A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)

"A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" is a song first recorded in 1958 by Priscilla Bowman, on the Abner Records label (ABNER DJ 1018).^[1] Bowman was given vocal backing by The Spaniels.^[2]

"A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)"
Single by Dinah Washington and Brook Benton
from the album The Two of Us
B-side	"I Believe"
Released	May 1960
Recorded	March 1960
Genre	Soul
Length	2:25
Label	Mercury Records: 671629
Songwriter(s)	Brook Benton, Clyde Otis Luchi de Jesus
Producer(s)	Clyde Otis
Dinah Washington and Brook Benton singles chronology
"Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (1960) "A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" (1960) "This Bitter Earth" (1960)
Official audio
"A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)" on YouTube

Dinah Washington and Brook Benton version

In 1960 the song was recorded as a pop and R&B duet by Dinah Washington and Brook Benton. The single was the second pairing for the singers and, like their first single together, it went to number 1 on the R&B chart and was a top ten pop single as well.^[3]

The song was written by Benton, Clyde Otis and Luchi de Jesus.^[4] The single, with the song title styled "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall I Love)", included orchestra arranged and conducted by Belford Hendricks.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1960)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5]	28
Canada (CHUM)[6]	17
US Billboard Hot 100[7]	7
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8]	1
US Cash Box Top 100[9]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (1960)	Position
US Billboard Top 100[10]	75
US Cash Box Top 100[10]	44

Shakin' Stevens and Bonnie Tyler version

"A Rockin' Good Way"
Single by Shakin' Stevens & Bonnie Tyler
from the album The Bop Won't Stop
B-side	"Why Do You Treat Me This Way?"
Released	30 December 1983 (1983-12-30)
Recorded	1983
Studio	Eden Studios, London
Genre	Rock and roll pop rock
Length	2:55
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Brook Benton Clyde Otis Luchi DeJesus
Producer(s)	Christopher Neil
Shakin' Stevens singles chronology
"Cry Just a Little Bit" (1983) "A Rockin' Good Way" (1983) "A Love Worth Waiting For" (1984)
Bonnie Tyler singles chronology
"Take Me Back" (1983) "A Rockin' Good Way" (1983) "Holding Out for a Hero" (1984)
Official video
"A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)" on YouTube

A duet by Welsh singers Shakin' Stevens and Bonnie Tyler was released on 30 December 1983 and made number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in Ireland.^[11][12] It was included on Stevens' 1984 album The Bop Won't Stop. The B-side was a live recording by Stevens' of "Why Do You Treat Me This Way?" at the Birmingham Odeon.

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "A Rockin' Good Way"

Charts (1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13]	21
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14]	9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15]	5
Ireland (IRMA)[12]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16]	8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17]	8
Germany (GfK)[18]	22
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19]	8
Norway (VG-lista)[20]	4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21]	11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22]	10
UK Singles (OCC)[11]	5

Year-end charts

1984 year-end chart performance for "A Rockin' Good Way"

Chart (1984)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[23]	60
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24]	33