Shake a Tail Feather by Ray Charles (feat. The Blues Brothers)

ByEditor

Ray Charles performing ‘Shake a Tail Feather’ in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.

Man, why can’t real life be like this? Just going about your business on a typical day, and a hot song echos through the air and everyone just starts dancing.

The location shots for this scene were filmed at 47th Street and Prairie Ave. The building that housed Ray’s Music Exchange is still standing and currently is a pawn shop. The mural is still on the wall as well, albeit faded after nearly four decades.

Lyrics:
Well I heard about the fellow you’ve been dancin’ with All over the neighbourhood
So why didn’t you ask me baby?
Didn’t you think I could?

Well I know that the boogaloo is outta sight
But to shake a leisure thing tonight
Would it happen to me and you baby?
I want to show you how to do it right…

Do it right. Uh huh. Do it right. Do it right, do it right, do it right, do it right!
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !
Twist it! Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it baby! Here we go loop di loo!
Shake it out baby!
Here we go loop di lie!
Bend over, let me see you shake your tail feather (bis) Come on, let me see you shake your tail feather (bis)
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Chorus] (again!)
Come on! Come on babe! Come on! Yeah come on babe!
Alright!
Do the twist!
Do the fly!
Do the swim!
(Ha! Ha! Ha!)
And do the bird!
(Oh!)
Do the duck!
(Ah!)
Do the monkey!
(Hey! Hey!)
Watootsie!
And the… what about the food?
Do the mashed potato!
What about the boogaloo?
The Boney Muroney!
Come on! Let’s do the twist!
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Twist it! Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it baby! (bis)
(Oh!) Twist it! Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it baby!