MARINO MARINI, Caffettiera Twist, 1961
Posted: May 29, 2009 Filed under: 60s, Italy, Twist Records | Tags: Bella Italia, Caffettiera, Dino Risi, Il Sorpasso, O kyrios Pterarhos, Randy Randolph, Thanos Souyioul, The Twist, Vittorio Gassman 4 Comments
My girlfriend gave me this record for my birthday 10 years ago when I was obsessed with collecting the Twist. She had actually made a trip to a specialist record shop and asked for a Twist record.
Caffeteria Twist is a cover-version of Randy Randolph´s 1958 saxophone-instrumental hit record Percolator. The b-side Mille Luci is my favourite song of all of these songs. I know I´ll be pretty alone with that feeling because it is also the least rockin´one but that song makes me dream of scooters, ice-cream parlors and everything 60´s in Bella Italia…
MARINO MARINI, Caffettiera Twist, 1961
MARINO MARINI, Mille Luci, 1961
In his comment below Ilias just sent these links to some beautiful clips from European films that feature the Twist. The first one is from the Italian film Il Sorpasso directed by Dino Risi starring Vittorio Gassman:
This one is from the Greek film O kyrios Pterarhos (Mr Wing-commander) from 1963. The guy dressed in the Greek Air Force uniform who is dancing with the charming lady is Thanos Souyioul (son of the very famous Greek songwriter Mihalis Souyioul) who died very untimely few years later in a car accident.
Great choices! Thanks a lot Ilias!
About me:
My name is Andreas Michalke. I´m a cartoonist from Berlin, Germany and I like collecting records. Most of the records I find in thrift stores or at flea markets here in Berlin. I like a lot of music but I thought I`d focus on odd German records. Preferably with cartoon covers.
All my scans are high-resolution. If you double-click on them they will get much bigger.
You have donated us an indescribably beautiful 3-week party with the ’60s dance crazes, dear Andreas! (I wonder if some day could be organized a great international party with these dances in Berlin or elsewhere, by the fans of this blog… It would be terrific!)
Moreover, I’d like to encourage you so as not to feel alone about fancying “Mille Luci”, because I also enjoyed it very, very much; and in order to make your nostalgic feelings about Italy in the ’60s, a little more “tangible”, I’m offering you this extract: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXGCFubjjww from my beloved film “Il sorpasso” with the excellent Vittorio Gassman!
In addition, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xde2ZHIGkD4&feature=channel is a sample of how the Greeks did the Twist…
I have so enjoyed your today’s posts, especially the twists featured with orchestras, like Adam Ross’ “20th Century Rockin’ Room Twist”, which is implying a melody by Paderewski (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hK3XoVdO-8&feature=related)!
I feel sorry that this marvelous dance party is over, but I’m hopping that we’ll have the opportunity to “savour” some “mouthfuls” of these dances here and there, in the future…!
Best regards!
Ilias
PS: Viel Spaß und viel Erfolg bei eurem Auktion-Destruktion!!!
Dear Ilias,
You inspired me to search for more Twist clips and so I posted some that I found right away. There must be many more crazy Twist clips out there. Thanks for your encouragement. I´m happy that you enjoyed the dance craze weeks and I hope you won´t be dissapointed if I return to my usual weird advertisement flexis and private pressings in the future…
Grüsse aus Berlin
Andreas
The original “Percolator Twist” was in 1962 by Billy Joe & The Checkmates on Dore (US). There were also US cover versions on other labels (including Mercury-Philips). It was based on an instrumental TV commercial jingle for Maxwell House Coffee.
The Italian vocal version is really good.
The video clips are priceless, although the dancers are much calmer than those in the US.
Now, if you could find some of those crazy US films with wild dancers kneeling, jumping up, and doing back flips…
Did anyone ever work out what the music is on the Greek “Let’s Go Twist” clip? This is driving me crazy! I have the same jukebox and I would love to find this record.