Camptown Twist

Written By: Stephen Foster in 1850

Information: One of the oldest songs in the Sam Cooke book and a very interesting mix of an old and very famous folk-song by legendary Stephen Foster, but played in the style that was hip when Cooke recorded his 'Twistin' In The Kitchen' album; hence the slightly changed title of 'Camptown Twist'.

Camptown Races depicts the typical community that sprang up around horse races on the outskirts of frontier cities in Foster's day. Laborers and transients lived in shanties and tents - a camptown. Foster may have visited such places around Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

Recorded in RCA Victor's Studios in Hollywood, Studio 1, probably around February 19, 1962

Produced by Hugo Peretta and Luigi Creatore, Recording Engineer Al Schmitt

Orchestra Conducted by Rene Hall

Album: Twisting The Night Away

Lyrics

now the camptown ladies they sing this song (doo dah)
they say the camptown racetrack five miles long
I've come down here to see the horses run 
and if I don't make money I'll have some fun

because we're gonna twist all night
we're gonna twist all day
if I don't make some money I'll have some fun
twistin' the night away

now the longtailed filly and the big black horse
they tried too take a shortcut and couldn't get across
the black horse stick in a big muddy hole
and the filly wound up around a ten foot pole

I don't care
we're gonna twist all night
we're gonna twist all day
if I don't make some money I'll have some fun
twistin' the night away

you oughtta seem them fly on the ten mile heat
they go round the racetrack and then repeat
now I win my money and the bobtailed neck
I'm gonna keep my money in an old shoebag

we're gonna twist all night
we're gonna twist all day
since I done won this money I'm gonna have some fun
twistin' the night away

we're gonna twist all night
we're gonna twist all day
since I done won this money I'm gonna have some fun
twistin' the night away