| "Shake a Tail Feather" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The Five Du-Tones | |
| from the album Hairspray soundtrack | |
| Released | 1963 |
| Format | Single |
| Recorded | 1963 |
| Genre | Soul |
| Length | 2:24 |
| Label | One-DERFUL! |
| Writer(s) | Otha Hayes, Verlie Rice, Andre Williams |
"Shake a Tail Feather" (Otha Hayes, Verlie Rice, and Andre Williams) is a song originally recorded in 1963 by the Chicago-based group The Five Du-Tones.[1] (It was featured on the soundtrack of the 1988 film Hairspray.) A 1967 version by James & Bobby Purify reached #25 on the charts.[2]
"Shake a Tail Feather" has been covered by many other artists over the years, perhaps most notably by Ray Charles, who performed the song during his scenes in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. This version of the song includes calls for various 1960s dances, including the Twist, the Monkey, The Frug and The Mashed Potato, to be performed by a crowd gathered outside Ray's Music Exchange.
The song was also covered by The Cheetah Girls for the 2005 Walt Disney Pictures film Chicken Little.
The Kingsmen included the song on their Up and Away 1966 album.
The Monkees performed the song in 1968 on the band's television special, 331⁄3 Revolutions Per Monkee.
Hanson included the song in a medley with Gimme Some Lovin' on their 1998 release Live from Albertane.
Other notable artists who have recorded the song include Ike and Tina Turner (as re-created in the film "What's Love Got to Do with It"),[3] Mitch Ryder, Gerry & The Pacemakers and Tommy James and the Shondells.