Hang On Sloopy

Regarding my post about Amazing Grace being my favorite song, the ever inquisitive Hoagie asked, "what happened to Hang on Sloopy?" Well, it is still a strong second on my list.

I hope it it goes without saying that Hang on Sloopy was a monster hit for the McCoys back in the mid-sixties. I saw the McCoys at Danceland Ballroom back then just as the song was peaking on the pop charts. The band featured 14 year old Rick Derringer on the guitar, and even then it was obvious he was a force to be reckonned with in the Rock 'N Roll world.

Danceland, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was merely a long bowed wooden dance floor with a small stage at one end. Many of the mid-sixties hottest acts played there: Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Lou Christie, you name them, and they were there on a Saturday night. Lou Christie wore skin tight leather pants. He put a sock in his britches to impress the gals, but me and my buddy, Bill, weren't fooled.

My favorite show was Jerry Lee Lewis. He was spelled by Booker T. and the MG's. In fact, he was spelled for rather long stretches by Booker T. I think Jerry Lee was under the weather that night if you know what I mean.

Jerry Lee's last song that night was Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On. He stood at the piano and made it soar to new heights of virtuosity. During one of the song's, "shake it, baby, shake," refrains he kicked the piano stool behind him so hard it flew way across the stage and crashed into the wall.

Danceland and the bowling alley below it are long gone. An Interstate highway runs through there now, but on a clear night you can see the ghost of Lou Christie's sock hovering above the highway.