Shimmy Shimmy Shake song Guess Who?

Wayne Carver · Post by **Wayne Carver** » 15 Sep 2010 6:05 pm

I just heard this song on the radio. It sounded like the Beatles only more psychedelic sounding like Gabor
Szabo was playing the guitar. After the song was over the DJ said, a lot of people think that was by the Beatles but on the record it just said Guess Who. Does anyone know anything about this song?

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 15 Sep 2010 7:18 pm

I remember a song titled Hippy Hippy Shake. Is that the one? It was recorded by the Swinging Blue Jeans back sometime in the late 60's, I think.

The Beatles covered it later, I believe.

If it's Shimmy Shimmy Shake, then I don't know. There was also a song containing the line Shimmy Shimmy CoCo Bop, Shimmy Shimmy Shake or something like that.

[I don't remember the Guess Who doing a song like that, but I could be wrong.

]

Jon Moen · Post by **Jon Moen** » 15 Sep 2010 8:02 pm

Possibly Shakin' All Over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxuqUNKqj6E

From Wikipedia:

Shakin' All Over" is a rock and roll song originally performed by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. It was written by frontman Johnny Kidd and reached #1 in the United Kingdom in August 1960. The musicians who performed on the recording were Johnny Kidd (vocals), Alan Caddy (guitar), Brian Gregg (bass), Clem Cattini (drums) and Joe Moretti (lead guitar).

History
The original recording was not a hit outside of Europe. Instead, "Shakin' All Over" gained fame in North America after Chad Allan and the Expressions covered it in 1965, where it was a #1 hit in Canada. Several months later, concerned that the effect of the British Invasion might eclipse the potential for success in the US by a Canadian act, the record label issued the song to radio stations in the States on a white label, with the artist listed as Guess Who? This became the first hit for the group in the states, reaching #22 and leading Chad Allen and the Expressions to change the group's name to The Guess Who.

If this is the one you mean it is Randy Bachman playing guitar.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Sep 2010 8:42 pm

Yes, the Guess Who had a hit with "Shakin' All Over" in 1965... #1 in Canada, #22 in the USA.

"Hippy Hippy Shake" was a hit for The Swinging Blue Jeans in 1964, and was recorded by a few other bands.

Wayne Carver · Post by **Wayne Carver** » 16 Sep 2010 3:32 am

It must have been "Shakin' All Over" that I heard. I don't know where I got the Shimmy Shimmy part. It wasn't "Hippy Hippy Shake"
I read that when "Chad Allan & the Reflections" recorded "Shakin' All Over" the record company listed the artist as "Guess Who" to make people think it might be the Beatles.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 16 Sep 2010 6:12 am

So the cut you heard was Guess Who and they derived the band's name change from that. I must have heard it hundreds of times back in the day, but didn't remember it being them.

I guess I'm remembering the Guess Who with Burton Cummings.

To complicate matters even more, I know that The Who also covered the song at least at Woodstock and probably other venues as well.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 16 Sep 2010 7:36 am

I agree Jerry, I too heard the song hundreds of times back in the 60s, but I never associated it with The Guess Who. Much like the Moody Blues... their first US hit was "Go Now", which sounded nothing like their later signature sound ("Days of Future Past" and later albums).

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 16 Sep 2010 8:00 am

The german beat band The Lords had a hit with it in 1966. RIP Ulli Günther.

Richard Sevigny · Post by **Richard Sevigny** » 16 Sep 2010 8:47 am

Wayne Carver wrote:It must have been "Shakin' All Over" that I heard. I don't know where I got the Shimmy Shimmy part. It wasn't "Hippy Hippy Shake"
I read that when "Chad Allan & the Reflections" recorded "Shakin' All Over" the record company listed the artist as "Guess Who" to make people think it might be the Beatles.

I read in Randy Bachman's biography that at the time American radio stations wouldn't play singles by Canadian Bands so the record company put "Guess Who?" on the label so it would get airplay.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 16 Sep 2010 2:47 pm

Check out the Wiggles on utube (I don't know how to get the link on here)
They have a song called Shimmy Shimmy Shake, they look like a Beatlesesque copy band.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 16 Sep 2010 8:05 pm

"Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop" was Little Anthony and the Imperials.Saw them do it on one of those PBS oldies shows.