Harlem Shuffle

Album: Dirty Work (1986)
Charted: 13 5
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  • You move it to the left, yeah
    You go for yourself
    You move it to the right
    Yeah if it takes all night

    Now take it kinda slow
    With a whole lot of soul
    Don't move it too fast
    Just make it last

    You scratch just like a monkey
    Yeah you do real cool
    You slide it to the limbo
    Yeah how low can you go?

    Now come on baby
    Don't fall down on me now
    Just move it right here
    To the Harlem shuffle
    Yeah yeah yeah to the Harlem shuffle
    Yeah yeah yeah to the Harlem shuffle

    Hitch hitch hike baby
    Across the floor
    Whoa whoa whoa
    I can't stand it no more

    Now come on baby
    Now get into your slide
    Just ride ride ride
    Little pony, ride!

    Yeah yeah yeah do the Harlem shuffle
    Yeah yeah yeah do the Harlem shuffle
    Do the Monkey shine
    Yeah yeah yeah shake a tail feather baby
    Yeah yeah yeah shake a tail feather baby

    Yeah yeah yeah do the Harlem shuffle
    Yeah yeah yeah do the Harlem shuffle
    Yeah like your mother told you how
    Yeah yeah yeah do the Harlem shuffle
    Yeah yeah yeah do the Harlem shuffle Writer/s: EARL NELSON, ROBERT RELF
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 15

  • Northernsoul from London, EnglandNo search results for BOB AND EARL on this website, WTF?? Come on guys, somebody make the effort to post a page on this great soul duo
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 15th 1963 "Harlem Shuffle" by Bob and Earl entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #44 and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    Twenty-three years later in 1986 the Rolling Stones covered it; and on April 27th, 1986 their version reached #5 on the Top 100 and #2 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart...
    Bob and Earl had one other Top 100 record, "Don't Ever Leave Me", it peaked at #85 in 1962 (available on You Tube)...
    R.I.P. 'Bob' Relf (1937 - 2007) and 'Earl' Nelson (1928 - 2008).
  • Bart from New Milford, NjDays before the song was released, then New York radio personality Howard Stern had his sidekick Fred Norris and his house band do a cover of Harlem Shuffle in the Rolling Stones style, and played it pretending that it was the Stones. Reps from rival radio stations and even executives from Columbia records were fooled, and demanded that Stern reveal how he got his copy. Even when he declared it was a hoax, many did not believe him, until the real version was released. Turns out that Fred had a good handle on the Stones' style, as it sounded very much like his version.
  • Patrice from Errora, OkI almost went blind looking at the crazy color schemes on the cover of Dirty Work
  • Susan from Toronto, CanadaKeith tried for years to get Mick to record this. Keith said, "It took five years and two takes to record."
  • Juan from Buenos Aires, ArgentinaJohnny and Edgar Winter played it also. Good version.
  • Eric from Hastings, Mnit's alright... nothing special
  • Bill from St. Paul, MnI beg to differ on the first cover song the Stones did since 1964. Don't forget about "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", a cover of a Temptations song they released as a single in 1974.
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesPete - Bob and Earl's version was originally RECORDED in 1963, however it did not chart until six years later in 1969. The horn intro was later sampled by the House of Pain, who used it as the intro to their 1993 hit "Jump Around"
  • Pete from Ny, NyBob & Earl's classic original is from 1963, not 1969 as indicated above.
  • Ethan from Portland, OrThe best song off of the otherwise mediocre 'Dirty Work'
  • Jonnie from St. Louis, MoSome info many have forgotten about: the dynamic
    Wayne Cochran (The White Knight of Soul) did a SUPER version of "Harlem Shuffle" in mid-60's on Mercury.

    At one time Wayne was one of the Hottest Performers in Vegas...all the stars from Elvis to Ike & Tina Turner were fans of Cochran and his C.C. Riders.

    He had previously written "The Last Kiss" and his version of it was a regional hit in his home-area of Georgia. But "Harlem Shuffle" was Wayne's first hit to make Billboard's 'Hot 100'.

    One his later hits was 'Goin' Back To Miami' and
    "The Blues Brothers" patterned a lot of their act on Wayne's personna and show.

    I interviewed Wayne and saw his fantastic show in 1971 when I was at KAAY Radio/Little Rock. Then hooked up with him again in 1973 when I was at WDRQ Radio/Detroit and he was playing there. A generous and talented performer, he is now a Minister in Florida and has been since about 1981.

    Jonnie King/St. Louis (jonnieking@sbcglobal.net)
  • Robb from Williamstown, Nj 08094, Njp.s. '"Harlem shuflle" is a bangin dance tune!
  • Robb from Williamstown, Nj 08094, NjThis tune is so STONES. It is wild that its a cover. I'd like to check out the original .
  • Chelsea from Nyc, OrThe video features Jagger in zootsuit, with black dancers directed by Ralph Bakshi.
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