About The Song
“Down at the Twist and Shout” is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It celebrates the Bethesda, Maryland, dance and music venue Twist & Shout. It was released in June 1991 as the third single from the album Shooting Straight in the Dark. The song reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on September 14, 1991. The Cajun-themed song features backing from members of BeauSoleil, who are also name-dropped in the lyrics. Carpenter (and BeauSoleil) performed the song pregame at Super Bowl XXXI.
In 1992, “Down at the Twist and Shout” won Carpenter a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female. It was also nominated at the Academy of Country Music Awards for Song of the Year, losing to Billy Dean’s “Somewhere in My Broken Heart”.
Alvin and the Chipmunks recorded a cover for their 1992 album Chipmunks in Low Places.
American Aquarium covered the song on their 2021 album Slappers, Bangers, and Certified Twangers: Vol 1.
The music video was directed by Jack Cole and premiered in mid-1991.
Video
Lyrics
Saturday night and the moon is out
I wanna head on over to the Twist and Shout
Find a two-step partner and a Cajun beat
When it lifts me up I’m gonna find my feet
Out in the middle of a big dance floor
When I hear that fiddle, wanna beg for more
Wanna dance to a band from a-Lou’sian’ tonight
Well I never have wandered down to New Orleans
Never have drifted down a bayou stream
But I heard that music on the radio
And I swore some day I was gonna go
Down to Highway 10, past the Lafayette
There’s the Baton Rouge and I won’t forget
To send you a card with my regrets
‘Cause I’m never gonna come back home
Saturday night and the moon is out
I wanna head on over to the Twist and Shout
Find a two-step partner and a Cajun beat
When it lifts me up I’m gonna find my feet
Out in the middle of a big dance floor
When I hear that fiddle, wanna beg for more
Wanna dance to a band from a-Lou’sian’ tonight (Hey!)
They got a alligator stew and a crawfish pie
A Gulf storm blowin’ into town tonight
Livin’ on the Delta’s quite a show
They got hurricane parties every time it blows
But here up north it’s a cold, cold rain
And there ain’t no cure for my blues today
Except when the paper says “Beausoleil is a-coming into town”
Baby let’s go down
Saturday night and the moon is out
I wanna head on over to the Twist and Shout
Find a two-step partner and a Cajun beat
When it lifts me up I’m gonna find my feet
Out in the middle of a big dance floor
When I hear that fiddle, wanna beg for more
Wanna dance to a band from a-Lou’sian’ tonight (whoo!)
Bring your mama, bring your papa, bring your sister, too
They got lots of music and lots of room
When they play you a waltz from a-1910
You gonna feel a little bit young again
Well you learned to dance with your rock’n’roll
You learned to swing with a do-si-do
But you learn to love at the fais-so-do
When you hear a little Jolie Blon
Saturday night and the moon is out
I wanna head on over to the Twist and Shout
Find a two-step partner and a Cajun beat
When it lifts me up I’m gonna find my feet
Out in the middle of a big dance floor
When I hear that fiddle, wanna beg for more
Wanna dance to a band from a-Lou’sian’ tonight
Hey, cher