Chicken Dance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The "Chicken Dance" is an oom-pah song composed by a Swiss accordion (Handharmonika) player Werner Thomas from Davos, Switzerland in the 1950s and the corresponding fad dance.
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[edit] History
The name of the original song was Der Ententanz (The Duck Dance). Since 1963 he played it in restaurants and hotels. On one of those performances, Belgian producer Louis van Rijmenant heard the song. Van Rijmenant made some lyrics and in 1970 released it to the public, without much success. In 1977, Dutch local band "De Electronica's" released an instrumental version, which became a hit, and started the international success of the song. On some recorded releases of the music Werner Thomas is listed as the composer, while on others other authors are listed, e.g., as "Thomas/Rendall/Hose", probably including the authors of the particular arrangement. Since then the song has become known under numerous other "birdie" names, including "Vogerltanz" (Bird Dance), "Danse des Canards", "Chicken Dance" and "Dance Little Bird". Over 140 versions of it are recorded worldwide, including Walt Disney Records, together making over 40,000,000 records.
In 1982 it was introduced to the USA on Nationwide TV's "PM Magazine Show", (GROUP W PRODUCTIONS) as the "CHICKEN DANCE" by Wisconsin Orchestra leader Norm Edlebeck. Despite other claims as to the name "Chicken Dance", the name came about because an Austrian tour guide translated "Bird Dance / Dance Little Bird" and other similar names, from German to English by calling it "The Chicken Dance". Edlebeck and his Polka Band had been to Europe with a large group of followers the previous year playing for an International Polka Festival in Kitbuehl Austria, and came back to the USA, recorded it in a Bluegrass format and released it on a 45 rpm record (END OF THE TRAIL label) with dance instructions on the jacket and the artist listed as "WHOOPEE", Norm Edlebeck's nickname. At least one individual who recorded it, tried to stop "Group W Productions" of San Francisco CA from airing it in over 90 US and Canadian markets as "The Chicken Dance", but was unsuccessful in that attempt. It was aired nationwide and repeated again the following year, with Edlebecks picture being a part of Group W's ad slicks and published in most "TV Guide" promos throughout the USA.
It was introduced to the USA nationwide as "Dance Little Bird" by America's leading organist and Cresendo recording artist Bob Kames in early 1982. But the crazy dance that goes with the song soon forced the name "The Chicken Dance". Bob Kames has recorded over 70 albums under the Bally, Rondo, King, GRT and Crescendo labels. Bob also was the hands behind the hit series "The Happy Organ" which sold over 2 million records. The Dance Little Bird 45 rpm record was produced in Milwaukee Wisconsin at the old Star studio. The recording was a family affair which featured Bob Kames Jr. on drums and xylophone and daughter Barbara on the vibes. Through GNP Crescendo distribution channels, the song became an instant hit for Bob Kames "Dad and the Kids". By the end of 1982, Kames' version sold over a millon copies world wide including a gold record in Poland. After his over seas tour Bob Kames was dubbed "The Chicken Dance King". He recorded a version with the late Tiny Tim as well as added words to the song which resulted in a re-release for Crescendo in the late 90's.
Contrary to some misconceptions, it is not an Austrian folk dance.
In the United States, the publishing rights for the song were acquired by a New York publisher Stanley Mills.
It has become popular in the USA as a German heritage song, and has been likewise adopted by people worldwide of many cultures since its creation. It has become a staple dance at weddings and at Oktoberfests.
[edit] Dance steps
The "Chicken Dance" song is accompanied by a dance, which is very easy to learn regardless of age or agility. The dance requires a group of people, and it goes as follows:
- Begin in a large circle with everybody facing in toward the center of the ring.
- At the start of the music, shape a chicken beak with your hands. Open and close it four times, during the first four beats of the music.
- Make chicken wings with your arms. Flap your wings four times, during the next four beats of the music.
- Make a chicken's tail feathers with your arms and hands. Wiggle downwards during the next four beats of the music.
- Clap four times during the next four beats of the music.
- Repeat this process four times.
- After the fourth time you grab your neighbours' hands and move round in a circle.
- Switch directions when the bandleader says so.
- The dance repeats, progressively getting faster and faster, until the music stops.
[edit] Some releases
Dance Little Bird By Bob Kames "Dad and The Kids, Crescendo records 1982
- Tchip Tchip, by Cash & Carry with Bobby Setter & Co, Cannon Records, Can 3035, 1973.
- Dance Little Bird (The Birdie Song), by The Tweets, 1981.
- Ententanz (Dance Little Bird), by Chor & Orchester Wilde-Enten GmbH, Hamburg.
- The Chicken Dance, by Whoopee, End of The Trail Records, 1982.
- Two albums containing The Chicken Dance songs by Bob Kames:
- Album title: "The Chicken Dance (Dance Little Bird)", by Bob Kames (and the Happy Organ), GNP Crescendo Records. (Date released: 1st January, 1992ad)
- Album title: "Chicken Dance", by Bob Kames, GNP Crescendo Records. (Date released: 17th October, 1995ad)
[edit] This song in other languages
- Czech: Ptačí tanec
- Dutch: De Vogeltjesdans
- Finnish: Tiputanssi
- French: La danse des canards
- German: Der Ententanz
- Hebrew: ריקוד הציפורים (Rikud Ha'Tsiporim) - The Bird Dance
- Icelandic: Fugladansinn
- Italian: Il ballo del qua qua
- Norwegian: Fugledansen
- Portuguese: A dança do passarinho
- Polish: Kaczuszki (Duckies)
- Russian: Танец маленьких утят
- Slovene: Račke (Ducks)
- Spanish: Pajaritos a bailar / El baile de los pajaritos
- Swedish: Fågeldansen
- Hungarian: Kacsatánc (Release after the Spanish version)
- Japanese: Okashi Tori
[edit] Notable performances
At the Cincinnati Oktoberfest on September 20, 2004, rock musician Vince Neil served as the Grand Marshall of the World's Largest Chicken Dance. The US cable television channel VH1, in its compilation of the 40 Least Metal Moments panned this performance as the single least metal moment in Heavy Metal history. [1]
It is also featured in Judson Laipply's Evolution of Dance.
In the animated film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, a bunch of adults perform this dance as part of a ritual.
Parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic played the accordion at the world's largest Chicken Dance in history. He later used the Chicken Dance to begin his 2006 polka medley, "Polkarama!" from his album Straight Outta Lynwood.
