Tossin' And Turnin'

Album: Tossin' & Turnin' (1960)
Charted: 1
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Songfacts®:

  • After several unsuccessful auditions, R&B vocalist Bobby Lewis stopped off at the office of Beltone Records in Manhattan. The already signed Ritchie Adams, lead singer of the Fireflies, recognized Lewis from a gig they'd both appeared in at the Apollo theater and suggested he record his composition "Tossin' And Turnin'." The single was released at the end of 1960 and rose to the top of the Billboard charts selling 3 million copies. In the UK it was covered by the Ivy League who took this song to #3 in 1965. His follow up single "One Track Mind" was also an American Top 10 hit but after that his career faltered. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England

Comments: 12

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NySixty years ago today in 1961 {July 10th}, "Tossin' and Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis peaked at #1 {for 7 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
    The week before "Tossin' and Turnin'" also peaked at #1 {for 10 weeks} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
    "Tossin' and Turnin'" prevented "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton and "I Like It Like That (Part 1)" by Chris Kenner from reaching #1, both records peaked at #2 and they each stayed at that position for three weeks...
    From April of 1961 to July of 1962 the Indianapolis, Indiana native had four records on the Top 100 chart, two made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, the above "Tossin' and Turnin'"...
    Besides "Tossin' and Turnin'", his other Top 10 record was "One Track Mind", it peaked at #9 {for 1 week} in September of 1961...
    His other two Top 100 records were "What A Walk" {#77 for one week in November of 1961} and "I'm Tossin' and Turnin' Again" {#98 for one week in July of 1962}...
    Bobby Lewis, born Robert Alan Lewis, passed away at the age of 87 on April 28th, 2020 {pneumonia}...
    May he R.I.P.
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Top 10 on July 10th, 1961:
    At #2. "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton
    #3. "Quarter To Three" by Gary 'U.S.' Bonds {the #1 record for the previous two weeks}
    #4. "Raindrops" by Dee Clark
    #5. "The Writing On The Wall" by Adam Wade
    #6. "Every Beat of My Heart" by The Pips
    #7. "Moody River" by Pat Boone
    #8. "Yellow Bird" by The Arthur Lyman Group
    #9. "Hats Off To Larry" by Del Shannon
    #10. "Dance On Little Girl" by Paul Ank
  • Don Gould from Boca Raton, FlWhen I was doing a special Top 500 Songs of All Time on a Melbourne radio station one day in 1776, I managed to get Bobby Lewis on the phone to talk about "Tossin' and Turnin." At that time, it was the number 5 selling song of all time. Bobby was kind and sounded truly appreciative that we reached out to talk to him.
  • Tim from New YorkBobbie Lewis' version set the standard. Period!
  • Nelgin from TexasThe song by The Ivy League is nothing like the Bobby Lewis song, other than the title. The Ivy League version was written by John Carter, Ken Lewis, and Perry Ford registered as ASCAP work ID 500168858. The Bobby Lewis version was written by Ritchie Adams and Malou Rene. The songs couldn't be more different.
  • Mal from Southern MarylandThis is one of my all time favorite songs! My sister and I used to dance and act out the words to this song when we were 5 and 6 years old, in the early sixties, and living in a coastal town in Florida. We are now in our sixties and live in different areas of the country but we talk almost every day and still sing that song and crack up with laughter about how our parents got a kick out of our performances to that song.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 2nd 1961, Bobby Lewis performed "Tossin' and Turnin'" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #34 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; just over five weeks later on July 10th, 1961 it would peak at #1* {for 7 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for almost a half year {23 weeks}...
    And on June 27th, 1961 it reached #1 {for 10 weeks} on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    Bobby Lewis celebrated his 82nd birthday four months ago on February 17th {2015}...
    * “Tossin’ and Turnin’” prevented two other songs from reaching #1; "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton and “I Like It Like That (Part 1)" by Chris Kenner, both those songs peaked at #2 for three weeks each.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 22nd 1962, "I'm Tossin' and Turnin' Again" by Bobby Lewis entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart for a one stay at position #98... (its on You Tube)
    Besides the original "Tossin' and Turnin'" and "One Track Mind", he had one other Top 100 record, "What A Walk", it stayed on the chart for 3 weeks peaking at #77.
  • Wayne from Salem, VaOne of my favorite oldies from the early sixties. A real upbeat tune. My favorite line is "I heard the milkman at the door". How long has it been since the milkman delivered to your house? A great song.
  • Cathy from Milton Keynes, United KingdomThis song is so, so, good. I loved it at first hearing and still love it now. It's just amazing.

    Cathy Cave
  • Lester from New York City, NyI believe Bobby Lewis did a follow-up song called Tossin' & Turnin' Again.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScIn ATlanta there are a lot of people and traffic. I have family members who live ther, and it's a fun placw ro ciair, vur I don't think I'd want to live there. I know how he felt. Actually though, my family members live in Snellville.
  • Patrick from Humboldt, Iaooo beautiful song
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