Twist and Shout – The Beatles

Posted on September 17, 2026 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

I assumed this stupendously well-known early Beatles rocker was penned by them, but it was in fact written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns two years before the Beatles’ 1963 release. It was already a hit in the record charts in a version by the Isley Brothers, from their own album Twist & Shout in 1962. Other groups after the Beatles even had chart success with their versions of it, like Salt-N-Pepa, and Chaka Demus & Pliers.

My favourite aspect of the song is John Lennon’s untamed and ardent singing, but interestingly Lennon initially didn’t like his voice on it. He said, ‘because I could sing better than that, but now it doesn’t bother me. You can hear that I’m just a frantic guy doing his best‘.

Well, he might not have liked it, but I think it’s the ants’ pants. A second take was attempted, but Lennon had nothing left because of his hoarse voice, and it was abandoned. It’s funny how, from his sheer zeal in the first take, he seems destined to go hoarse. So it’s foretelling, really. He’s clearly shattered by the end, but it’s still magic.

Twist and Shout and their other rocker Dizzy Miss Lizzy are two of my favourite rockers from their early period – interestingly both are covers. That deceptively simple guitar intro has a beautiful timbre and gets the engine churning. It’s so anticipatory and then, boom, Lennon’s voice comes in so unhinged, husky and impassioned, like there’s no tomorrow – at times screeching, screaming and belting it out.

Twist and Shout is so bursting with unbridled youthful energy and excitement. It draws some parallels to the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis.

It reached No. 2 on the US Billboard singles chart, during the week when the top five places on the chart were all Beatles singles. The song failed to hit No. 1 in the US because the group’s own follow-up single, Can’t Buy Me Love, held the spot.

In the UK, Twist and Shout was released as an EP, where it reached No. 1 on the EP chart.

[Verse 1]
Well, shake it up, baby, now (Shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout (Twist and shout)
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (Come on, baby)
Come on and work it on out (Work it on out, ooh)
Well, work it on out, honey (Work it on out)
You know you look so good (Look so good)
You know you got me goin’ now (Got me goin’)
Just like you knew you would (Like I knew you would, ooh)

[Verse 2]
Well, shake it up, baby, now (Shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout (Twist and shout)
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (Come on, baby)
Come on and work it on out (Work it on out, ooh)
You know you twist, you little girl (Twist, little girl)
You know you twist so fine (Twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now (Twist a little closer)
And let me know that you’re mine (Let me know you’re mine, ooh)

[Bridge]
Ah (Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah) Woah (Yeah), yeah

[Verse 3]
Baby, now (Shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout (Twist and shout)
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (Come on, baby)
Come on and work it on out (Work it on out, ooh)
You know you twist, you little girl (Twist, little girl)
You know you twist so fine (Twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now (Twist a little closer)
And let me know that you’re mine (Let me know you’re mine, ooh)

[Outro]
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now (Shake it up, baby)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now (Shake it up, baby)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now (Shake it up, baby)
Ah (Ah, ah, ah)
Ayy

References:
1. Twist and Shout – Wikipedia