the loco-motion

The husband and wife songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King had a runaway hit with the crazy rhythms of this dance pop juggernaut...three times in three separate decades.  'The Loco-Motion' was composed at their home while their babysitter Eva Boyd was dancing around with their daughter Lulu.   King exclaimed:  "What you’re doing reminds me of a locomotive!" Goffin quickly came up with the lyrics about a brand new dance and the idea to have Boyd record the demo:  "She would always sing along to the songs we were writing in our little apartment."  King recalls:  "Eva sang, and I sang background with her.  And it was the first in a long line—right up to and including my next album—of demos that become masters."  Boyd says:  "Gerry already thought that it would be a hit with me singing.  So he took it in to them to listen, Al Nevins and Don Kirshner.  And they listened to it, and you know, it just hit ’em."  They found a star; but lost a nanny.  Boyd took on the name Little Eva and the single went on to sell over a million copies, going to number two in the UK and number one in Canada, Norway, the US. It was one of the biggest hits of 1962.








Grand Funk Railroad recorded their hard rocking version after guitarist Mark Farner was caught whistling the tune in the studio.  Todd Rundgren produced the sessions for their album 'Shinin' On' and the single for 'The Loco-Motion' went to number eleven in Germany, seven in Austria, five in Australia, and number one in Canada and the US in 1974. 









Australian soap star Kylie Minogue was given a recording contract after she did an impromptu performance of the song at a Fitzroy Football Club benefit concert. In 1987, 'The Loco-Motion' became her first single and spent seven weeks at the top of the Australian charts; which led to an expanded release around the world.  It hit number ten in Sweden; eight in New Zealand; six in Italy and the Netherlands; five in France; three in Austria, Germany, Norway, and the US; two in Switzerland and the UK; and number one in Belgium, Canada, Finland, Ireland, Japan, Peru, South Africa, and on the Eurochart.  






Everybody's doing a brand-new dance, now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)
I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)
My little baby sister can do it with me
It's easier than learning your A-B-C
So come on, come on, do the Loco-motion with me
You gotta swing your hips, now

Come on, baby
Jump up
Jump back
Well, now, I think you've got the knack
Wow, wow

Now that you can do it, let's make a chain, now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)
A chug-a chug-a motion like a railroad train, now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)
Do it nice and easy, now, don't lose control
A little bit of rhythm and a lot of soul

Come on, come on
Do the Loco-motion with me
Ye-ye-ye-yeah

Move around the floor in a Loco-motion
(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)
Do it holding hands if you get the notion
(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)

There's never been a dance that's so easy to do
It even makes you happy when you're feeling blue
So come on, come on, do the Loco-motion with me

(Come one)
You gotta swing your hips, now
(Come one)
That's right (do the Loco-motion)
You're doing fine!
(Come one, do the Loco-motion)
Come on, babe
(Come one, do the Loco-motion)
Hm-hm-hm, jump up
(Come one)
Jump back (do the Loco-motion)
You're looking good
(Come one, do the Loco-motion)
Hm-hm-hm, jump up
(Come one)
Jump back (do the Loco-motion)