Champion Jack Dupree - SHIM SHAM SHIMMY like Jack Dupree

The rock 'n' roll era agreed with Jack Dupree.  I don't think that I'll be ruffling the suitfeathers of anyone who comes to this website's frequently by asserting that Champion Jack Dupree did the majority of his best work in the 50s.  His recordings for Red Robin, Groove/Vik and King are certainly the most Ichiban-appropriate material he'd ever cut, and some of the 45s he released in this era are iconic, exciting, dance floor monstrosities of undying magnificence.

Must be the backbeat!

Take, for instance his recordings for Red Robin in 1953/1954. "Stumbling Block" and "Shake Baby Shake" make their first appearances (under those names - an early version of "Stumbling Block" was issued as "New Low Down Dog" and "Shake Baby Shake" is a slightly spiffed up "Dupree Shake Dance"). While he does manage to top this Red Robin "Stumbling Block" over at King a couple years later, "Shake Baby Shake" is never better than the version released on Red Robin, with its ever escalating, distorted double-McGhee guitar attack and outstanding shuffle rhythm. The one on VIK is hot, but this is the one.

SHAKE BABY SHAKE on ROBIN (all the youtubes SLS).

But of course the crown jewel in the Red Robin trilogy, and I'm sure for some of you the greatest Champion Jack Dupree record of all times is the wild "Shim Sham Shimmy"/"Drunk Again" double shot.  I first heard "Shim Sham Shimmy" on the classic Lookey Dookey comp, released by some anonymous genius (he must want to remain anonymous because he's always wearin' shades).  If there is ever a party that this song can't take up to another level, I don't want to go to it.  "Take off your your  tie, hang onto your skirt, get down real low and reach right down in the dirt!"

The flip, "Drunk Again", shows Jack developing his oddball "hairlip" voice that he'd use on so many of his King releases. "Your breath smells like you've been chewing chinches or drinking bed bug juice!"

"Drunk Again"