(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty by KC & The Sunshine Band

Album: Part 3 (1976)

Charted: 22 1

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Songfacts®:

This was the third of five US #1 hits for KC & The Sunshine Band. All their hits were written by their bass player/producer Rick Finch and their lead singer/keyboard player Harry Wayne Casey (KC). Finch told Songfacts this song was directly inspired by dance moves they witnessed in clubs. He explained: "The Bump was big back then, and then every once in a while you'd see someone break loose and shake their booty like Jell-O. We figured, okay, how do you write about this? You know, say it like it is. We also were collecting phrases, trying to find a buzz word and write about it, or a catch phrase, and try and expound on that. Just trying to keep it fun."

Finch goes on to explain this method of tailoring songs to disco culture: "As we started performing, we'd pay attention to what the people were doing, either body moves or body language, and try to transfer that back into the next production. As soon as we got back off the road we'd go right into the studio with that freshly captured energy, start recording, and not try to think too much."
Harry Casey played a clavinet on this song up an octave, a sound that is often misheard as a guitar.
Television shows and films to use this song include:

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
Zookeeper (2011)
Jolene (2008)
The Scent of the Night (1998)
Carlito's Way (1993)

Six Feet Under (Pilot - 2001)
The Simpsons ("The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular!" - 1995)
Everybody Loves Raymond ("High School" - 1997)
Frank Zappa parodied this song on his 1979 album Sheik Yerbouti, featuring cover art of Zappa in Arabian garb. As the lyrics to "Shake Your Booty" were suggestive, the content of Sheik Yerbouti was well beyond suggestive - just considering the lyrics to Zappa's "Jewish Princess" alone!
Deftones frontman Chino Moreno told NME that the first song he remembers grabbing his attention was "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty." He recalls being 3 or 4 years old and rocking out to the tune while riding in his father's truck.

Comments: 5

Rob Adams from North GeorgiaI checked out this page today because I heard someone rather young use the term "booty" and wondered how long it's been in the American vernacular. Turns out it's been around for almost fifty years.
The King Of Pop Whisperer from Los Angeles CalaforniaI got my friend a cd for her birthday and everytime im at her house we shake our bootys sing together have dance partys!
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1977 {November 26th} K.C. and the Sunshine Band performed "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" on the nationally syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
At the time "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" was at #95 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, it was in its 21st and last week on the chart, and eleven weeks earlier it had peaked at #1 {for 1 week)...
And on September 12th, 1976 the record also peaked at #1 {for 3 weeks} on the Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
Between 1975 and 1983 the Florida band had eighteen records on the Hot Top 100 chart, seven made the Top 10 with five* reaching #1, "Get Down Tonight" {1 week in 1975}, "That's The Way (I Like It)" {2 weeks in 1975}, the above "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man" {1 week in 1977}, and "Please Don't Go" {1 week in 1980}...
Two of their eighteen charted records were with Teri DeSario, "Yes, I'm Ready" {#2 in 1979} and "Dancin' In The Street" {#66 in 1980}...
K.C., born Harry Wayne Casey, will celebrate his 70th birthday in two months on January 31st, 2021...
R.I.P. to Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012}...
* The group just missed having two more #1 records when both their "Keep It Comin' Love" {1977} and "Yes, I'm Ready" with Teri DeSario {1979} peaked at position #2 on the Top 100...
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenI shook my booty to this frequently when it came out, but now my booty is too old to do more that just quiver a bit.
Rick from Belfast, MeI was in the US Marine Corps when this song came out....specifically I was overseas in the Philliphines.....shaking and dancing!!!!!!

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