Showaddywaddy was a popular 1970s pop group from Leicester, UK. They specia… Read Full Bio ↴Showaddywaddy was a popular 1970s pop group from Leicester, UK. They specialised in cover versions of U.S. pop songs from the 1950s and dressed as Teddy Boys. They sound similar to the American act Sha Na Na.

The band was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two groups, Choise and The Golden Hammers. This led to an eight member band, with the unusual feature of having two vocalists, two drummers, two bassists and two guitarists. Their first single, Hey Rock 'n' Roll (written by the band), was released in April 1974. It reached number two in the UK singles chart. Showaddywaddy then went on to have a further 22 UK hits from this point until late 1982. The first few singles were all written by the band and these generally reached the top-20. However they had most of their biggest hits with pop versions of old '50s US rock 'n' roll songs, catchy tunes backed up by their colourful image, dance routines and numerous television appearances. Some of their best known covers are Three Steps To Heaven, Heartbeat, Under The Moon Of Love, You Got What It Takes, Blue Moon (based on the Marcels' interpretation), and I Wonder Why.

In total they had ten Top Ten singles, a Number One, and spent 209 weeks in the UK singles chart. At the peak of their popularity, this tally included having seven successive Top Five entries. Their biggest selling single was the aforementioned "Under The Moon Of Love", which sold 985,000 copies and gave the group its only UK Number One.

Band members

Current members
Romeo Challenger (born 19 May 1950, St John's, Antigua, West Indies) — drums (1973–present)
Rod Deas (born 13 February 1948, Scarborough) — bass (1973–present)
Ray Hatfield — guitars / vocals / (2017–present)
Rob Hewins — drums / guitars / vocals (2012–present)
Dean Loach — keyboards/ guitar / backing vocals (2012–present)
Andy Pelos — vocals / guitar (2012–present)
Billy Norman — bass guitar/ backing vocals (2018–present)

Former members
Paul Dixon — guitars / vocals / (2008–2017)
Dave Bartram (born 23 March 1952, Leicester) — vocals (1973–2011)
Trevor Oakes (born Trevor Leslie Oakes, 9 September 1946, Leicester) — guitars (1973–2008)
Al James (born Geoffrey Betts, 13 January 1946, Leicester - 16 November 2018) — bass (1973–2008)
Buddy Gask (born William George Gask, 18 December 1945, Leicester – 7 June 2011, Spain) — vocals (1973–1987)
Russ Field (born James Lewis Russell Field, 1 September 1949, Berwick-upon-Tweed) — guitars (1973–1985)
Malcolm "Duke" Allured (born 27 August 1945, Leicester) — drums (1973–1984)
Ray Martinez — guitars (1985–1995)
Danny Willson — guitars (1995–2009)
David Graham — saxophone (2009–2011)

Twist and Shout
Showaddywaddy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, shake it up baby now
Twist an shout
Come on, come on, come, come on baby now
Come on and work it on out
Well work it on out, honey
You know you look so good
You know you got me goin' now
Just like I know you would

Well, shake it up baby now
Twist and shout
Come on, come on, come, come on baby now
Come on and work it on out
You know you twist, little girl
You know you twist so fine
Come on and twist a little closer now
And let me know that you're mine, woo

Ah, ah, ah, ah,
Yeah, shake it up baby now
Twist and shout
Come on, come on, come, come on baby now
Come on and work it on out
You know you twist, little girl
You know you twist so fine
Come on and twist a little closer now
And let me know that you're mine
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby now
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby now

Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby now
Ah,ah,ah,ah.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Showaddywaddy's "Twist and Shout" express the desire to dance and let loose. The 60s classic invites the listener to join in the dance and to work it out on the dance floor. The opening line "shake it up baby now" sets the tone for a lively and energetic dance number.

The repetition of "come on" and "work it on out" create a sense of urgency, encouraging the listener to let go and have fun. The song's lyrics evoke the feeling of being caught up in the moment, and the excitement of dancing with someone who knows how to move. The lines "you know you twist so fine" and "let me know that you're mine" imply a romantic interest, while the main focus remains on the dance.

Overall, "Twist and Shout" is a celebration of the joy of dance and the freedom of movement.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, shake it up baby now
Encouraging someone to move energetically (in a positive way)

Twist an shout
A joyful call to movement and expression

Come on, come on, come, come on baby now
Inviting someone to join in and enjoy the moment

Come on and work it on out
Encouraging someone to let loose and move

You know you look so good
Complimenting someone's appearance

You know you got me goin' now
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm for the current moment

Just like I know you would
Acknowledging that the person is living up to expectations

You know you twist, little girl
Noting someone's skill at dancing

You know you twist so fine
Complimenting someone's dancing again

Come on and twist a little closer now
Requesting closer physical proximity for continued enjoyment of the music and dancing