Born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez in Los Angeles, California, Montez was brought up in Hawthorne, California. His early musical influences included the latino music played and performed by residents of his neighborhood, as well as Ritchie Valens. After the release of the highly successful "Let's Dance" on Monogram Records, Montez spent several years touring with artists such as Sam Cooke, The Platters, and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, as well as The Beatles, then relatively unknown outside of Liverpool.
Early in 1963, Montez would score another hit with "Some Kinda Fun". Reaching #43 on the charts, the song utilized the same catchy keyboard instrumentation as did "Let's Dance"; fittingly, both were million sellers, and were awarded gold discs. 1963 also saw the release of Montez's only album on Monogram, Let's Dance and Have Some Kinda' Fun!!!. Shortly before Monogram folded, Montez was paired up with Kathy Young, releasing two singles as the duo Chris & Kathy, most notably surf rock classic "Shoot That Curl". While at Monogram, Montez wrote, or co-wrote, several of his own songs, such as "Chiquita Mia", "Let's Do the Limbo" and "No No No".
Two years later, Montez was practically a non-entity in the music business; however, Herb Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records, cordially invited Montez to resume his recording career at A&M. When Montez attempted to replicate his earlier rock 'n' roll success, however, Alpert personally suggested that Montez try a different approach: a middle of the road, soft ballad sound. While not particularly interested in changing his style of music, Montez decided to trust Alpert's instincts.
"Call Me", a cover version of a Petula Clark song, was the first single from his 1966 album, The More I See You / Call Me, earning Montez his biggest hit in years, eventually reaching #22. The song has since become an easy listening standard. The album's title cut, Montez's second single, was a source of confusion for certain radio disc jockeys who were unfamiliar with Montez' past as a rocker; when back-announcing the song, they would often refer to Montez as being female, likely owing to Montez's falsetto singing style. This confusion would be cleared up by the time the album, bearing Montez's pictures on the front and back sleeve, was released.
Montez would record three more albums for A&M: Time After Time (1966), Foolin' Around (1967), and Watch What Happens (1968). Although quite stylistically similar to his first hit album on A&M, they failed to mirror its success, although Time After Time's title cut and "Because of You" both managed to crack the Hot 100. In 1968, Montez departed from A&M on a three-year sabbatical. In 1972, Montez released a big hit single in Brazil, "Loco por ti". By this time, he had returned to his rock roots, albeit with more noticeable pop influence than before.
Two years later, now with CBS Records, Montez released The Best of Chris Montez, a compilation consisting of both old and new material, the newer bearing little to no resemblance to his past hits. While at CBS, he released one more album: Raza: Ay no digas, which fared well in international markets but failed to make an impact in the US. In 1983, Montez released his final album, Cartas de Amor, all of its songs being sung in Spanish. Although his recording career appears to be behind him, Montez is still an active musician, performing to mostly foreign audiences.
In 2008, Frozen Pictures announced plans to make a documentary on Montez's life and career, El viaje musical de Ezekiel Montanez: The Chris Montez Story. The film, focusing on Montez's multi-faceted musical career and considerable influence, has been previewed at several film festivals, but has not seen domestic release.
My Baby Loves to Dance
Chris Montez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tell you there ain't a dance she doesn't know how to do
My baby loves to dance
But just with me
She shakes and shakes that thing
It's quite a sight to see
She goes like this
Then shimmy's up so close
And thrills me with her kiss
The stomp and the bird and wautusi too
I tell you there ain't a dance she doesn't know how to do
My baby loves to dance
A lot like you
So come on, come on and dance
And show 'em what you can do
Come on, come on, come on and dance
The stomp and the bird and wautusi too
I tell you there ain't a dance she doesn't know how to do
My baby loves to dance
But just with me
She shakes and shakes that thing
It's quite a sight to see
My baby loves to dance
It looks so fine
So baby you better come on
And shake it one more time
The stomp and the bird and wautusi too
I tell you there ain't a dance she doesn't know how to do
(Repeat & Fde)
My baby loves to dance
The lyrics of Chris Montez's song, My Baby Loves to Dance, are a celebration of the singer's love and admiration for his partner's dancing abilities. The stomp, the bird, and the wautusi are popular dance styles from the 1960s, and the singer remarks that his partner knows how to do them all. He describes her shaking her hips and moving her body in a mesmerizing fashion, and he finds it quite thrilling to watch. Despite her prowess on the dance floor, the singer notes that his partner only likes to dance with him. He takes this as a compliment, seeing it as a sign of their strong connection and his ability to bring out the best in her.
The song has a lively and upbeat tempo, mirroring the enthusiasm and energy associated with dancing. The repetition of the phrases "come on and dance" and "my baby loves to dance" throughout the song emphasizes the joy and exhilaration that comes with moving one's body to music. The lyrics also have a flirtatious undertone, with the singer expressing his desire for his partner and his appreciation of her sensuality on the dance floor.
Line by Line Meaning
The stomp and the bird and wautusi too
She knows all the popular dances including the stomp, the bird and watusi.
I tell you there ain't a dance she doesn't know how to do
She is an expert dancer and knows all types of dances.
My baby loves to dance
She enjoys dancing and it's one of her favorite activities.
But just with me
She only dances with the artist.
She shakes and shakes that thing
She moves her body in a lively and energetic way.
It's quite a sight to see
Her dance moves are exciting and captivating to witness.
She goes like this
She moves in a specific way when dancing.
Then shimmy's up so close
She moves in close proximity to the artist in a sensual way.
And thrills me with her kiss
Her actions, including her kiss, make the artist happy and excited.
A lot like you
The artist compares the listener's dancing ability to his lover's.
So come on, come on and dance
The singer encourages the listener to dance.
And show 'em what you can do
The artist wants the listener to show off their own dancing skills.
It looks so fine
The singer is admiring the listener's dance moves and finds them impressive.
So baby you better come on
The singer is encouraging the listener to dance again.
And shake it one more time
The singer wants the listener to show off their dance moves one more time.
Contributed by Adam S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@doowop76
Rockin'
@markrevelle1
not twist and shout then......