Ya Ya
| "Ya Ya" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Lee Dorsey | |
| from the album Ya Ya | |
| Released | 1961 |
| Genre | Soul, rock and roll |
| Songwriter(s) | Lee Dorsey, Clarence Lewis, Morgan Robinson, and Morris Levy |
"Ya Ya" is a song by Lee Dorsey. The song was written by Dorsey, Clarence Lewis, Morgan Robinson, and Morris Levy. Levy's participation in the writing has been previously called into question. In fact, the Flashback release of the single (image) lists only Dorsey and Lewis as writers, as do the liner notes to the American Graffiti soundtrack.[1]
The track includes session guitar player Jimmy Spruill on it.[2] The song was inspired by a children's nursery rhyme.
Chart performance
The song reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B singles chart in 1961.[3]
The Beatles version
According to author Mark Lewisohn in "The Complete Beatles Chronicles" (p. 365), the Beatles performed "Ya Ya" regularly live from 1961 to 1962 (in Hamburg and Liverpool and elsewhere). The lead vocal was always by John Lennon. No recorded version is known to survive. However immediately after the Beatles left Polydor Records their close associates Tony Sheridan and Roy Young cut a version of it for that studio. Much later (1974) John Lennon cut a version for his Rock 'n' Roll album.
Johnny Hallyday version (in French)
| "Ya ya twist" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Johnny Hallyday | ||||
| from the album Retiens la nuit | ||||
| Released | 1962 | |||
| Label | Philips | |||
| Songwriter(s) | French adaptation: Lucien Morisse, Georges Aber | |||
| Johnny Hallyday singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
French singer Johnny Hallyday covered the song in French. His version, titled "Ya ya twist", reached no. 1 in Wallonia (French Belgium) in 1962.[4]
Track listing
7" EP Philips 432.739 BE (1962, France etc.)
- A1. "Retiens la nuit" (2:54)
- A2. "Sam'di soir" (3:00)
- B1. "Ya ya twist" (2:27)
- B2. "La faute au twist" (1:50)[5][6]
Charts
| Chart (1962) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[4] | 1 |
Other covers
- Tony Sheridan recorded it in 1962 with "The Beat Brothers", wrongly believed to be the Beatles who had no actual involvement in the track as they had just left Polydor. The single was released in October 1962. It is available on the 1964 release The Beatles' First, among others.
- Petula Clark and Johnny Hallyday recorded the song ("Ya Ya Twist") in French (released in 1962, #1[7])
- In 1962, Dalida covered the song in German under the title "Ya Ya Twist".
- In 1964, Joel Denis covered the song in French "Le Yaya".
- In 1966, Tommy James and the Shondells released a version as the B-side to their song "It's Only Love."
- Mouse and the Traps recorded Ya Ya as the B-side of their 1967 single "Cryin' Inside".
- The Hombres included a cover on their only album Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out), in 1968.
- Lee Michaels covered the song on his 1971 album 5th.
- Ike & Tina Turner covered the song in the early 1970s but their version was not released until 2004 on the album Ike Turner: His Woman, Her Man.
- John Lennon included a snippet of himself and his son Julian playing the song on the 1974 album Walls and Bridges.[8] Lennon covered the song fully on his 1975 album Rock 'n' Roll.
- Malika's "Ya Ya Twist" on 'Malika et les Golden Stars' released on a Philips record 1963.
- In 1980 a Norwegian retrorock band Vazelina Bilopphøggers released the song as "Gi Meg Fri i Kveld". (
- Trio played it live on their album Trio live 1982
- Toni Montano covered it on his first album "Tonny Montano" as "Svi se sada njišu i ubrzano dišu" in 1985
- Steve Miller covered the song on his 1988 album Born 2 B Blue.
- In 1994 Mitsou covered the song in French "Le Yaya".
- Goran Bregović covered the song as "Ringe ringe raja" in his soundtrack for the 1995 film Underground.
References
- ↑ 41 Original Hits from the Soundtrack of American Graffiti (CD Booklet). MCA. 1973.
- ↑ Spruill, Jimmy, Scratchin’ the Wild Jimmy Spruill Story, Great Voices of the Century (GVC) Recordings, Surrey, UK, 2014, liner notes
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 169.
- 1 2 "Ultratop.be – Johnny Hallyday – Ya Ya Twist" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "ultratop.be - Serge Lama - Chez moi". Retrieved 2017-11-11.
- ↑ "Johnny Hallyday - Retiens La Nuit at Discogs". Retrieved 2017-11-11.
- ↑ "Petula Clark in the French charts". Petulaclark.net. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ↑ Walls and Bridges (Booklet). John Lennon. Apple Records. 1974.