tossin' and turnin'

Bobby Lewis started a dance craze with this restless raveup that became one of the biggest hits of the decade. Ritchie Adams and Malou Rene wrote 'Tossin' and Turnin'' for Jackie Wilson; but Beltone Records gave it to Lewis, who had been performing since he was five years old. His recording of the song became the biggest hit of 1961, holding the number one spot for seven consecutive weeks.

"It was hard won, man, I'm tellin' ya," Lewis recalls. "I recorded 'Tossin' and Turnin' ' in New York, down on 33rd or 34th Street, in that area. This guy, Les Cahan, owned a radio station. We recorded it at a studio in the basement." The song became a minor hit around the country; but didn't break in New York until Beltone owner Cahan got Lewis on 'American Bandstand'. "Well, that was it. The kids went ape over the song. And don't you know the following week — because of Dick Clark and some of the other DJs like Cousin Brucie and Alan Freed and Murray the K and Don K. Reed and Bobby Jay — it stayed at No. 1 for 10 weeks? That was unheard of in those days. Praise God."

'Tossin' and Turnin'' has been featured in 'American Graffiti' and 'Animal House', which gave it renewed sales over the years. It has been ranked as one of the biggest hits of all time on the Billboard chart.

I couldn't sleep at all last night

Got to thinkin' of you

Baby things weren't right

Well I was tossin' and turnin'

Turnin' and tossin'

a-tossin' and turnin' all night

I kicked the blankets on the floor

Turned my pillow upside down

I never never did before

'cause I was tossin' and turnin'

Turnin' and tossin'

a-tossin' and turnin' all night

Jumped out of bed

Turned on the light

I pulled down the shade

Went to the kitchen for a bite

Rolled up the shade

Turned off the light

I jumped back into bed

It was the middle of the night

The clock downstairs was strikin' four

Couldn't get you off my mind

I heard the milkman at the door

'cause I was tossin' and turnin'

Turnin' and tossin'

a-tossin' and turnin' all night

Jumped out of bed

Turned on the light

I pulled down the shade

Went to the kitchen for a bite

Rolled up the shade

Turned off the light

I jumped back into bed

It was the middle of the night

The clock downstairs was strikin' four

Couldn't get you off my mind

I heard the milkman at the door

'cause I was tossin' and turnin'

Turnin' and tossin'

a-tossin' and turnin' all, yay, yay, yay

I was a-tossin' and turnin'









Tossin' and Turnin'
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