The Shirelles & King Curtis - Give A Twist Party

11 electrifying tracks with The Shirelles and King Curtis

When The Shirelles were recording Twist Party in May 1962, King Curtis was charting in the Hot 100 himself with his own “Soul Twist.” But the great saxophonist had played on many Shirelles sessions in the past and so a collaborative album with the girls was a plausible idea. Far more unusual was the fact that Twist Party was the first Shirelles record not assembled from multiple sources; it was conceived as a “concept album” and recorded as such. While the material may indeed be appropriate for twisting, this was no mere collection of twists. Instead there were covers of Ray Charles (“I Got a Woman” performed by Curtis) and Jessie Hill (“Ooh Poo Pah Doo”), plus the only Otis Blackwell song to be recorded by The Shirelles, “Mister Twister.”

Twist Party featured five Luther Dixon copyrights; this would be the final album on which Dixon played a significant role. In an emotional story that provides much of the heart of "Baby, It’s You on Broadway," Dixon had become entangled with Florence Greenberg as not only her business partner but her romantic partner, as well. While some still assert that Greenberg was the love of Dixon’s life, the stress of conducting an interracial romance, not to mention Greenberg’s marriage, affected the couple adversely. Twist Party was released to little fanfare in the summer of 1962, and some months later, Dixon departed Scepter for Capitol. 

Side 1

Mama, Here Comes The Bride

Take The Last Train Home (Instrumental)

Welcome Home Baby

I’ve Got A Woman

I Still Want You

Side 2

Take The Last Train Home (Vocal)

Love Is A Swinging Thing

Ooh Poo Pah Doo

New Orleans

Mister Twister

Potato Chips

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