He was born in Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Bessemer, Alabama, where he sang in church.
In 1951, Ballard moved back to Detroit and formed a doo wop group. He soon joined a group called The Royals, along with Henry Booth, Charles Sutton, Sonny Woods and Alonzo Tucker. The Royals had already signed to Federal Records when Ballard joined, and the group soon released Get It (1953), a major R&B hit.
The Royals' first major hit was "Work With Me, Annie", a R&B hit that also sold well in mainstream markets, along with the answer song Annie had a Baby The song "Work With Me Annie" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.[1].
The group changed its name to The Midnighters to avoid confusion with The "5" Royales. Their next major hit was Sexy Ways, a song that cemented the band as one of the most risque groups of the time. This was to be their last major hit. Sutton was replaced by Lawson Smith, while Thrasher was replaced by Sonny Woods. Tucker was replaced first by Arthur Porter and then Cal Green.
In 1959, Ballard's The Twist was released as a B-side for Teardrops on Your Letter. Chubby Checker then took The Twist to #1 twice. Though this brought about The Midnighters renaissance, it lasted only a few years. The group dissolved in 1965. Ballard tried to launch a solo career, working with James Brown. Though he later tried to re-form The Midnighters, the new lineups never achieved much success.
On March 2, 2003 Ballard died of throat cancer in his Los Angeles home, aged 75.
The Twist
Hank Ballard and The Midnighters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on baby let's do the twist
Take me by my little hand and go like this
Ee-oh twist baby baby twist
Oooh-yeah just like this
Come on little miss and do the twist
My daddy is sleepin' and mama ain't around
We're gonna twisty twisty twisty
'Til we turn the house down
Come on and twist yeah baby twist
Oooh-yeah just like this
Come on little miss and do the twist
Yeah you should see my little Sis
You should see my my little Sis
She really knows how to rock
She knows how to twist
Ee-oh twist baby baby twist
Oooh-yeah just like this
Come on little miss and do the twist
Yeah, that's alright
Yeah twist all night
Twist
The lyrics of Hank Ballard and The Midnighters's song The Twist are fun and catchy, describing the popular dance move that became a sensation in the 1960s. The singer encourages his partner to join him in doing the twist and demonstrates the dance move with the lines, "Take me by my little hand and go like this/Ee-oh twist baby baby twist/Oooh-yeah just like this." The lyrics suggest that the singer and his partner are dancing in an empty house while his parents are away, with lines such as "My daddy is sleepin' and mama ain't around/We're gonna twisty twisty twisty/Til we turn the house down."
Line by Line Meaning
Come on baby let's do the twist
Let's dance the twist together, baby
Take me by my little hand and go like this
Hold my hand and show me how to twist
Ee-oh twist baby baby twist
Let's twist and have fun
Oooh-yeah just like this
We're doing the twist perfectly
Come on little miss and do the twist
Hey girl, come and join us in the twist
Yeah daddy is sleepin' and mama ain't around
Our parents are not around, let's twist without them knowing
We're gonna twisty twisty twisty
We're going to keep on twisting
'Til we turn the house down
Until we have so much fun that the house shakes with our dancing
Yeah you should see my little Sis
My little sister is an amazing twister, you should see her
She really knows how to rock
She's an expert in both twisting and rocking
Yeah, that's alright
Everything is good and fun
Yeah twist all night
Let's twist until morning
Twist
Let's keep on twisting
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Ballard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RichZFishes
Clark asked the Midnighters to perform the Twist on Bandstand. They had a scheduling conflict, and declined. Clark had previously had Ernest, "Chubby" Evans, who had a unique talent imitating other singers, do a novelty record for him, that was him imitating a bunch of other artists singing Mary Had a Little Lamb. It was released by Cameo/Parkway as "The Class".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKLhfnyvmVY
It was Clark's wife who named Evans "Checker" as a play on his nickname (Chubby) and Fats Domino. He hired the Dreamlovers to sing background, and had them do a test run of the Twist at a southern NJ club before putting him on Bandstand. Bandstand pushed the Checker version of the Twist hard, having him on the show numerous times in the first few months of it's release. Miffed at being turned down, Clark wanted to bury the Ballard's version.
And Ballard didn't actually write it either. IT was written by a gospel group (Sensational Nightingales) who couldn't have their name associated with it. They sent it to Vee Jay to see if they could find a home for it. Later, they offered it to the Midnighters. Here's what Marv Goldberg wrote about that...
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Finally, in Miami, they found the perfect vehicle: the Midnighters. According to guitarist Cal Green, Hank Ballard liked it and the group made a demo which they sent off to, coincidentally, Vee-Jay (along with a tune called "I'll Pray For You"). Hank was sure that their King/Federal contract was about to expire and decided to give the Chicago company a try. Vee-Jay probably would have released it, but Syd Nathan informed the Brackens [owners of Vee-Jay] that he had picked up the Midnighters' option and they were still recording for him. Therefore, the original (and very different) recording of "The Twist" was kept hidden away until it appeared on a 1993 Vee-Jay CD.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plZSvK_Zz3A
FWIW, the demo was recorded without the Sax break in the bridge. That was dubbed in for the album.
Since gospel group didn't want to be identified with the risqué (by '50s standards) material, they apparently had no issue with Ballard claiming writer's credit.
@jimm6386
I saw Hank at a small club in Minneapolis called the Cabooze. His band was thumping like a gang of congos, timing was impeccable - as witnessed by his version of The Twist. Listening to Chubby Checker’s version it is almost listless.
@ronaldlwhitaker3458
I have been to the Cabooze many times, and have seen James Brown, Sam and Dave, BB King, Albert King, Bobby Blue Bland, Hank Ballard and many others. That joint used to rock with serious talent! I feel yeah!
@42NORRIS
@!jimm6496 "The Twist" is an American pop song written and originally released in 1958 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters as a B-side to "Teardrops on Your Letter". It was inspired by the twist dance craze.
@ujimajame4601
:: Hank Ballard wanted it to be the "a" side. It was the company's decision to bury it omn the "b" sound. Fortunately, Cameo/Parkway heard it and chose Chubby Checker, who did imitations on his first single, to redo it as an "A" side, it hit #1 twice and started a whole new dance craze!@@42NORRIS
@dra.leonorhuerta4423
WOOOWWWWW. Greetings from Mexico I love the rude voice and energy
@mikekentertainment8769
Small world. I played the Cabooze with Freddie King in 1974. It was a rockin’ club and the people were very enthusiastic. There’s a live recording of that gig somewhere out in internet land.
@MrBillbies
Saw Hank Ballard and the Midnighters once live and was astounded by a move they made. They were on the Auditorium's floor and I was pretty close and a little above them. They were all bald and would spin their bodies around in synch with their singing while revolving around the Mic at the same time. They must have made about 8 revolutions and I was sold right there!
@DouglasUrantia
The backing beat is off the charts.....love it.!!!!!!
@joseramone9802
Simply the best original tune by the original artist.
@cynthia6637
One of the best songs to dance to in 1959.. Yes Hank Ballard did write this song and did a great job on both songs on this record..The flip side was awesome..
Do The Twist was one of the best dances out there.. Then if you wanted too slow dance.. Flip the song over .. Awesome