Gisele MacKenzie - Dance with Me Henry

From May 7, 1955, versatile Gisele MacKenzie sings "Dance with Me Henry" on live TV. Your Hit Parade featured a regular cast, including Gisele, performing the top 7 songs of the week presented as mini stories. Here Gisele is a disruptive ballet student who is more interested in the boys in the class and rock 'n roll than in ballet studies. Having Jack Benny as a mentor made MS MacKenzie perfect for the Hit Parade comedy numbers; having perfect pitch made her perfect for anyother song that came her way!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gisele
• MacKenzie
• Dance
• with
• Me
• Henry
• Hit
• Parde

[dkfelix]

Wasn't this song controversial at the time?

[VideosTimes2]

Not this version, which was a Georgia Gibbs hit. The 'black' r&b version was...which was titled "Roll with Me Henry."

[bellimbopinni]

@VideosTimes2 Why was 'Roll With Me Henry' considered controversial?

[VideosTimes2]

It the a sign of the extremely conservative, prudish times...you didn't even hint at anything sexual! Gisele use to speak about the fact that she and Dorothy Collins were the only two permitted to sing "Let Me Go Lover" on Your Hit Parade...since censors wouldn't let guys sing or say the word lover! O brother!

[Tork110]

Wow. I was thinking about posting this because of one of the dancers but I guess I've been beaten by a couple years.

I guess I'm not the only one with this episode.

[VideosTimes2]

I have a lot of Hit Parades...and other fine videos featuring Gisele MacKenzie. Always looking out for more!

[waynebrasler]

"Roll With Me Henry" came out of "Work With Me Annie." Oh, dear me.

[palmeradam29]

great talent .. very entertaining .. thanks

[XxOnLyOnE2LuVxX]

@RockNRococo I agree with you about Etta James' version but this one is also good. And just so you know those "cultural rules" were NOT influenced by the Bible but by people like you who use the Bible as a cover up. 

[wcotton]

Many of you may not understand that 'Your Hit Parade' was a sort of "stock company" made up of Gisele, Dorothy Collins, Russell Armes, and Snooki Lanson. They sang the top hits on a weekly TV show.

[hebneh]

I have to say also that Gisele manages to look both perky and sexy when she breaks into her short dance at :55, and then just after that. Unfortunately for her, however, I doubt very much that either "Henry" or the other boys are interested in that sort of thing.

[hebneh]

The TRUE original version of this song was "Work With Me, Annie" by Hank Ballard. The lyrics were far too sexy for any radio play.

"Dance With Me, Henry" was the first remake, but it was still a bit racy since those lyrics were "Roll with me, Henry" (despite the title).

Georgia Gibbs' version, in turn, dropped "roll" for "Dance with me, Henry", as we hear here.

Moving around so much is a slight strain for Gisele while she's singing, but I like the ballet vs. rock comedic conflict.

[VideosTimes2]

I guess you liking Etta James' version best is a matter of personal taste and preference. ..NOTHING more. I'll take Gisele MacKenzie any day! Gisele was singing the big hit version of this song that was recorded by Georgia Gibbs...Gisele had nothing to do with what version of the record American audiences prefered and bought. As far as justifying racism with The Bible...I DO believe those that misuse the Bible in that way will surely rot in hell!