The Hand Jive

Where Miscellaneous Items End Up!

James Asks: "Who Is Way Out Willie?"

I know a cat named Way-out Willie
He's got a groovy little chick named Rocking' Lily

Yeah, rock & rolling Suzie Q
Does that crazy old hand jive, too

Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive
Do that crazy hand jive

Mama, mama, look at Sister Flo
Doing that hand jive with Uncle Joe

When I gave little sister a dime
I said "Do that hand jive one more time"

Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive
Do that crazy hand jive

A doctor, a lawyer and an Indian Chief
They all dig that Diddley beat

Way-out Willie gave them all a treat
When he did that hand jive with his feet

Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive
Do that crazy hand jive

Papa told Willie, "You'll ruin my home
You and that hand jive have got to go"

Willie told Papa, "Don't you put me down
They're doing that hand jive all around town"

Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive
Do that crazy hand jive

Willie and Lily got married last fall
They had a little Willie Junior, and that ain't all

Well, the baby got famous in his crib, you see
When he did that hand jive on MTV

Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive
Do that crazy hand jive

Clapping Hands

James Needed To Know

Shoes

James didn't know about "Way out Willie" so it seemed like a good research project.

The Hand jive is a dance particularly associated with rock and roll and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s. It involves a complicated pattern of hand moves and claps at various parts of the body, following and/or imitating the percussion instruments.

 It resembles a highly elaborate version of Pat-a-cake. Hand moves include thigh slapping, cross-wrist slapping, fist pounding, chest slapping and pounding, hand clapping, elbow touching and hitch hike moves.

The hand jive was particularly popularized by Johnny Otis's 1958 hit "Willie and the Hand Jive". Eric Clapton did a version of the song in 1974 that reached the Top 40.

 It is also featured prominently in the Broadway musical Grease through the song "Born to Hand Jive"; in the movie adaptation of the musical, the song is performed by Sha Na Na.

Images
Remember Grease