FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 7, 2018

DEAR JERRY: I keep discovering "twist" records that I have never heard of, many by unknown artists, but some by established stars.

Since there doesn't seem to be a good twist discography anywhere, I'm hoping you will document as many as possible, especially from 1959 through 1962 . Just U.S. singles, and not LPs.
—Boyd Ferguson, Arnold, Mo.

DEAR BOYD: Not surprisingly, Hank Ballard's original seems to be the only "twist" single in 1959, but in the three years that followed there were from 250 to 300. Thus far, we have over 250, though more will be added as they become known.

What I can tell you now, that I didn't realize before doing this research, is there really were a lot of "twist" records, especially in 1962, which has 190 (so far)!

1959:
"The Twist" (Hank Ballard and the Midnighters)

1960:
"Hapsburg Serenade (Twist)" (Dizzy Dixon & the Deacons)
"Kissin' and Twistin'" (Fabian)
"(Let's Do) The Hully Gully Twist" (Bill Doggett)
"Teen Twist" (Buddy Miller)
"The Madison Twist" (Charlie Hoss & the Ponies)
"The Raunchy Twist" (Charlie Hoss & the Ponies)
"The Twist" (Chubby Checker)
"The Witch's Twist" (Mandrake)
"Twistin' and Cryin' All Alone" (Terry Corin)
"Twistin' Freeze" (Johnny Folkston)
"Twistin' 'N Bendin'" (Red Prysock)
"Twistin' Pneumonia" (The Genies)
"Twistin' USA" (Danny and the Juniors)
"Twisting on Bandstand" (The Sprouts)

1961:
"Big Split Twist" (Marty & the Merits)
"Celebrity Twist" (Rod McKuen)
"Dear Lady Twist" (Gary [U.S.] Bonds)
"Florida Twist" (Bill Haley & His Comets)
"High Society Twist" (Nick Perito)
"Introducing the Twist" (Arthur Murray)
"Italian Twist" (The Unique Echos)
"Kansas City Twist" (Wilbert Harrison)
"La Paloma Twist" (Chubby Checker)
"Learn to Dance the Authentic Peppermint Twist" (Joey Dee)
"Let Me Do My Twist" (Jo Ann Campbell)
"Let's Do the Peppermint Twist" (Nick Perito)
"Let's Twist Again" (Chubby Checker)
"Little Miss Twist" (The Beau-Marks)
"Merry Twist-Mas" (The Marcels)
"Mother Goose Twist" (Teddy Randazzo)
"Oh Ma Ma Twist" (Louis Prima)
"Oliver Twist" (Rod McKuen)
"Organ Twist" (Lester Lanin Orchestra)
"Peppermint Twist" (Joey Dee and the Starliters)
"Peppermint Twist" (The Royaltones)
"Peppermint Twist Time" (The Twisters)
"Rock-A-Hula Baby ('Twist Special')" (Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires)
"San Francisco Twist" (Al & Nettie)
"Sloppy - Twist - A - Fish" (Pete Marcel)
"Tequila Twist" (The Champs)
"Texas Twist" (Roy Clark)
"The Basie Twist" (Count Basie & His Orchestra)
"The Continental Twist" (Louis Prima)
"The Hula Twist" (Reg Owen & His Orchestra)
"The Moon River Twist" (Aki Aleong & His Licorice Twisters)
"The Peppermint Twist" (Danny Peppermint & the Jumping Jacks)
"The Spanish Twist" (Bill Haley & His Comets)
"The Twist" (Ernie Freeman)
"The Twist" (Ray Anthony)
"Tonight (Twist)" (Aki Aleong & His Licorice Twisters)
"Twist and Freeze" (Orlie & the Saints)
"Twist and Freeze" (Tony & Joe)
"Twist and Shout" (The Top Notes)
"Twist Cacciatore" (Hale & Hayden)
"Twist Changa" (Machito Orchestra)
"Twist It Baby" (Jimmy Lee Robinson)
"Twist Like This" (Eddie Clearwater)
"Twist On Little Girl" (Jimmy Clanton)
"(Twist To) Blueberry Hill" (Chubby Checker)
"(Twist To) I Could Have Danced All Night" (Chubby Checker)
"Twisted Fiddle" (Bob Bethel)
"Twister" (Clyde Battin)
"Twister" (Ralph Smith)
"Twist-Her" (Bill Black's Combo)
"Twistin' a Hoedown" (Will Foy)
"Twistin' All Night Long" (Danny and the Juniors)
"Twistin' and Jivin'" (King Curtis)
"Twistin' Baby" (Frank Verna)
"Twistin' Bells" (Santo & Johnny)
"Twistin' Freeze Boogie" (Palais Royals)
"Twistin' Jenny" (Jennell Hawkins)
"Twistin' Town" (The Echos)
"Twistin' Train" (Mario & the Flips)
"Twistin' Train" (The Goodtimers)
"Twistin' Up a Storm" (The Lone Twister)
"Twist'in Mary Jane" (Tony & the Knights)
"Twistin' U.S.A." (Chubby Checker)
"Twistin' White Silver Sands" (Bill Black's Combo)
"Twist-ing" (Irving Fields)
"Twistle" (Troy & the T-Birds)
"Twist'n Ball" (The Twisters)
"Wildwood Twist" (Roy Clark)
"Yo Yo Twist" (Denny & Lenny)
"Zig Zag Twist" (Bobby Bare)

1962:
"Anitra's Twist" (Carol Kaye)
"Arkansas Twist" (Bobby Lee Trammell)
"Big Bo's - Twist" (Big Bo & the Arrows)
"Big Mama's Twist" (Bill Chappell)
"Blub Twist" (Johnny Lee Wills & Boys)
"Bony Moronie Twist" (The Dothans)
"Boogie Twist" (Paul Gallis)
"Boogie Woogie Twist" (Dean & Marc)
"Bristol Twistin' Annie" (The Dovells)
"Bunny Hop Twist" (Ray Anthony)
"Calipso Twist - Tight Blue Jeans" (Billy Watkins)
"Chinese Twist" (The Popcorns)
"Come on and Do the Twist" (Sam Butera & the Witnesses)
"Come on Let's Twist" (Freddy Tino & the Twisting Cyclones)
"Do the President Twist" (Lulu Reed & Freddy King)
"Do You Know How to Twist" (Hank Ballard)
"Don't Twist (With Anyone Else But Me)" (Clay Cole)
"Don't Wanna Twist No-More" (Gabriel & the Angels)
"Enlistment Twist" (Dick Dale & Francine York)
"Everybody's Twistin'" (Frank Sinatra)
"Fair Twist" (Mike Strauss & Neil Van Den Berg & the Whitehall Street Orchestra)
"Grandison Twist" (The Grandison Singers)
"Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist" (The Virtues)
"Harem Twist" (Hrach Yacoubian)
"Hey, Let's Twist" (Joey Dee & the Starliters)
"Hip Twist" (Maynard Ferguson & His Orchestra)
"Honky Tonk Twist" (Jo Ann Castle)
"Hucklebuck (Twist)" (Ernie Fields)
"Hully Gully Twist" (B.B. King)
"I Wanna Twist" (Sal Valentino & the Valentines)
"Itty Bitty Twist" (The Blue-Belles)
"Jam Up Twist" (Tommy Ridgley)
"Jungle Twist" (The Fortune Tellers)
"Kiss 'n' Twist (Tarantella)" (Connie Francis)
"K'nock Around the Clock Twist" (Mickey Katz & His Orchestra)
"Let Me Show You How (To Twist)" (Chris Kenner)
"Lets Twist (Say Man Lets Twist)" (The Cupids)
"Let's Twist Again (In Italian)" (Marino Marini)
"(Let's Twist) Slow and Easy" (Ted Jarrett)
"Let's Untwist the Twist" (Vito & the Salutations)
"Limbo Twist" (El Cid & the Limbo Trix)
"Love Twist" (Johnny Jenkins & the Pinetoppers)
"Mama Don't Allow No Twistin' Here" (Don Meechan)
"Mashed Potato Twist" (B.B. King)
"Mashed Potato Twist" (Dean Christie)
"Memphis Twist" (Earl Forest)
"Moon Twist" (Chuck Dallis)
"Muddy Waters Twist" (Muddy Waters)
"Neil's Twist" (Neil Sedaka)
"Old Folks Boogie While the Young Ones Twist" (Henry Strogin)
"Ole Man's Twist" (The Rainbows)
"Organ Grinder's Twist" (Phil Upchurch)
"Patricia's Twist" (Perez Prado)
"Pedro's Piano Roll Twist" (El Clod)
"Peppermint Twist" (Leroy Jones)
"Percolator (Twist)" (Billy Joe & the Checkmates)
"Percussion Twist" (The Stardusters)
"Queen of the Twist" (Johnny Otis)
"Raunchy Twist" (The G-Men)
"Running Loose Twist" (The Twilights)
"Scotland Twist" (Franck Pourcel & His French Strings)
"Show Me How to Twist" (Billy Lewis)
"6/8 Twist" (Jimmy Riddle)
"Slow Twistin'" (Chubby Checker) (with Dee Dee Sharp, not credited)
"Slow Twistin'" (Clark Dale)
"Someone Stole My Baby Doing the Twist" (Rocky Hart)
"Soul Twist" (King Curtis & the Noble Knights)
"Spanish Twist" (The Roller Coasters)
"St. Louis Twist" (Bobby Smith & the Neat-Beats)
"Sugartime Twist" (The McGuire Sisters)
"Surfer's Twist" (The Defiants)
"Swingin' Shepherd Blues Twist" (Moe Koffman)
"Teach Me, Teach Me How to Twist" (Shep & the Limelites)
"Teach Me to Twist" (Bobby Rydell and Chubby Checker)
"Tequila With a Twist" (Ray Anthony)
"Texarkana Twist" (Louis Jordan)
"The Alvin Twist" (The Chipmunks)
"The Big Band Twist" (The Ronn Metcalfe Orchestra)
"The Challe Twist" (Mickey Katz & His Orchestra)
"The chicken Twist" (Herb Hardesty)
"The Circle Twist" (John Lockett)
"The Dobro Twist" (The McCormick Bros.)
"The Doodle Twist" (Bill Doggett)
"The Dribble (Twist)" (The Magnificents)
"The Dribble Twist" (The Raging Storms)
"The Hollywood Twist" (Si Zentner & His Orchestra)
"The Lady Wants to Twist" (Steve Lawrence)
"The Monster Twist" (Tyrone A'Saurus & His Cro-Magnons)
"The Slow Twist" (Jimmy Anthony)
"The Twist" (Babe Pier)
"The Twist" (Billy Wade)
"The Twist" (Jim Tyler Orchestra)
"Tiger Twist" (Armando Sciascia & His Orchestra)
"Ti-Pi-Tin Twist" (Perez Prado)
"Twist" (The Olympics)
"Twist (The Beat of My Heart)" (Ann Darris)
"Twist All Night" (Louis Prima)
"Twist Along" (Cal Carter)
"Twist and Freeze" (Bob Keene)
"Twist and Shout" (The Isley Brothers)
"Twist and Turn" (Grady Martin)
"Twist Around the Clock" (Clay Cole)
"Twist Around the Clock" (Don May)
"Twist Beat" (Florescence)
"Twist Calypso" (Jimmy Radcliffe)
"Twist Cha Cha" (Les McCann)
"Twist Every Witcha-Kinda-Way" (Al Michael & the Capers)
"Twist Fever" (Arch Hall, Jr. & the Archers)
"Twist in Love (In Italian)" (Marino Marini)
"Twist It" (Bobby Lee)
"Twist Italiano" (Lou Monte)
"Twist Lackawanna" (Jr. Walker & the All Stars)
"Twist Li'l Liza" (Frank D'Rone)
"Twist Mary Sue" (J. & the Sabres)
"Twist Me Henry" (June McKnight)
"Twist Polka" (Ray Henry)
"Twist, Robin, Twist" (Johnny Long With Woody & the Brothers Three)
"Twist Serenade" (Hank Marr)
"Twist '62'" (Jerry McCain)
"Twist That Thing" (Billy Joe & the Checkmates)
"Twist the Blues Away" (Yvann Daniel)
"Twist to End All Twists" (Robby Lawrence)
"Twist, Twist Senora" (Gary [U.S.] Bonds)
"Twist Up Calypso" (Gary [U.S.] Bonds)
"Twist With Me Annie" (Smokey Smothers)
"Twist-A-Roo" (Jerry Reed & the Hully Girlies)
"Twist-A-Tast" (The Fourmost)
"Twisteree" (Judy Jae)
"Twistin' and Kissin'" (Ronnie & the Hi-Lites)
"Twistin' and Listenin'" (Jo Ann Campbell)
"Twistin' and Turning Polka" (Li'l Wally)
"Twistin' and Twangin'" (Duane Eddy)
"Twistin' an-Stompin'" (Barbara Joy)
"Twistin' Around" (The Four Uniques)
"Twistin' at the Pool" (Prince Charles)
"Twistin' at the Waldorf" (Don Meechan)
"Twistin' Baby" (Frank Verna)
"Twistin' Baby" (The Spirals)
"Twistin' Beat" (Phil Flowers)
"Twistin' Chicken" (Quincy Jones)
"Twistin' Cricket" (Nestor La Bonte)
"Twistin' Fever" (The Marcels)
"Twistin' Fools" (Hank Ballard & the Midnighters)
"Twistin' in the Hospital" (Chuck Willis)
"Twistin' in the Tub" (Damal & Rasheed)
"Twistin' Linda" (Jimmy Ty)
"Twistin' Matilda (and the channel)" (Jimmy Soul)
"Twistin' 'N' Stompin'" (The Defiants)
"Twistin' Out of Space" (Robert Parker)
"Twistin' Pony" (The Hi-Lites)
"Twistin' Postman" (The Marvelettes)
"Twistin' Rose of Texas" (Johnny Desmond)
"Twistin' Rumble" (Ronnie Kaye)
"Twistin' Shadows" (The Shadows Five)
"Twistin' Strings" (The Starfires)
"Twistin' Susie Q" (Arlene Jay
"Twistin' the Blues" (Lloyd Price)
"Twistin' the Hoochie Coo" (Ellen Tracey)
"Twistin' the Night Away" (Sam Cooke)
"Twistin' the Stomp" (Fats Domino)
"Twistin' the Trad" (Dave Ede & the Rabin Band)
"Twistin' the Twist" (Caterina Valente)
"Twistin' the Twist" (Franck Pourcel & His French Strings)
"Twistin' the Way I Like" (Big 'A' Ran)
"Twistin' Those Meeces to Pieces" (Dave Ede & the Rabin Band)
"Twistin' Time" (Ernie Freeman)
"Twistin' Time" (The Hi-Lites)
"Twistin' to the Blues" (Buddy Greco)
"Twistin' Train" (Jimmy O'Neill)
"Twistin' Train" (Titus Turner)
"Twistin' Twist" (Willard Burton)
"Twistin' White Silver Sands" (Bill Black's Combo)
"Twistin' with Linda" (The Isley Brothers)
"Twisting at the Little Big Horn" (King Tut)
"Twisting at the Top" (Bobby Swanson)
"Twisting at the Wood Choppers Ball" (The Ronn Metcalfe Orchestra)
"Twisting Bones" (Cal Carter Singers)
"Twisting Home" (Little Bob & the Lollipops)
"Twisting Steel Drums" (Tommy Rey & the Caribe Steel Band)
"Twisting the Jug" (Gene Ammons)
"Twisting Time" (King Curtis)
"Twisting Winds" (King Curtis)
"Twisting With Brahms" (Tony Scott & the Sultans)
"Twisting With the King" (King Curtis & the Noble Knights)
"Twistville" (Lloyd Glenn)
"Voodoo Twist" (Johnny Winter)
"Watch Me Do the Twist" (Misty Bonner)
"Wild Twist" (The Roller Coasters)
"Wobble Twist" (King Curtis & the Noble Knights)