Tequila (song)

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"Tequila" is a 1958 surf instrumental by the band The Champs. The title of the song constitutes the entire lyrics and is said only three times. It went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Tequila" is popular amongst fans of the golden age of rock and roll, but was a one-hit wonder.

1 History
2 Covers
3 "Tequila" in pop culture
4 References

[edit] History

In 1957, Gene Autry's record label, Challenge Records, signed Dave Burgess (born 1934), a rockabilly singer-songwriter from California who often recorded under the name "Dave Dupree." At the end of 1957, having produced no hits, Challenge Records looked to Burgess, who organized a recording session on December 23 in Hollywood. In the studio that day were Burgess on rhythm guitar, Cliff Hills on bass guitar, the Flores Trio (Danny Flores on saxophone and keyboards, Gene Alden on drums, and Buddy Bruce),^[1] and Huelyn Duvall contributing backing vocals.^[2] They gathered primarily to record "Train to Nowhere," a song by Burgess, as well as "Night Beat" and "All Night Rock."

The last song recorded was "Tequila," essentially just a jam by the Flores Trio. There were three takes, and Daniel Flores (who died on September 19, 2006) was the man who actually sang the word "Tequila!" The song served as the B-side for "Train to Nowhere," which was released by Challenge Records on January 15, 1958. Duvall recalls that the record initially found little success, but, after a DJ in Cleveland played the B-side, "Tequila" skyrocketed up the charts, reaching #1 on the Billboard chart on March 28, 1958.^[1]

Daniel Flores had written "Tequila," but, because he was signed to another label, the song was credited to "Chuck Rio," a name he adopted for the stage. Those present for the December 23 session began recording together again on January 20, 1958, under the name The Champs; the group technically formed after recording its most famous song.^[1] The song has been noted to have the same sound and structure of Bo Diddley's 1957 release Dearest Darling.

[edit] Covers

The song also appears one of Wes Montgomery's albums. A Latin hip hop cover in 1992 by A.L.T. was a Top Ten in numerous countries and entered the Billboard Top 40. Tony Levin and his band released a version of the song on his 2002 album Pieces of the Sun, though this version bears next to no resemblance to the original, aside from a quiet utterance of the title three times during the course of the song.

[edit] "Tequila" in pop culture

In the 1985 film Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Pee-wee knocks over a row of motorcycles. He proceeds to win over the angered bikers by selecting "Tequila" from the jukebox and dancing. The tune of "Tequila" was used for rapper Joeski Love's "Pee Wee's Dance." The song also appears in Happy Days, The Sandlot, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and is used in advertisements for TGI Fridays.

"Tequila" was also used in a Papa John's commercial for the new Fajitas Pizza, altered to 'Fajita'. In Australia in 2005, the song was altered to advertise Toshiba televisions.