The Loco-Motion

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"The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Its initial release by Little Eva went to US #1. The song is notable for making Top 5 in the USA three times: for Little Eva (1962); for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 (US #1); and for Kylie Minogue in 1988 (US #3). It is sometimes categorised as belonging to the '60s girl group sound (which Goffin and King helped create), though it was recorded by a solo artist.

Contents 1 Original Little Eva version and dance 2 Grand Funk Railroad version 3 Kylie Minogue version 3.1 Chart performance 3.2 Charts 3.3 Formats and track listings 3.3.1 Australian cassette single 3.3.2 Australian vinyl single 3.3.3 UK vinyl single 4 Selective list of other recorded versions 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Original Little Eva version and dance

The song is a popular and enduring example of the dance-song genre: much of the lyrics are devoted to a description of the dance itself, usually done as a type of line dance.

[edit] Grand Funk Railroad version

Grand Funk Railroad recorded a version in 1974 on their Shinin' On and was produced by Todd Rundgren.

[edit] Kylie Minogue version

"The Loco-Motion"
Single by Kylie Minogue
from the album Kylie
Released	July 27, 1987 July 1988 October 1988
Format	CD single: Worldwide Cassette single: Worldwide Vinyl Single: Worldwide
Recorded	London, England
Genre	Pop–dance
Length	3:12
Label	PWL/Mushroom
Writer(s)	Gerry Goffin Carole King
Producer(s)	Stock Aitken & Waterman (1988 version) Mike Duffy (1987 version)
Certification	3x Platinum (Australia) Platinum (Canada) Gold (UK & U.S.)
Chart positions
#1 (Australia, Canada, South Africa) #2 (UK) #3 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100)
Kylie Minogue singles chronology
"Got to Be Certain" (1988) Australia: —	The Loco-Motion (1988)	"Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" (1988) "I Should Be So Lucky" (1987)

"The Loco-Motion" was performed by Australian dance-pop singer Kylie Minogue on her debut album Kylie (1988). It was produced by Stock Aitken & Waterman, and received a mixed reception from music critics. The song, a cover of the Little Eva hit, was released as the third single in the summer of 1988 (see 1988 in music) and was a top five hit in the United Kingdom, debuting at number two, giving Minogue the record for the highest entry on the UK singles charts by a female artist, a record previously held by Madonna. It also reached number three on the U.S. Billboard charts with sales in excess of 1.5 million and made number one in Canada, giving Minogue three simultaneous number one's internationally.

Jerick's different version of the song was originally released by Minogue as her debut single on July 27, 1987 in Australia under the title "Locomotion". After an impromptu performance of the song at an Australian rules football charity event with the cast of the Australian soap opera Neighbours, Minogue was signed a record deal Mushroom Records to release the song as a single. The song was a hit in Australia, reaching number one and remained there for an amazing seven weeks. The success of the song in her home country led to her sigining a record deal with PWL Records in London and to working with the hit producing team, Stock, Aitken and Waterman.

The music video for "Locomotion" was filmed at Essendon Airport and the ABC studios in Melbourne, Australia. The video for "The Loco-Motion" was created out of footage from the Australian music video.

At the end of 1988, the song was nominated for Best International Single at the Canadian Music Industry Awards.

[edit] Chart performance

In the United Kingdom the song was released on July 25, 1988 and debuted at number two on the singles chart — the highest entry on the UK singles charts by a female artist — due to strong 7" single sales and radio airplay. It remained in the number two position for four weeks before falling to number three. The song became Minogue's third top five single in the UK and remains one of her most successful single releases to date.

"The Loco-Motion" debuted at number eighty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and later climbed to number three for two weeks. The song was Minogue's second single to chart in the U.S., but her first to reach the top ten. It would remain to be her biggest hit in the United States until 2001 with the release of "Can't Get You Out Of My Head", which reached number seven on the chart. In Canada the song reached number one.

In Australia the song was released on July 27, 1987 and was a huge hit reaching number one on the AMR singles chart, remaining there for seven weeks. The song set the record as the biggest Australian single of the decade. Throughout Europe and Asia the song also performed well on the music charts, reaching number one in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, and South Africa.

[edit] Charts

Chart (1987)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	1
Chart (1988)	Peak position
Canada Singles Chart	1
Eurochart Hot 100	1
South Africa Singles Chart	1
Switzerland Singles Chart	2
UK Singles Chart	2
Germany Singles Chart	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	3
France Singles Chart	5
The Netherlands	6
New Zealand	8

[edit] Formats and track listings

[edit] Australian cassette single

1. "Locomotion" — 3:17
2. "Locomotion (Chugga-Motion mix) — 7:38
3. "Locomotion" (Girl Meets Boy mix) — 3:15
4. "Glad to Be Alive" (7" mix) — 3:42

[edit] Australian vinyl single

1. "Locomotion (Chugga-Motion mix) — 7:38
2. "Locomotion" (Girl Meets Boy mix) — 3:15
3. "Glad to Be Alive" (7" mix) — 3:42

[edit] UK vinyl single

1. "The Loco-motion" (Kohaku mix) — 5:59
2. "I'll Still Be Loving You" — 3:45

North American vinyl single

1. "The Loco-motion" (Kohaku mix) — 5:59
2. "The Loco-motion" (Sankie mix) —6:35
3. "The Loco-motion" — 3:17
4. "I'll Still Be Loving You" — 3:45

[edit] Selective list of other recorded versions

The song has inspired dozens of cover versions over the years. Besides those already mentioned, some are:

• The Chiffons released in 1963
• Sylvie Vartan recorded a French version, "Le Locomotion", in the 1960s.
• Emerson, Lake & Powell released a version in 1986
• Atomic Kitten recorded a version in 2000 which is on the "Whole Again" single and the Access All Areas: Remixed & B-Side album.
• Girl Authority released a version in 2007
• Charly Garcia released a version in his 1994´s "La Hija de la Lagrima"

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kylie.com — official website.

Preceded by "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" by Neil Sedaka	Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Little Eva version) August 25, 1962	Succeeded by "Sheila" by Tommy Roe
Preceded by "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB and The Three Degrees	Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Grand Funk version) May 4, 1974	Succeeded by "The Streak" by Ray Stevens