Volume 11 , Issue 15

Hucklebuck of 1949 & Sinatra

The Hucklebuck sung by Frank Sinatra (1949) -- The Hucklebuck (aka Huckle-Buck & Huckle Buck) dance is considered a Risque, sexual type of dance which had its hey-day during the late 1940s early 1950s but goes back to the early 1900's. I haven't seen anything about it during the 1920s, though. Only that it might have originate at Savoy Records in NYC.

Other sites have said, "It is a smooth jazz instrumental and a raucous tenor sax honker. A R&B classic, a wild dance sensation, a novelty tune and amusing lyrics. It was #1 on the R&B charts for most of 1949. It was a dance; a dirty boogie, risque and raunchy. It was recorded by many. Some of those artists were Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Pearl Bailey, Kate Smith, Lucky Millinder, Earl Hooker, Ralph Kramden, Roy Milton, Jimmy Liggins, Hot Lips Page, Jimmy Preston, Tommy Dorsey, Kay Starr, Georgia Gibbs. -- Info extracted from wfmu.org/LCD/26/huck1.jtml.

In 1956, Jackie Gleason built an entire episode of the "Honeymooners" around the song where Ed Norton teaches Ralph how to dance "this hot number," as they proceed to party down.

Chubby Checker in 1961, gave the Hucklebuck a new life and giving the '60s teenagers a dance staple.

BUT ... Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams and his Hucklebuckers were the Hucklebuck in the early 1950s.

The 78rpm record NW Okie has is recorded by Frank Sinatra on the Columbia label, for radio stations, with The Ken Lane Quintet, Orchestra under the direction of Axel Stordahl, Composers: Roy Alfred, Andy Gibson. Other identifying numbers on the record located at the bottom are: 38486 (HCO 3692). On the flip side is the song, "It Happens Every Spring," composers: mack Gordon, Josef Myrow.

The lyrics as sung by Frank Sinatra are as follows:

Sinatra speaks, "Not now, Moose! I'll tell ya when!"
Here's a dance you should know
When the lights are down low.
Grab your baby, then go
Do the Hucklebuck (do the Hucklebuck)
Do the Hucklebuck (do the Hucklebuck)
If ya don't know how to do it
Boy, you're out of luck (boy, you're out of luck)
Push your partner out (push your partner out)
Then you hunch your back (then you hunch your back)
Start a little movement in your sacroillac (sacroillac)
Wiggle like a snake (wiggle like a snake)
Waddle like a duck (waddle like a duck)
That's the way you do it when you do the Hucklebuck
(Here's a dance you should know)
(When the lights are down low)
(Grab your baby, then go)
"Yeah, Dad! Right now!"
Here's a dance you should know
When the lights are down low
Grab your baby, then go
Do the Hucklebuck
Do the hucklebuck
If ya don't know how to do it
Boy, you're out of luck
Push your partner out
Then you hunch your back
Start a little movement in your sacroillac
Wiggle like a snake
Waddle like a duck
That's the way you do it when you do the hucklebuck.
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