Wilson Pickett, Land of 1000 Dances | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 141^st edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Land of 1000 Dances” by Wilson Pickett.

“1-2-3 / 1-2-3 / Ow! Uh! Alright! Uh!” The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 141^st edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “Land of 1000 Dances”, performed by 🎙 Wilson Pickett. 

“Na, na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na.” WOO, 💿 The Exciting Wilson Pickett – what a great way to characterize legendary soul singer, 🎙 Wilson Pickett (1941 – 2006).  He was, indeed, quite exciting, infusing ample energy into his music.  The 1960s marked the ascent of Pickett, with 🎵 “Land of 1000 Dances” ranking among his best and most important songs of his career.  “Land of 1000 Dances” was written by and originally performed by 🎙 🎼 ✍ Chris Kenner in 1962.  Pickett recorded the definitive version in 1965, produced by 🎛 Jerry Wexler, Jim Stewart, Rick Hall, Steve Cropper, and Tom Dowd. “Land of 1000 Dances” marks one of two top-10 hits by Pickett. “Land,” his most successful of the two, peaked at no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 💪.

What makes “Land of 1000 Dances” so awesome? It’s fun, infectious, and tongue 👅 in cheek period.  You can’t listen to this Wilson Pickett classic without smiling, singing along, or moving and grooving.  Those “na na(s)” rank among the most memorable parts.  That said, there are plenty of fun lyrics, including those that reference other songs, and of course, dances: “Got to know how to pony / Like Bony Maronie / Mash potato, do the alligator.”  Pickett also references the infectious 🎙 Little Richard classic, 🎵 “Long Tall Sally”, and another notable dance from the era, the Watusi, sigh. Songs don’t sound like “Land of 1000 Dances” anymore, but it’s incredibly refreshing revisiting this six-decade-old gem in the 2020s.   

Appears in 🔻:

• Land: 5ive Songs No. 50 (2021)
• 15 More Soul Oldies That Tickle My Fancy (Vol. 3) (2021)

🎙 Wilson Pickett • 💿 The Exciting Wilson Pickett • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 1966

Wilson Pickett, Land of 1000 Dances: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 141 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]