Junior Walker was born Autry DeWalt Jr. in Blytheville, Arkansas in 1942. Some accounts list his birth name as Oscar G. Mixon, and say his name was changed at some point during his early childhood. He grew up in South Bend, Indiana where he became a proficient saxophone player, studying the methods of some of the prominent sax players of the time. During his teens, DeWalt joined a group called the Jumping Jacks and began to perform in local clubs, calling himself Junior Walker.
He next joined a trio led by drummer Billy "Stix" Nicks, which also featured organist Fred Patton. They soon added backing vocalist and guitarist Willie Woods, and played around northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Walker took over the group after Nicks joined the Army and in the late '50s, relocated to Battle Creek, MI, and formed a band billed as Junior Walker & the All-Stars. Initially, they featured Patton, Woods, and drummer Tony Washington. Patton was later replaced by Victor Thomas, and Washington by Jack Douglas and, finally, James Graves. The All-Stars continued to play around the area, and took up a residency in Battle Creek's El Grotto club.
It was at the El Grotto that they were noticed by Johnny Bristol, who recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, who had sang with Harvey and the Moonglows. By this time, Fuqua was running his own fledgling record label called simply "Harvey". Fuqua liked what he heard and signed Junior Walker and the All Stars in 1962.
The Harvey label was soon bought out by Motown, and the group found itself recording with Soul Records. Soul was a subsidiary of Motown and all of the group's subsequent hits in the US were released on the Soul label, although they had some Tamla/Motown hits on the charts in the UK.
In early 1965, the band scored their first big hit with a dance tune that Walker had written called "Shotgun", which marked Junior's vocal debut. In fact, the only reason he sang the song was that the vocalist he'd hired didn't show up for the session, and he was somewhat flabbergasted by the label's decision to leave his vocal intact. Berry Gordy's instincts proved right, however, when "Shotgun" topped the R&B charts and hit number four on the Pop chart.
In 1966, Graves left and was replaced by old friend Billy "Stix" Nicks. Walker's hits continued with tunes like "I'm a Road Runner" (#20 Pop) and "Pucker Up Buttercup". (#3 Pop) Toward the end of the '60s, seeking to diversify their approach, the All-Stars began recording more ballad material, complete with string arrangements and Walker vocals. That approach resulted in the group's second Top Five pop hit, the R&B number one "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" which helped refuel Walker's career. He landed several more R&B Top Ten hits over the next few years, including a cover of The Guess Who's "These Eyes", which went to number 16 on the Pop chart. Musical tastes changed in the 70's and the final top forty hit for Junior Walker and the All Stars was "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" in 1970.
Walker resurfaced as a solo artist during the disco era, working with producer Brian Holland beginning in 1976 with the single "Hot Shot". A pair of albums followed. In 1979, Walker joined up with another former Motown mainstay, signing with producer Norman Whitfield's Whitfield label, though without much success.
Walker returned to the spotlight in 1981 with a guest solo on Foreigner's Top Five hit "Urgent". Two years later, he re-signed with Motown and recorded "Blow the House Down". His melodic style was now being absorbed into a new generation of R&B-flavoured jazz instrumentalists.
Junior continued to perform in the 80's and 90's, often with his son Autry DeWalt III on drums. Sadly, Junior Walker developed cancer in 1993 and as his health deteriorated, he had difficulty walking. He died on November 23, 1995 in Battle Creek, Michigan at age 53.
In the wake of his death, Billy "Stix" Nicks continued to tour with a version of the All-Stars.
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Shake And Fingerpop
Junior Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were goin' out to shake and fingerpop! Hey, baby!
I said put on your wig, woman
Goin' out to shake and fingerpop! Hey, girl!
Were gonna get out on the floor, now
Dance like we never did before, right on, sugar!
Doin' the barracuda, the jerk and the twine
Kick off your shoes baby and get in the groove
Cause when you hear the music, you feet has got to move
I said, put on your wig, woman
Goin' out to shake and fingerpop, that's what I said
We gonna get out on the floor now
Dance like we never did before, hey, hey!
I said, do the boomerang, the twine and the jerk
They're jammin' up the band now, so everybody work!
I said, put on your wig, woman
Goin' out to shake and fingerpop, hey, that's what I said!
Gonna get out on the floor now
Dance like we never did before, hey!
The lyrics of Junior Walker & The All Stars’ song “Shake And Fingerpop” encourage listeners to let loose and dance like they’ve never done before. The singer urges his female companion to put on her wig and join him on the dance floor. The song describes various dance crazes of the time, such as the barracuda, the jerk, and the twine, and invites listeners to join in on the fun. The music is lively and upbeat, with a prominent brass section and catchy melodies.
The lyrics of “Shake And Fingerpop” reflect the social and cultural context of the time. The song was released in 1965, during the height of the Motown era, when dancing was an essential part of the music scene. The song’s lyrics suggest a sense of liberation and freedom, as the singer invites his companion to let go of societal norms and expectations and join him on the dance floor.
Overall, “Shake And Fingerpop” is a lively and energetic song that celebrates the joy of dancing and the freedom it provides. The song’s catchy melodies and upbeat tempo make it a classic of the Motown era that continues to be enjoyed by audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
Said put on your wig, woman
Get ready for a fun night out!
Were goin' out to shake and fingerpop! Hey, baby!
We're going out to dance and have a good time. Let's go, baby!
I said put on your wig, woman
I'm serious, get ready for a night of dancing and fun!
Goin' out to shake and fingerpop! Hey, girl!
We're going out to dance and have a good time. Let's go, girl!
Were gonna get out on the floor, now
We're going to hit the dance floor and show off our moves!
Dance like we never did before, right on, sugar!
Let's dance with all our energy and passion, and have a great time doing it!
I said, look at the people, find a place in line
Let's check out the dance floor and find a good spot to dance.
Doin' the barracuda, the jerk and the twine
We're getting ready to dance these popular dances and show off our moves.
Kick off your shoes baby and get in the groove
Take your shoes off and let's really get into the music and dance!
Cause when you hear the music, you feet has got to move
The music is irresistible, and our feet naturally want to move to the beat.
I said, put on your wig, woman
I really want you to get ready and come dance with me!
Goin' out to shake and fingerpop, that's what I said
We're going out to dance, specifically to shake and fingerpop, just like I told you!
We gonna get out on the floor now
We're finally going to hit the dance floor and show off our moves!
Dance like we never did before, hey, hey!
Let's dance with all our energy and passion, and have a great time doing it!
I said, do the boomerang, the twine and the jerk
We're going to dance these popular dances, and have a lot of fun doing it!
They're jammin' up the band now, so everybody work!
The music is so good, everyone is dancing and having fun!
Goin' out to shake and fingerpop, hey, that's what I said!
We're still going out to dance, and it's going to be a great night!
Gonna get out on the floor now
We're finally going to hit the dance floor and show off our moves!
Dance like we never did before, hey!
Let's dance with all our energy and passion, and have a great time doing it!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AUTRY DEWALT, LAWRENCE T. HORN, WILLIE J. WOODS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind