I've got Beach Music on the brain today. If you weren't lucky enough to grow up in a beach town in the Carolinas, Virginia or Georgia like I did, Beach Music is a regional genre that developed in the late 1940s and combined Rhythm and Blues, Big Band Swing, Country Blues and a whole bunch of other stuff to create the perfect music for dancing the Shag (also called the Carolina Shag). Sort of kind of like the Jitterbug, but not. I’ve never claimed to be a dancer but I can do pretty mean shag (I can tap dance too, but that’s another post for another day). Beach Music is not to be confused with the Beach Boys; they’re great but another coast entirely. It’s the music of summer and just hearing it makes you feel like dancing. So turn your speakers up, kick off your shoes and go for it!
If you want more beach music tunes you can click here for the top 100 Beach Music songs. I can’t say that it’s the definitive list, but it’ll definitely get you started.
6 comments:
Cool! I love discovering these regional treasures. Before I read this post, I would have just labeled the Drifters r&B and Alabama country-western; now I can see there was an important space for overlap in their styles. I'm going to have to dig into some of this music. Thanks, Wendy!
The Alabama song wasn't a huge hit with the Beach Music crowd, but I included it anyway because of the references in it to all the various bands and clubs that were part of the scene. Plus it had people dancing the Shag!
I dig the Drifters' save the last dance. Have you heard Harry Connick's cover of it? Very fifties nightclubby.
I haven't, but now I'm going to go right off to I-tunes and download it. I saw the Drifters in concert many years ago, and it was really wonderful!
Love this lady. Sup-a fun! I'm ready for the beach!
Interesting videos! Loved the music! tc ;)
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