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.
Peppermint Twist
Joey Dee & The Starliters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op)
Yeah the name of the dance is Peppermint Twist
(Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op)
Well you like it like this, the Peppermint Twist
It goes 'round and 'round, up and down
'Round and 'round, up and down
And a one two three kick, one two three jump
Well meet me baby down at 45th street
Where the Peppermint Twisters meet
And you'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist
It's alright, all night, it's alright
It's okay, all day, it's okay
You'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Ey yeah
Ey yeah
Ey yeah
Ey yeah
Ey yey yeah
Ey yey yeah
Ey yey yeah
The lyrics to Joey Dee & The Starliters' "Peppermint Twist" describe a new dance craze that's sweeping across town, called the Peppermint Twist. It's fun, contagious and exciting, and the lyrics encourage listeners to join in and give it a try. The chorus repeats "it's alright, all night, it's okay, all day, it's okay" as an invitation, and the verses describe the steps: "it goes 'round and 'round, up and down, and a one two three kick, one two three jump." There's even a specific location mentioned - "meet me baby down at 45th street, where the Peppermint Twisters meet" - as if to say that anyone can join in and be part of the movement.
But beyond the dance, the lyrics also reflect a sense of rebellion and breaking free from the norm. In the 60s, the Peppermint Twist was seen as a more daring and edgy version of the Twist, and the way the lyrics repeat "it's alright, it's okay" over and over again can be interpreted as a mantra for going against the grain and doing your own thing. The overall message is one of joy and freedom, saying that it's perfectly fine to let loose and have fun with the Peppermint Twist.
Line by Line Meaning
Well they've got a new dance and it goes like this
Introducing the latest dance craze that has just emerged
(Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op)
A lyrical representation of the rhythm of the dance
Yeah the name of the dance is Peppermint Twist
The name of the dance is Peppermint Twist
Well you like it like this, the Peppermint Twist
This is the way you like to do the Peppermint Twist
It goes 'round and 'round, up and down
The dance moves in a circular and up-and-down motion
'Round and 'round, up and down
The dance moves in a circular and up-and-down motion
'Round and 'round and a up and down
The dance moves in a circular and up-and-down motion
And a one two three kick, one two three jump
Specific dance moves that involve kicking and jumping three times
Well meet me baby down at 45th street
Let us meet at 45th street
Where the Peppermint Twisters meet
The place where people who dance Peppermint Twist gather
And you'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist
You will be able to learn how to do the Peppermint Twist
It's alright, all night, it's alright
Doing the Peppermint Twist is okay all night
It's okay, all day, it's okay
Doing the Peppermint Twist is okay all day
You'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist
You will be able to learn how to do the Peppermint Twist
Yeah, yeah
An enthusiastic response affirming the fun of doing the Peppermint Twist
Yeah, yeah
An enthusiastic response affirming the fun of doing the Peppermint Twist
Ey yeah
An exclamation of excitement for the Peppermint Twist
Ey yeah
An exclamation of excitement for the Peppermint Twist
Ey yeah
An exclamation of excitement for the Peppermint Twist
Ey yeah
An exclamation of excitement for the Peppermint Twist
Ey yey yeah
An enthusiastic expression of enjoyment
Ey yey yeah
An enthusiastic expression of enjoyment
Ey yey yeah
An enthusiastic expression of enjoyment
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HENRY GLOVER, JOSEPH DI NICOLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joancook8454
I'm sixty eight and still have my cloth hat with peppermint stripes that reads Joey Dee. Good old days! :)
@Grintchish
When I was a teenager, my uncle took me and my sister to the Peppermint lounge to see Joey Dee and the Starliters do this song. We had a great time.
@kjchicago1
Who remembers 1962, Joey Dee, & the Peppermint Twist? They don't make music like this anymore like they used to in the old days.
@mrob75
All the comments about the size of heads and bodies: This is filmed in "kinescope"...Which means that a camera was pointed at a television screen...Remember that this is 1962 and television technology was still evolving. We should be so lucky to have this great footage! Stop being so critical and enjoy the music!
@mrob75
@R4-P17 hello....the "guy" on the left is Joey Dee. Quite simply, not a selective camera but rather the convex on the television screen and the angle the camera pointed to.
@mrob75
@R4-P17 very
@skeeter197140
It's kinda hard when it looks so creepy...
@SSSS-wq4vn
@skeeter197140 😂
@angelclass9814
That does look ridiculous though. Ha!!!😂😂😂😂😂
@pops2728
I am 77 years old and live in Essex in England. I had the good fortune to Twist at the Peppermint Twist Lounge in New York in 1962. I was breaking the law because you couldn't drink alcohol in the States until you were 21. I was with my family and we had travelled to Boston to see Terry Downes fight Paul Pender for the Middleweight Title of the World. The Peppermint Twist Lounge was crazy, a very small dance floor but it was packed. The waitresses were twisting on top of the rail that surrounded the dance floor. The atmosphere was fantastic, great memories.