The above biography taken from: Wikipedia - Rufus Thomas
The Crown Prince of Dance; an early rock & roll DJ, Memphis soul icon and creator of the Funky Chicken.
Artist Biography (below) by Richie Unterberger
Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. From the 1940s onward, he has personified Memphis music; his small but witty cameo role in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train, a film which satirizes and enshrines the city's role in popular culture, was entirely appropriate. As a recording artist, he wasn't a major innovator, but he could always be depended upon for some good, silly, and/or outrageous fun with his soul dance tunes. He was one of the few rock or soul stars to reach his commercial and artistic peak in middle age, and was a crucial mentor to many important Memphis blues, rock, and soul musicians.
Thomas was already a professional entertainer in the mid-'30s, when he was a comedian with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He recorded music as early as 1941, but really made his mark on the Memphis music scene as a deejay on WDIA, one of the few black-owned stations of the era. He also ran talent shows on Memphis' famous Beale Street that helped showcase the emerging skills of such influential figures as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, and Roscoe Gordon.
Thomas had his first success as a recording artist in 1953 with "Bear Cat," a funny answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog." It made number three on the R&B charts, giving Sun Records its first national hit, though some of the sweetness went out of the triumph after Sun owner Sam Phillips lost a lawsuit for plagiarizing the original Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller tune. Thomas, strangely, would make only one other record for Sun, and recorded only sporadically throughout the rest of the 1950s.
Thomas and his daughter Carla would become the first stars for the Stax label, for whom they recorded a duet in 1959, "'Cause I Love You" (when the company was still known as Satellite). In the '60s, Carla would become one of Stax's biggest stars. On his own, Rufus wasn't as successful as his daughter, but issued a steady stream of decent dance/novelty singles.
These were not deep or emotional statements, or meant to be. Vaguely prefiguring elements of funk, the accent was on the stripped-down groove and Rufus' good-time vocals, which didn't take himself or anything seriously. The biggest by far was "Walking the Dog," which made the Top Ten in 1963, and was covered by the Rolling Stones on their first album.
Thomas hit his commercial peak in the early '70s, when "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do The) Push and Pull," and "The Breakdown" all made the R&B Top Five. As the song titles themselves make clear, funk was now driving his sound rather than blues or soul. Thomas drew upon his vaudeville background to put them over on-stage with fancy footwork that displayed remarkable agility for a man well into his 50s. The collapse of the Stax label in the mid-'70s meant the end of his career, basically, as it did for many other artists with the company. In 2001, Rufus Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Later that year, on December 15, he died at St. Francis hospital in Memphis, TN.
The above biography taken from: All Music Biography - Rufus Thomas by Richie Unterberger
Little Sally Walker
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sittin' in a saucer
Ride, Sally ride
Wipe your weepin' eyes
Put your hands on your hips
And let your back bone slip
I want you to
Shake it to the east
Shake it to the west
I moved I moved that baby
Shake it to the very one
That you love the best
Little Sally Walker
Tell me what you're gonna do
Little Sally Walker
I'm in love with you
Hup hup hup, owww
hup hup hup, owww
Little Sally Walker
I see ya sittin' in your saucer
Rise and do the jerk
I love to see you work
Yeah
Little Sally Walker
Tell me what you're gonna do
Little Sally Walker
I'm in love with you
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Put your hands on your hips
Ahh, got it
Let your back bone slip
Back bone slip now
Shake it to the east
Shake shake shake
Shake shake shake shake it
Shake it to the west
Shake shake shake
Shake shake shake shake it
Shake it to the very one
That you love the best
Come on now
Little Sally Walker
Oh shake it Sally
Shake it Sally Walker
Oh shake it Sally
Shake shake Sally Walker
Oh-h-h-h
Shakin' it Sally Walker
Oh-h-h-h
Shakin' it Sally Walker
I shook it baby
Shake shake Sally Walker
I shook it baby
Little Sally Walker
Watch me shake it baby
Shake it Sally Walker
Oooohhhhh
Shake shake Sally Walker
Little Sally Walker
Shake it now
Shake shake Sally Walker
I shook it baby
The lyrics to Rufus Thomas's "Little Sally Walker" are about a young woman named Sally who is sitting in a saucer, possibly a reference to a type of chair, and the singer is urging her to dance and shake her hips. The lyrics are full of instructions for Sally to dance, such as "Ride Sally ride," "Put your hands on your hips," and "Let your back bone slip." The singer also expresses their love for Sally and asks her what she is going to do.
The song has a catchy beat and is meant to be a dance song, with the singer encouraging Sally to "Shake it to the east," "Shake it to the west," and "Shake it to the very one that you love the best." The lyrics are simple and repeated throughout the song, making it easy for listeners to sing along and dance to.
Overall, the song is a fun and upbeat ode to dance and movement. It captures the joy and energy of dancing and encourages listeners to let loose and have fun on the dancefloor.
Line by Line Meaning
Little Sally Walker,
Rufus Thomas is addressing a woman named Sally Walker, who he finds attractive.
Sittin' in a saucer
Sally is sitting in a chair that resembles a saucer, which adds to her unique character.
Ride, Sally ride
Rufus is encouraging Sally to loosen up and enjoy herself by dancing and moving to the music.
Wipe your weepin' eyes
Rufus wants Sally to stop crying and enjoy herself at the party.
Put your hands on your hips
Rufus wants Sally to put her hands on her hips, as a means of relaxing and letting loose.
And let your back bone slip
Rufus wants Sally to have a good time by dancing and letting her body move freely.
I want you to
Rufus is continuing his encouraging tone, telling Sally what he wants to see her do.
Shake it to the east
Rufus is asking Sally to dance, particularly by shaking her hips, in a particular direction.
Awww, I moved that-a baby
Rufus is expressing his excitement at seeing Sally dance, and the effect it has on him.
Shake it to the west
Rufus encourages Sally to dance in another direction, again emphasizing the importance of movement and having a good time.
Shake it to the very one That you love the best
Rufus is now encouraging Sally to show off her dance moves to the person she loves the most in the room.
Little Sally Walker Tell me what you're gonna do
Rufus is again addressing Sally directly, asking her what she's going to do next, and keeping the party atmosphere alive.
Little Sally Walker I'm in love with you
Rufus is expressing his affection for Sally, and using it as a means of encouraging her to dance and have fun.
Hup hup hup, owww hup hup hup, owww
Rufus is now letting the music take over, and encouraging Sally to do the same.
Rise and do the jerk I love to see you work Yeah
Rufus is using dance terminology to relate to Sally, and letting her know how much he admires her moves.
Put your hands on your hips Ahh, got it
Rufus is being playful with Sally here, and is happy that she is getting into the spirit of the party.
Let your back bone slip Back bone slip now
Rufus is continuing to let Sally know that he wants her to move freely and enjoy herself.
Shake it to the east Shake shake shake Shake shake shake shake it
Rufus is again emphasizing the importance of dancing, and encouraging Sally to keep moving in a certain direction.
Shake it to the west Shake shake shake Shake shake shake shake it
Rufus is repeating his instructions from earlier, and pushing Sally to keep dancing and enjoying herself.
Shake it to the very one That you love the best Come on now
Rufus is now pushing Sally to show off her dance moves to the person or people she loves the most.
Oh shake it Sally Shake it Sally Walker Oh shake it Sally Shake shake Sally Walker Oh-h-h-h Shakin' it Sally Walker Oh-h-h-h Shakin' it Sally Walker
Rufus is repeating the chorus, and enjoying himself as Sally dances and keeps the party going.
I shook it baby Shake shake Sally Walker Little Sally Walker Watch me shake it baby Shake it Sally Walker Oooohhhhh
Rufus is expressing his delight at watching Sally dance, and again emphasizing the importance of movement and having fun.
Shake shake Sally Walker I shook it baby
Rufus is now making a direct reference to Sally, letting her know how much he enjoys dancing with her, and watching her move.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RUFUS THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind