‘The Loco-Motion’ (or "Locomotion") is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. ‘The Loco-Motion’ was originally written for R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp, but Sharp turned the song down. The song is especially notable for making three appearances in the American Top 3, each in a different decade: in 1962 by Little Eva (U.S. No. 1); in 1974 by Grand Funk Railroad (also U.S. No. 1); and in 1988 by Kylie Minogue (U.S. No. 3).
The song is an enduring example of the dance-song genre; much of the lyric is devoted to a description of the dance itself, usually performed as a type of line dance. However, the song pre-dates the dance. ‘The Loco-Motion’ was also the second song to reach No. 1 by two different musical acts in America. The earlier song to do this was ‘Go Away Little Girl’, also written by Goffin and King. It is one of only nine songs to achieve this feat.
American rock band Grand Funk Railroad recorded a cover version of the song in 1974, produced by Todd Rundgren. The decision to play the song came about after guitarist Mark Farner was heard whistling the song in the studio. The Grand Funk version of the song featured guitars, several layers of harmony, and heavy drums. ‘The Loco-Motion’ appeared on Grand Funk Railroad's album Shinin' On and was released as a single in February 1974, eventually peaking at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in May 1974. It also reached number 5 in Australia, peaked at number 1 in Canada, and reached number 11 in Germany.
Grand Funk is a swaggering rock band, but their unlikely cover of the ‘The Loco-Motion’ - a song about a dance craze - worked surprisingly well with their sound and attitude. In a Songfacts interview with Grand Funk drummer and vocalist Don Brewer, he explained: "The idea of 'Loco-Motion' came when we were working on the Shinin' On album in the studio with Todd (Rundgren). We had basically finished the album - 'Shinin' On' was going to be the first single, and we were thinking about what we were going to do for another song. Mark (Farner) came in one day and off the top of his head was singing, 'Everybody's doing a brand new dance now,' just for fun, and we all went, 'Yeah, Grand Funk doing the Locomotion.' It was a tongue-in-cheek kind of thing, and we said, 'Let's try it, let's do it,' so we sent off to New York, got the lyrics, and Todd had the idea of doing the song kind of like The Beach Boys' 'Barbara Ann' where it sounded like a big party was going on, except Todd could really crank up everything with the hand claps and all of that stuff. It just had this huge sound to it - it sounded like a big party."
Label – Dimension 1000
Songwriters – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
Producer – Gerry Goffin
SONG LYRICS
Everybody's doin' a brand new dance now(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
My little baby sister can do it with ease
It's easier than learnin' your ABCs
So, come on, come on, and do the Loco-Motion with me
You've got to swing your hips now
Come on (come on)
Jump up (jump up)
Jump back (jump back)
Oh well, I think you've got the knack
Woah, woah
Now that you can do it, well let's make a chain now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
A chuga-chuga motion like a railroad train, now
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
Do it nice and easy now, and don't lose control
A little bit of rhythm and a lot of soul
Well, come on, come on, and do the Loco-Motion with me
Woah, woah
Move around the floor in a loco-motion
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
Do it holdin' hands if'n you get the notion
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
There's never been a dance that's so easy to do
It even makes you happy when you're feelin' blue
So, come on, come on, and do the Loco-Motion with me
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
So, come on, come on, and do the Loco-Motion with me
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
So, come on, come on, and do the Loco-Motion with me
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)
(Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion)