Platter Party!

Mike Pedicin Quintet - "Shake A Hand" b/w "The Dickie-Doo" Cameo 1957 Today's platter comes to us courtesy of New Jersey bandleader and early rock 'n' roll adopter, Mike Pedicin. Mr. Pedicin and crew (sometimes a quartet, sometimes a quintet) released a slew of twist, mambo and jazzy popcorn stompers between 1955 and 1962, any one of which could easily fit right in on one of the Twistin' Rumble or Las Vegas Grind compilations.    This particular 45 came out on the Philadelphia label, Cameo, in 1957. Oddly enough the B-side on this disc, the tune we're focusing on today, was released the year prior on Malvern Records as the A-side under a slightly different title, and paired with a completely different tune. Why "The Dickie-Doo", originally dubbed "The Dickie-Doo (The Circle Dance)" was re-released as a backer tune to "Shake A Hand" is a mystery. Maybe Mike and the gang got the Cameo deal and wanted to get a single ...

      Chubby Checker "Karate Monkey" b/w "Her Heart" Parkway 1966   I'm upfront about the fact that I believe a monkey can make any song better. My collection of simian-based singles is significant, and if it's got an ape, monkey or some other primate in the title, I'm probably going to at least consider it if I see it in a for sale box somewhere. I guess DC Comics was on to something when they stated that in the 1950s and 60s, adding a gorilla to the cover would increase an issues sales dramatically.  But we don't stop at the inclusion of a monkey in this jaunty foot stomper by the man who decided to take Fats Domino's stage name, and make it his own by simply plugging in new adjectives for obesity and popular table top games. This is a monkey who knows martial arts! This is about as fun a song as you can press to wax, and it had been on my want list for a long time after hearing it on a compilation somewhere. We sign on for the title, and hon...