"The Loco-Motion" | ||||
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A-side of U.S. vinyl release
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Single by Little Eva | ||||
from the album Llllloco-Motion | ||||
B-side | "He Is the Boy" | |||
Released | June 1962 | |||
Format | 7", 45rpm | |||
Genre | Pop, rhythm and blues | |||
Length | 2:27 | |||
Label | Dimension 1000 | |||
Writer(s) | Gerry Goffin, Carole King | |||
Producer(s) | Gerry Goffin | |||
Little Eva singles chronology | ||||
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"The Loco-Motion" | ||||
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Single by Grand Funk Railroad | ||||
from the album Shinin' On | ||||
B-side | "Destitute and Losin'" | |||
Released | May 1974 | |||
Format | 7", 45rpm | |||
Genre | Hard rock, glam rock | |||
Length | 2:46 | |||
Label | Capitol 3840 | |||
Writer(s) | Gerry Goffin, Carole King | |||
Producer(s) | Todd Rundgren | |||
Grand Funk Railroad singles chronology | ||||
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"Locomotion/The Loco-Motion" | ||||
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Australian release
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Single by Kylie Minogue | ||||
from the album Kylie | ||||
B-side |
July 1987 version
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Released |
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Format | ||||
Recorded | 1987; Platinum Studios, Melbourne 1988; PWL Studios, London |
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Length | 3:12 | |||
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Writer(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
1987 version: Mike Duffy 1988 version: |
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Kylie Minogue singles chronology | ||||
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"The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. "The Loco-Motion" was originally written for Dee Dee Sharp but Sharp turned the song down. The song is notable for appearing in the American Top 5 three times, each time in a different decade: in 1962 by the American pop singer Little Eva,(U.S. No. 1); in 1974 by American band Grand Funk Railroad (U.S. No. 1); and finally by Australian singer Kylie Minogue in 1988 (U.S. No. 3).
The song is a popular and enduring example of the dance-song genre: much of the lyrics are devoted to a description of the dance itself, usually done as a type of line dance. However, the song came before the dance.
"The Loco-Motion" was also the second song to reach No. 1 by two different musical acts. The earlier song to do this was "Go Away Little Girl", also written by Goffin and King. It is one of only nine songs to achieve this feat.
King and Goffin wrote "The Loco-Motion" in hopes to have it recorded by Dee Dee Sharp who had a smash hit with "Mashed Potato Time". Sharp passed on the song leaving the opportunity open for Eva Boyd who had recorded the demo. Her version was released and her name was changed to Little Eva. Boyd was actually Carole King's babysitter, having been introduced to King and husband Gerry Goffin by The Cookies, a local girl group who would also record for the songwriters. "The Loco-Motion" was the first release by the new Dimension Records company, whose releases were mostly penned and produced by Goffin and King. There are two common versions of the song in circulation; one includes handclaps during the verses, the other has no handclaps. King performed the backup vocals in the recording.