Various members of The Starliters, such as vocalist Freeman and drummer Don Martin, came and went over the next few years; the most famous lineup of Joey Dee and The Starliters is considered to be Joey Dee, David Brigati, Larry Vernieri (vocals), Carlton Lattimore (organ), and Willie Davis (drums). Later members of the touring group would include Eddie Brigati (David’s brother), Gene Cornish, and Felix Cavaliere - three-quarters of The Young Rascals - as well as guitarist Jimmy James (later known as Jimi Hendrix) and Charles Neville of The Neville Brothers.
In 1960, The Starliters were discovered by agent Don Davis while performing at a Lodi, New Jersey nightclub called Oliveri’s. The group was booked at an intimate venue on 45th Street in New York City called the Peppermint Lounge for what was supposed to be a one-time weekend gig. Joey Dee and company made such a smash that they ended up becoming the house band for the Peppermint Lounge, remaining onboard for more than a year. Joey penned “Peppermint Twist,” along with producer Henry Glover, as a tribute to the lounge and the group took the song all the way to the top spot on the U.S. charts in late 1961. By this time the group had signed with Roulette Records. The Lounge became world famous during The Starliters’ tenure, attracting celebrities such as Jackie Kennedy, Truman Capote, and Judy Garland.
One night in 1961, a trio of pretty teenagers were waiting on line outside the club hoping to be allowed inside. Dressed in matching brightly colored dresses, they looked like professional entertainers (which in fact they were) and in a case of mistaken identity, thinking they were the dancers he’d hired, the manager of the Peppermint Lounge ushered the girls - Ronnie and Estelle Bennett and their cousin, Nedra Talley - up to the stage and told them to dance. The Ronettes spent the rest of that night dancing and singing along with Joey Dee and The Starliters, and the reaction from the group and the crowd was so positive that the club manager, having realized his error, offered the girls a job on the spot. Every night, The Ronettes would dance and perform along with The Starliters at the Peppermint Lounge, even traveling with them to the club’s Miami, Florida location in early 1962.
Also in 1961, Joey Dee and The Starliters filmed the movie Hey, Let’s Twist, starring Jo Ann Campbell and Teddy Randazzo, for Paramount Pictures. Hey, Let’s Twist was a fictional portrait of Joey Dee (Randazzo and Dino DiLuca played the parts of Joey’s brother and father, respectively) and the Peppermint Lounge; its release capitalized on the current Twist craze and brought the once-obscure Lounge into the forefront. The movie and soundtrack album did their part in making the Peppermint Lounge a world-famous venue. Hit singles spawned from Hey, Let’s Twist were the title track and “Shout - Part I,” which became the group’s second-biggest selling record. Other albums released during this time period were Doin’ The Twist At The Peppermint Lounge, which was recorded live at the venue, and All The World’s Twistin’ With Joey Dee & The Starliters.
In 1962, Joey Dee and The Starliters starred in their second motion picture, Two Tickets to Paris, along with Gary Crosby, Jeri Lynne Fraser and Kay Medford. One of the songs from this film, “What Kind Of Love Is This,” penned by Johnny Nash, was released in September of that year and became a Top Twenty hit. In December of 1962, the original Starliters did their final recording session as a group, turning out “Help Me Pick Up the Pieces,” also composed by Nash, and “Baby, You’re Driving Me Crazy,” written by Joey Dee and Henry Glover. In 1963, Joey Dee recorded an album entitled Dance, Dance, Dance, with The Ronettes as his backup group. In spring of that year, Roulette released the track “Hot Pastrami with Mashed Potatoes,” from the previously issued live album, as a two-part single; the record made the U.S. Top Forty. The label later released “Ya Ya” and “Fannie Mae” from the same album. In November of ‘63, The Starliters toured Europe with The Beatles as their opening act. During 1964, Joey Dee toured with various Starliters including Cornish, Cavaliere, and Eddie Brigati. Other group members at different times included Hendrix, Neville, drummer Jimmy Mayes and singer Tommy Davis.
Joey Dee continued to record and issue solo recordings from the mid-60s to the mid-70s, as well a song he wrote with original Starliters David Brigati and Larry Vernieri entitled “How Can I Forget” in the late 1960s which was released under the name Joey Dee and The New Starliters. During the 1980s, Joey lived for a short time in Florida before moving back to New York, to The Bronx. He continued to travel and make personal appearances with various Starliters.
These days, Joey Dee and The Starliters is comprised of Joey with Bob Valli (brother of Frankie Valli) and original Starliter David Brigati. The group tours and plays at various venues from Connecticut to New Jersey to Florida to Las Vegas, doing well over a hundred concerts per year. In 2001, the group was featured on a PBS special, Rock, Rhythm and Doo-Wop, and in 2005 they appeared on the Jerry Lewis Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy. Joey Dee resides in Florida, while Brigati and Valli remain Jersey boys.
Dance Dance Dance
Joey Dee & The Starliters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two, three!
You gotta know how to pony like Bony Maronie
Mashed Potato, do the Alligator
Put your hands on your hips, let your back-bone slip
Do the Watusi, like my little Lucy
Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Need somebody to help me say it one time
You know I feel alright.
Feel pretty good y'all.
Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Need somebody to help me say it one time
Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Dance with me honey, like Long Tall Sally
Twistin' with Lucy, doin the Watusi
Gotta hold of your back, I like it like that
Do the Jerk, watch me work
Ah, do it!
The lyrics to Joey Dee and The Starliters' song "Dance Dance Dance" are all about throwing caution to the wind and dancing your heart out. The repetition of "Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na" creates an infectious energy that encourages listeners to let loose and have a good time.
The lyrics reference several popular dance styles of the time, including the Pony, Mashed Potato, Alligator, Watusi, and Jerk. The song encourages listeners to let their bodies move to the rhythm, and to groove with a partner like "Long Tall Sally" or "Lucy." The lyrics also call attention to the importance of posture, with lines like "Put your hands on your hips, let your back-bone slip."
Overall, the lyrics to "Dance Dance Dance" celebrate the joy of dancing and the freedom that comes with moving your body to music. It's a fun, energetic song that encourages listeners to let their hair down and have a good time.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three!
Let's start dancing!
You gotta know how to pony like Bony Maronie
You need to know how to dance in the style of Bony Maronie.
Mashed Potato, do the Alligator
Let's dance some more with new moves like Mashed Potato and Alligator.
Put your hands on your hips, let your back-bone slip
Put your hands on your hips and dance freely.
Do the Watusi, like my little Lucy
Let's dance Watusi like my little Lucy.
Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Singing sounds to get you grooving.
Need somebody to help me say it one time
Can someone sing along with me?
You know I feel alright.
I feel great while dancing with you!
Feel pretty good y'all.
Feeling good while dancing with everyone here.
Dance with me honey, like Long Tall Sally
Let's dance together like Long Tall Sally.
Twistin' with Lucy, doin the Watusi
Let's dance Watusi and twist with Lucy.
Gotta hold of your back, I like it like that
I like holding your back while dancing together.
Do the Jerk, watch me work
Now, let's do the Jerk dance move and follow my steps!
Ah, do it!
Come on, let's dance!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christopher Kenner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind