40 Year Itch : Hustling Onto the Dance Floor

The Fatback Band : (Do The) Spanish Hustle

M and O band : Do the Latin Hustle

   By any name, the Hustle brought dancing couples close together again, with plenty of full bodied touches and swings alternating with snap turns, kicks, lunges and dips. The dance began in urban Black and Puerto Rican bars around New York City while, at the same time, Miami based Cubans brought a little Salsa flair to the disco floor. Some of the moves might even remind you of the Carolina Shag. Or they just might make you too dizzy to read on. 

   The Fatback Band single was a Top 10 UK hit but never broke into the US Hot 100. M and O's single "Let's Do the Latin Hustle" entered the UK Charts at #40 the same week the composer Eddie Drennon's version debuted at #50. M and O would chart highest, peaking at #16 versus Drennon's original version which peaked at #20.

40 Year Itch : Like a Rolling Bolt of Thunder

The Four Seasons : December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night)

[Purchase]

  The Four Seasons had Frankie Valli, one of rock music's greatest falsetto voices, but it was drummer Gerry Polci who sang lead on their biggest 1976 hit. ( #1 in both the UK and US) . It always seemed strange that within weeks of the Kennedy assassination, our hero is out having a one night stand with a "hypnotizing, mesmerizing" lady whose name he never catches. 

  Earlier versions had the lyrics taking place on December 5, 1933, the day Prohibition came to an end. 

UK TOP 10 FEBRUARY 8, 1976

1. Silk : Forever and Ever
2. ABBA : Mamma Mia
3. The Four Seasons : December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night)
4. The Miracles : Love Machine
5. Donna Summer : Love to Love You Baby
6. R and J Stone : We Do It
7. Walker Brothers : No Regrets
8. Manuel and the Music of the Mountains : Concierto De Aranjuez
9. Barbara Dickson : Answer Me
10. David Ruffin : Walk Away From Love

Great video even if the sync is off

   As great as "December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night)" is, and I do think this is a great song for every reason from its construct to its nostalgic value, this tune was destroyed by cover versions. I mean what the hell is going on by Claude Francois below? And where can I get a suit like that? 

And a rare miss for the Fatback Band: