Peppermint Twist

"Peppermint Twist" is a song written by Joey Dee and Henry Glover, recorded and released by Joey Dee and the Starliters in 1961.^[1] Capitalizing on the Twist dance craze and the nightclub in which Dee performed ("The Peppermint Lounge"), the song hit No.1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in early 1962. It replaced Chubby Checker's "The Twist", the song that sparked the Twist fad, at the No. 1 position.

"Peppermint Twist"
Dutch release picture sleeve
Single by Joey Dee and the Starliters
from the album Doin' the Twist at the Peppermint Lounge
B-side	"Peppermint Twist (Part 2)"
Released	1961 (1961)
Genre	Rock and roll
Length	4:05 (Parts 1 and 2 combined)
Label	Roulette
Songwriter(s)	Joey Dee, Henry Glover
Joey Dee and the Starliters singles chronology
"Face of an Angel" (1960) "Peppermint Twist" (1961) "Shout" (1962)

It should not be confused with "The Peppermint Twist", which is a different song written by Danny Lamego, whose group Danny Peppermint and the Jumping Jacks had a #54 Billboard hit with it in December 1961. Danny Peppermint performed at that time at The Peppermint Lounge in Manhattan, after which both songs are named, as did Joey Dee And The Starliters who went on to have the bigger hit.

Background

The lead singer in the Starliters' version is David Brigati, whose brother, Eddie Brigati, was a singer for 1960s rock band the (Young) Rascals.^[2]

The original recording of the song was considered too long for release on a 45 rpm single, so it was split into two parts. It was this first part, "Peppermint Twist (Part 1)", with a length of 2:03, which became the No.1 hit; the mostly instrumental second half of the recording is rarely heard today.

Chart performance

Chart (1962)	Peak position
New Zealand lever hit parade[3]	1
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[4]	33
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	1
US Billboard Hot R&B Sides[6]	8

Personnel

• David Brigati - lead vocals
• Billy Butler - guitar
• Don Martin - drums
• Carlton Lattimore - organ
• Jerome Richardson - sax

The Sweet version

"Peppermint Twist"
Single by The Sweet
from the album Sweet Fanny Adams
B-side	"Rebel Rouser"
Released	1974 (1974)
Recorded	January 1974
Studio	Audio International Studios, London;[7] Advision Studios, London[7]
Genre	Glam rock[8] bubblegum[9]
Length	3:27
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Joey Dee, Henry Glover
The Sweet singles chronology
"Turn It Down" (1974) "Peppermint Twist" (1974) "Fox on the Run" (1975)

The song was covered by English glam rock band the Sweet on their second album Sweet Fanny Adams.^[10] It was released as a single in 1974, but only in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, reaching No. 4 on the weekly chart and No. 26 on the 1975 year end chart in the former.^[11]

A pop song with swirly vocal harmonies,^[9] "Peppermint Twist" is the last example of the band's bubblegum sound. It's been criticized as out of place on Sweet Fanny Adams, a hard rock album.^[12]

Chart performance

Chart (1974)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13]	4

Personnel

• Brian Connolly – lead vocals, handclaps^, tambourine^
• Steve Priest – bass guitar and 6-string bass^
• Mick Tucker – vocals, timpani^, tubular bells^, gong^, effects^ (drums is uncredited)
• Andy Scott – guitars, piano^, cello^

^credited only (uncredited)

See also

• Twist songs