Harlem Shuffle
The Foundations Lyrics


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You move it to the left, yeah
Then you go for yourself
You move it to the right, yeah
If it takes all night

Now take it kinda slow
With a whole lot of soul
Don't move it too fast
And make it last

You know you scratch just like a monkey, yeah, you do
Real, yeah
You slide into the limbo, yeah
How low can you go?

But come on, baby
I don't want you to scuffle now
You just groove it right here
To the Harlem shuffle

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Do the Harlem shuffle (Oh, do the monkey shine)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Do the Harlem shuffle

Hitch, hitch-hike baby
Across the floor
Whoa, whoa, whoa
I can't stand it no more

Now come on, baby
Now get into your slide
We're gonna ride, ride, ride
Little pony ride

Yeah

Shake, shake, shake
Shake a tail feather, baby, oooh!
Shake, shake, shake
Shake a tail feather, baby, oooh!





Shake, shake, shake
Shake a tail feather, baby, oooh!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Foundations' song Harlem Shuffle are all about dancing and having fun. The song encourages the listener to move their body and enjoy themselves. The first verse sets the scene for the type of dancing that is being described, instructing the listener to move to the left and right with a lot of soul. The second verse adds to the imagery, describing the way the person is moving as being like a monkey, and then comparing it to sliding into a limbo.


The chorus of the song encourages the listener to continue dancing and not get sidetracked with other things. It reminds them to do the Harlem shuffle, which is the type of dance the song is about. The next verse uses the imagery of hitchhiking to describe the way the dancer moves across the floor. The final verse takes it up a notch, with the singer encouraging the listener to ride a "little pony ride."


Overall, the song is all about having fun and enjoying yourself. It's a catchy, upbeat tune that encourages you to let loose and dance, and it's easy to see why it has remained popular since its release in 1963.


Line by Line Meaning

You move it to the left, yeah
Start by moving to the left.


Then you go for yourself
Move in your own style.


You move it to the right, yeah
After moving left, switch to moving right.


If it takes all night
Keep dancing until the morning comes.


Now take it kinda slow
Don't rush, take it slow and steady.


With a whole lot of soul
Dance with a lot of feeling and soul.


Don't move it too fast
Avoid dancing too fast.


And make it last
Make sure you dance for a long time.


You know you scratch just like a monkey, yeah, you do
You may look like a monkey scratching its body.


Real, yeah
You're a real force to reckon with.


You slide into the limbo, yeah
You gracefully slide into the limbo dance.


How low can you go?
Show us how low you can go with the limbo dance.


But come on, baby
Hey, don't stop now.


I don't want you to scuffle now
Don't start dancing like you're struggling.


You just groove it right here
Keep grooving to the beat right here and now.


To the Harlem shuffle
Dance the Harlem shuffle.


Yeah, yeah, yeah
Keep the energy up.


Do the Harlem shuffle (Oh, do the monkey shine)
Dance the Harlem shuffle or the monkey shine.


Hitch, hitch-hike baby
Do the hitch-hike move.


Across the floor
Move across the dance floor.


Whoa, whoa, whoa
Express excitement and enthusiasm.


I can't stand it no more
Expressing enjoyment but tiredness.


Now come on, baby
Keep dancing, don't stop now.


Now get into your slide
Start sliding to the beat.


We're gonna ride, ride, ride
We'll keep dancing all night long.


Little pony ride
Doing the pony ride dance move.


Shake, shake, shake
Shake your body with the beat.


Shake a tail feather, baby, oooh!
Shake your tail like a bird with excitement.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EARL NELSON, ROBERT RELF

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@MaryViertel

I've heard better. Sorry!

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