Twist and Shout

“Twist and Shout” is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as “Bert Russell”). It was originally recorded by the Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked by the Isley Brothers in 1962. The song has been covered by several artists, including the Beatles, Salt-N-Pepa, and Chaka Demus & Pliers, who experienced chart success with their versions. The Top Notes, an American R&B vocal group, recorded “Twist and Shout” at the Atlantic Studios on February 23, 1961. The session was arranged by Teddy Randazzo and produced by Phil Spector. The Top Notes’ Howard “Howie” Guyton provided the lead vocals, with accompaniment by saxophonist King Curtis, guitarist John Pizzarelli, drummer Panama Francis, and backing vocalists the Cookies. In a song review for AllMusic, Richie Unterberger described the Top Notes recording as “a Latin-tinged raveup with a drab generic R&B melody” that he felt was “not very good”. Bert Berns, the song’s co-writer, was dissatisfied with the recording and Spector’s production. When the Isley Brothers decided to record the song in 1962, Berns (who also used the name Bert Russell) assumed the role of producer. According to Unterberger, the new arrangement infused the tune with more “gospel-fired soul passion”: [T]he real master trick of this rearrangement was a new bridge consisting solely of four ascending sung notes, the tempo becoming more emphatic and dramatic, ending in exultant sustained whooping before a “shake it on baby” led the Isleys back into the verse. “Twist and Shout” became the group’s first single to reach the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.