"In a way, 'The Twist' really ruined my life. I was on my way to becoming a big nightclub performer, and 'The Twist' just wiped it out. It got so out of proportion. No one ever believes I have talent." –Chubby Checker
MP3:
A: The Rub (4:59)
B: Move It (4:42)
During my last used vinyl store run, I nearly killed myself going through every last 12" single they had in the racks. It was worth it, though, as I got some good stuff (like "Woodpeckers from Space" by Video Kids) including this Halloween-colored disco single by none other than Chubby Checker. I was slightly miffed at the $9 price tag... all I could think was, "Damn, this better be good. The E.T. Storybook Album (narrated by Michael Jackson!) only costs $7, and that's supposed to be pretty rare." I quickly realized it was worth the money simply just to hear Chubby's attempt at disco.
Likely one of of his final attempts to break free of the stigma of The Twist (at age 35, no less!) Mr. Checker put out this single during the early days of disco in 1976. Both sides are borderline forgettable tunes, with either one tackling one of the specific halves of the disco genre: the "slow, creepy make-out music" half, and the "mindless dance music" half, respectively. "The Rub", the A-side, is actually the weaker of the two songs, partly because it's musically unremarkable, and partially because I can't stop picturing Chubby singing this song while making grinding motions with his body. "Move It" is also kind of on the generic side, but it's got some nice synth sounds (didn't hear too much of those in 1976) and it gets pretty funky when the sax solos come in.
Unsurprisingly, I can't find any reference to this single on Chubby's site, since he's pretty much given up on trying to be anything but "the guy who made The Twist" and devotes his entire site to the song's notoriety, more or less. Nor can I find an entire Chubby Checker disco album that this single may have been pulled from. Ah well. Goodonya for trying, Chubby.
- Contributed by: The Swill Man
Images: Sleeve, A-Side, B-Side
Media: 45 rpm 12" single
Label: Amherst Records
Catalog: AMH-D-4
Credits: Written by "C. Checker/M. Washington", producer/arranger: Lou Hemsey
Date: 1976
Actually, there are two references, theres an image of the single and reference to it in the discoraphy [pdf].
Is it me or is he a bit like Tony Ashton on that Move It song?
Posted by: Gamma Goblin | June 30, 2007 at 07:56 AM
This has nothing to do with this Chubby Checker record, but I was reminded of this & wanted to mention it: Earlier this week I was over at the sale at the Archive For Contemporary Music, and found a Meadowlark Lemon album. I thought to myself, this is a "WFMU special" if there ever was one. He mentions it on his website: http://www.meadowlarklemon.org/biography/index.shtml. It made me smile...
Posted by: Tim B. | June 30, 2007 at 11:10 AM
chubby also put out a psychedelic rock album that's pretty amazing, more so than you might think...
Posted by: pea hix | June 30, 2007 at 12:18 PM
Good catch there, Gamma Goblin. I was looking for a 12" with an orange label when I was going through those pictures; my eyes weren't peeled for a while-label 7".
Posted by: The Swill Man | June 30, 2007 at 04:39 PM
am i the only one whose jaw was dropped by "the rub?" i mean, geez...
Posted by: andy | July 01, 2007 at 08:49 PM
"The Rub"!
I remember taping Chubby (On audio cassette) performing this classic on either "The Midnight Special" or Don Kirshner's Rock Concert", around '76 or so.
My adolescent friends and I chuckled smarmily as we listened to his exhortation to "rub me, rub me baby." I thought I'd never find a copy of this record.
Thanks, Swill!
Posted by: rocketboy | July 02, 2007 at 01:27 AM
Yes-- I second the recommendation of the Chubby Checker psychedlic album, it was reissued recently, and it's suprisingly good. If I'm not mistaken it was recorded in Europe (Holland? Denmark?) with studio musicians.
Posted by: illlich | July 02, 2007 at 11:04 AM
His psych stuff (as far as I know only available on a Spanish cassette called Chequered/New Revelation!) is pretty good, yeah. "If the Sun Stops Shining" is just straight-up gorgeous. "Goodbye Victoria," "Love Tunnel," "Let's Go Down" and "My Mind," which was actually posted on Beware the Blog almost two years ago, are all quite good as well.
Posted by: Joe | July 02, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Ouch, the Amherst label!
They were (are?) based out of that hotbed of musical activity, Buffalo New York.
I believe they later released the turgid (but hit making) Golden Throat classic "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Medieros.
Don't ask me why I know or remember that. It's a result of pawing through boxes of old 45's for upwards of two decades.
Posted by: Scott Mercer | July 09, 2007 at 02:00 PM