youtube page. Of course thats not a box set, and the series has so many volumes its a pain. They should have a box set for that!

[nickellodeon55]

hisofia..."Daddy, Daddy" by Robin Clark hit the Billboard "Bubbling Under The Top 100" survey in 1961 (Capitol, I believe). I don't know about the other song.

[pajaroloqo]

groovy!

[anticorpration]

Kay Starr's version of the song is heard in The Honeymooners episode.

[anticorpration]

I love the photos on this video - my teen years!

I first heard this song on an episode of The Honeymooners where Norton was teaching Ralph how to dance young.

[mrethrift]

Like dig these crazy chicks man! Far out! And, like, what groovy pictures. That bird with the shades! 0:37 Like WOW! I can dig this scene.