"The Loco-Motion" (or "Locomotion") is a
pop song
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, '' The Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock'' (Cambridge: Cambridg ...
written by American songwriters
Gerry Goffin
Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the US No.1 hits " Will You L ...
and
Carole King
Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
. "The Loco-Motion" was originally written for R&B singer
Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp (born Dione LaRue; September 9, 1945) is an American R&B singer.
After beginning her career as a backing vocalist, Sharp had a string of hit records as a solo artist in the 1960s: " Mashed Potato Time" (1962), "Gravy (For My Mash ...
, but Sharp turned the song down.
The song is especially notable for making three appearances in the American top 3, each in a different decade: in 1962 by
Little Eva
Eva Narcissus Boyd (June 29, 1943 – April 10, 2003), known by her stage name Little Eva, was an American singer, well known for her 1962 hit "The Loco-Motion".
Biography
Boyd was born in Belhaven, North Carolina in 1943 and had twelve siblin ...
(U.S. No. 1); in 1974 by
Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved pea ...
(also U.S. No. 1); and in 1988 by
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...
(U.S. No. 3).
[
The song is an enduring example of the dance-song genre; much of the lyric is devoted to a description of the dance itself, usually performed as a type of ]line dance
A line dance is a choreographed dance in which a group of people dance along to a repeating sequence of dance step, steps while arranged in one or more lines or rows. These lines usually face all in the same direction, or less commonly face each ot ...
. However, the song pre-dates the dance.
"The Loco-Motion" was also the second song to reach No. 1 by two different musical acts in America. The earlier song to do this was "Go Away Little Girl
"Go Away Little Girl" is a popular song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was first recorded by Bobby Vee for Liberty Records on March 28, 1962. The lyrics consist of a young man asking a young attractive woman to stay away from him, s ...
", also written by Goffin and King. It is one of only nine songs to achieve this feat.
Little Eva version
Background
King and Goffin wrote "The Loco-Motion" in hopes to have it recorded by Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp (born Dione LaRue; September 9, 1945) is an American R&B singer.
After beginning her career as a backing vocalist, Sharp had a string of hit records as a solo artist in the 1960s: " Mashed Potato Time" (1962), "Gravy (For My Mash ...
, who had a hit with "Mashed Potato Time
"Mashed Potato Time" is a 1962 single written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe, and performed by Dee Dee Sharp, with backing vocals by The Orlons, on her debut album ''It's Mashed Potato Time''. The song refers to the Mashed Potato (dance), Mashed Pota ...
". Sharp passed on the song, leaving the opportunity open for Eva Boyd, who had recorded the demo. Boyd's version was released, and her name was changed to Little Eva
Eva Narcissus Boyd (June 29, 1943 – April 10, 2003), known by her stage name Little Eva, was an American singer, well known for her 1962 hit "The Loco-Motion".
Biography
Boyd was born in Belhaven, North Carolina in 1943 and had twelve siblin ...
. Boyd was Carole King's babysitter, having been introduced to King and King's husband Gerry Goffin by The Cookies
The Cookies were an American R&B girl group active in two distinct lineups, the first from 1954 to 1958 which later became the Raelettes, and the second from 1961 to 1967. Several of the members of both lineups were members of the same fami ...
, a local girl group who would also record for the songwriters.
"The Loco-Motion" was the first release by the new Dimension Records
Dimension Records was a record label founded in 1962 in New York City by Don Kirshner and Al Nevins, owners of Aldon Music. It concentrated on the girl group sound and showcased songs by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Their composition "The Loco ...
company, whose releases were mostly penned and produced by Goffin and King. There are two common versions of the song in circulation: one includes handclaps during the verses; the other has no handclaps. King performed the backup vocals in the recording.
Reception
In the United States, "The Loco-Motion" was the seventh most successful single of 1962, according to ''Billboard''. It was also the third most successful single of 1962 in South Africa.
In March 1965, Little Eva sang the song on the ABC-TV series ''Shindig!
''Shindig!'' is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles,[cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...]
of the song was recorded quickly by British girl group The Vernons Girls
The Vernons Girls were an English musical ensemble of female vocalists. They were formed at the Vernons football pools companyLarkin C., ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), , p. 461 in the 1950s in Liverpool, settling ...
and scored the chart the same week as the Little Eva version. The Vernons Girls' version stalled at No. 47 in the UK, while the Little Eva version reached No. 2 on the UK charts. It re-entered the chart some 10 years later and almost became a top 10 hit again, peaking at No. 11. The Little Eva version of the song was later featured in the David Lynch
David Keith Lynch (January 20, 1946 – January 16, 2025) was an American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Lynch was often called a "visionary" and received acclaim f ...
film ''Inland Empire
The Inland Empire (commonly abbreviated as the IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County and Or ...
'' (2006). "The Loco-Motion" is ranked No. 359 on ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
''s list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2 ...
". In 2016, the 1962 Little Eva
Eva Narcissus Boyd (June 29, 1943 – April 10, 2003), known by her stage name Little Eva, was an American singer, well known for her 1962 hit "The Loco-Motion".
Biography
Boyd was born in Belhaven, North Carolina in 1943 and had twelve siblin ...
version of "The Loco-Motion" on Dimension Records
Dimension Records was a record label founded in 1962 in New York City by Don Kirshner and Al Nevins, owners of Aldon Music. It concentrated on the girl group sound and showcased songs by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Their composition "The Loco ...
was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
.
"The Loco-Motion" myth
The widely believed story of how the song "The Loco-Motion" came to be is that Carole King
Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
was playing music at home and Eva Boyd was doing some chores and started dancing to it, and that was The Loco-Motion dance. However, this is not true. Eva Boyd was introduced to Goffin and King and they liked her singing voice, so they had her record "The Loco-Motion". King stated this during an interview on National Public Radio (NPR) shortly after Little Eva died.
As the song came before the dance, there was no dance when the song was originally written. When the song became a smash hit, Eva Boyd ended up creating a dance to go along with the song. King stated this in her "One to One" concert video. In live performances of the song, Little Eva can be seen doing her version of the dance.
Another bit of the conventional lore is that Boyd received only $50 for "The Loco-Motion". However, although she never owned the rights to her recordings, it seems $50 was actually her weekly salary during the years she was making records (an increase of $15 from what Goffin and King had been paying her as nanny). In 1971, she moved to North Carolina and lived in obscurity on menial jobs and welfare until being rediscovered in 1987. She died of cervical cancer in 2003.
Top-40 DJ Dan Ingram has been quoted as saying that he believes the original "The Loco-Motion" was recorded by King herself. Producer Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman (born 15 January 1947) is an English record producer, songwriter, and television personality. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman production and songwriting team, he co-wrote and co-produced many UK hit singles. An av ...
has also stated he believes it is King singing on the recording.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Sylvie Vartan version (in French)
In 1962, the French singer Sylvie Vartan
Sylvie Vartan (; born Sylvie Georges Vartanian on 15 August 1944) is a Bulgarians in France, Bulgarian-French singer and actress. She is known as one of the most productive and tough-sounding yé-yé artists. Her performances often featured ela ...
recorded a cover of "The Loco-Motion" in French, called "Le Loco-motion". Vartan's version went to number 1 in France on October 13, 1962, and remained there for one week.
Track listing
7-inch EP: "Le Loco-motion" / "Aussi loin que j'irai" / "Oui c'est lui" / "Comme l'été dernier" RCA Victor 76.593, 86.593 (1962, France)
:A1. "Le Loco-motion" ("The Loco-Motion")
:A2. "Oui c'est lui" ("He Is the Boy")
:B1. "Comme l'été dernier" ("Dancing Party")
:B2. "Aussi loin que j'irai"
Charts
Grand Funk Railroad version
Background
American rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved pea ...
recorded a cover version of the song in 1974, produced by Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...
. The decision to play the song came about after guitarist Mark Farner
Mark Fredrick Farner (born September 29, 1948) is an American musician. He was the original singer and guitarist of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad, which he co-founded in 1969, and later as a contemporary Christian musician.
Early life and ...
was heard singing the song in the studio. The Grand Funk version of the song featured guitars, several layers of harmony, and heavy drums.
During the 2000s, this version of the song was featured in advertisements for the Japanese technology and communications company SoftBank
is a Japanese multinational Investment company, investment holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, that focuses on investment management. The group primarily invests in companies operating in technology that offer goods and services ...
, featuring the pop group SMAP
was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori. The group was created in 1988 by music producer Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny & Associates, originally as a six-p ...
. SMAP also used the song on their television variety show ''SMAP×SMAP
''SMAP×SMAP'', often referred to simply as ''Sma-Sma'', was a Japanese television variety show hosted by boy band SMAP. Debuting on April 15, 1996, it was produced by Kansai TV and Fuji TV and aired on Fuji TV every Monday from 10:00 p.m. ...
'' for a music video, singing along to the original Grand Funk recording rather than covering it.
The song is available as downloadable content for ''Rock Band 3
''Rock Band 3'' is a 2010 rhythm game developed by Harmonix. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, on October 26, 2010. Mad Catz took over both roles and re-released the title on Novembe ...
''.
Reception
"The Loco-Motion" appeared on Grand Funk Railroad's album ''Shinin' On
''Shinin' On'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Grand Funk Railroad. The album was released in March 1974, by Capitol Records. Although not as successful as its predecessor, '' We're an American Band'' (1973), it peaked at #5 in t ...
'' and was released as a single in February 1974, eventually peaking at No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for two weeks in May 1974. It also reached number 5 in Australia, peaked at number 1 in Canada, and reached number 11 in West Germany.
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
, during a 1974 interview discussing recent hit songs, said "I like "Loco-Motion," thought that was a great record."
In the 2004 edition of ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide
''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...
'', Village Voice Media
Village Voice Media or VVM is a newspaper company. It began in 1970 as a weekly alternative newspaper in Phoenix, Arizona. The company, founded by Michael Lacey (editor) and Jim Larkin (publisher), was then known as New Times Inc. (NTI) and the ...
music critic Nick Catucci called the cover "embarrassing".
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Ritz version
Disco group Ritz covered this song in 1979. Their version peaked at number one in New Zealand for seven non-consecutive weeks in 1980, becoming the most successful record of the year there. The Ritz version was also a top-20 hit in Australia, Sweden, and Switzerland. The live arrangement that Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...
performed on her Golden Tour
The Golden Tour was the fifteenth concert tour by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was launched in support of her fourteenth studio album, ''Golden'' (2018) and visited Europe and Australia. It began on 18 September 2018 in Newca ...
and Summer 2019
Summer 2019 was the second festival tour by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, in support of her greatest hits album, '' Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection'' (2019).
The tour commenced on 20 June 2019 in Kingston upon Thame ...
Tour is based upon this recording.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Carole King version
Carole King
Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
recorded a version of the song under the title "Locomotion" for her 1980 studio album '' Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King''. The album peaked at No. 44 and spawned King's last top 40 hit to-date, " One Fine Day", which would reach No. 12 on the charts. King also sings the song on her live album ''The Living Room Tour
''The Living Room Tour'' is a live album by Carole King released in 2005. It consists of live recordings of most of the songs from ''Tapestry''. Her daughters Louise and Sherry and background singer and guitarist Gary Burr joined her on severa ...
'', released in 2005. The album peaked at No. 17 on the US album chart on July 30, 2005.
Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin version
In May 1986, Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin
Barbara Gaskin (born 5 June 1950) is an English singer formerly associated with the UK Canterbury scene.
Gaskin was lead vocalist in British folk-prog band Spirogyra (1969–1974). From 1973 to 1976, she sang backing vocals with Dave Stewart ...
released a cover version of the song as a single. The duo had scored a UK No. 1 hit back in 1981 with their cover of "It's My Party
"It's My Party" is a song recorded by American singer Lesley Gore on her debut studio album '' I'll Cry If I Want To'' (1963). It was released as a single on April 5, 1963, by Mercury Records. The song was written by Herb Wiener, John Gluck Jr. ...
" but had achieved little success since. For this 1986 single, they embarked on a big promotional push in an attempt to gain a second significant hit. The single, however, stalled at No. 70 on the UK charts in June that year.
Kylie Minogue version
Background
Australian pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Pop music, a musical genre
Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop! (British group), a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Album ...
singer Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...
released a cover version of the song in July 1987 as her debut single, under the title "Locomotion". After an impromptu performance of the song at an Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
charity event with the cast of the Australian soap opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''Neighbours
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...
'', Minogue signed a record deal with Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival ...
to release the song as a single. Initially recorded in a big band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
style, the project was radically reoriented by producer Mike Duffy, who was on loan to Mushroom from Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman (born 15 January 1947) is an English record producer, songwriter, and television personality. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman production and songwriting team, he co-wrote and co-produced many UK hit singles. An av ...
's UK company PWL. Duffy recorded a whole new backing track, inspired by the hi-NRG
Hi-NRG (pronounced "high energy") is a genre of uptempo disco or electronic dance music (EDM) that originated during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
As a music genre, typified by its fast tempo, staccato hi-hat rhythms (and the four-on-the-flo ...
pop of Dead or Alive
A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite ...
, but retained Minogue's original vocal. This version was released on July 13, 1987, in Australia, where it became one of the biggest selling Australian records of the 1980s. It was later released the same year in New Zealand, Italy, and Sweden.
The success of the song in her home country resulted in Minogue's signing a record deal with PWL Records
Pete Waterman Entertainment (PWE) is the production company one-time pop and dance record label owned by British pop mogul Pete Waterman. The label, originally PWL (Pete Waterman Limited), is most famous for being the home of hit record produ ...
in London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and to working with the successful team Stock Aitken & Waterman (SAW). The producers decided to totally re-record Minogue's version of the song, with Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman (born 15 January 1947) is an English record producer, songwriter, and television personality. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman production and songwriting team, he co-wrote and co-produced many UK hit singles. An av ...
slating her original Australian recording, which he claimed was poorly produced. Original producer Mike Duffy instead blamed the decision to re-record on Waterman's alleged wish to claim the prestige and royalties that looked set to roll in from the track's looming placement of the soundtrack of the 1988 film '' Arthur 2: On the Rocks'', starring Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. He first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writer-perf ...
and Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...
. On July 28, 1988, the re-recorded version produced by SAW was released worldwide with the title "The Loco-Motion". This release, also a major success, reached the top five in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This version of the track substitutes the Australian term ''railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
'' for the American term ''railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
'' in the song's lyrics.
Reception
The 1987 "Locomotion" release was a huge hit in Minogue's native Australia, reaching number one on the Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music historian David Kent from May 1974 through to January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music Report (AMR) in July 19 ...
singles chart and remaining there for seven weeks.[ N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ]ARIA
In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...
between mid-1983 and June 19, 1988. The 1988 release of the song in the United Kingdom debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart — the highest entry on the UK charts by a female artist. It remained in the number two position for four weeks before falling to number three. With sales of 440,000 it was the eleventh best selling single of the year.[''Kylie - The Biography'', Sean Smith, ]Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster LLC (, ) is an American publishing house owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts since 2023. It was founded in New York City in 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group US ...
; December 4, 2006, The song became Minogue's third top five single in the UK and remains one of her most successful single releases to date.
During late 1988, Minogue traveled to the United States to promote "The Loco-Motion", where she did many interviews and performances on American television. The song was used in the comedy film ''Arthur 2: On the Rocks''. "The Loco-Motion" debuted at number 80 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and later peaked at number three for two weeks. The song was Minogue's second single to chart in the U.S., but her first to reach the top ten. To this day, the song remains as her highest-charting single in the United States; however, her second overall and most recent song to reach the top ten, 2002's "Can't Get You Out of My Head
"Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album, ''Fever (Kylie Minogue album), Fever'' (2001). Parlophone, Parlophone Records released the song as the album's Single (music), ...
", ended up outselling "The Loco-Motion". In Canada, the song also reached the top five in the pop sales chart. In 2023, Robert Moran of Australian daily tabloid newspaper ''The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...
'' ranked the song as Minogue's 17th best song (out of 183), describing it "a surprisingly gritty sex track built on chugging synths and girl-group harmonies". The Song reached number one in South Africa, and remained in that position for a staggering 11 weeks.'
Music video
The music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for "Locomotion" was directed by Chris Langman and filmed at Essendon Airport
Essendon Fields Airport , colloquially known by its former name Essendon Airport, is a public airport serving scheduled commercial, corporate-jet, charter and general aviation flights. It is located next to the intersection of the Tullamarin ...
and the ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
studios in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung/ or ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia, after Sydney. The city's name generally refers to a metropolitan area also known ...
. Choreographer Tania Lacy
Tania Jane Lacy is an Australian comedian.
Early life and education
Originally from Toowoomba, Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Lacy spent many of her early years travelling with her family. Her father, then an officer in the army, was poste ...
conceived the video's dance sequences around locomotive movements. For the international release of "The Loco-Motion", footage from the Australian music video was re-edited twice; one version for the US market and another for the European market. Near the end of 1988, the song was nominated for 'Best International Single' at the Canadian Music Industry Awards.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "The Loco-motion".
"The Loco-motion" (1988)
* UK 7-inch vinyl single
# "The Loco-motion" (7-inch mix) – 3:07
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" – 3:45
* UK 12-inch vinyl single
# "The Loco-motion" (Kohaku Mix) – 5:59
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" – 3:45
* UK 12-inch remix
# "The Loco-motion" (Sankie Mix) – 6:35
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" – 3:45
* US 7-inch vinyl single/cassingle
# "The Loco-motion" (LP version) – 3:13
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" – 3:45
* US 12-inch vinyl single
# "The Loco-motion" (Kohaku Mix) – 5:59
# "The Loco-motion" (Sankie Mix) – 6:35
# "The Loco-motion" (LP version) – 3:13
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" – 3:45
* West German CD single
# "The Loco-motion" (Kohaku Mix) – 5:59
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" – 3:45
iTunes digital release (2009)
* "Locomotion" (Australian version)
# "Locomotion"
# "Locomotion" (Chugga-Motion Mix)
# "Locomotion" (The Girl Meets Boy Mix)
# "Getting Closer"
# "Getting Closer" (UK mix) (previously unreleased)
# "Getting Closer" (UK instrumental) (previously unreleased)
# "Getting Closer" (Extended Oz Mix)
# "Getting Closer" (Extended Oz Instrumental) (previously unreleased)
# "Glad to Be Alive"
* "The Loco-Motion"
# "The Loco-Motion" (7-inch mix)
# "The Loco-Motion" (The Kohaku Mix)
# "The Loco-Motion" (7-inch instrumental) (previously unreleased)
# "The Loco-Motion" (7-inch backing track) (previously unreleased)
# "I'll Still Be Loving You"
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" (instrumental) (previously unreleased)
# "I'll Still Be Loving You" (backing track) (previously unreleased)
* "The Loco-Motion" (Remix)
# "The Loco-Motion" (The Sankie Mix)
# "The Loco-Motion" (Alternative Sankie Mix)
# "The Loco-Motion" (12-inch Master)
# "The Loco-Motion" (Album Instrumental) (previously unreleased)
# "The Loco-Motion" (Album Backing Track) (previously unreleased)
# "The Loco-Motion" (Oz Tour Mix)
# "The Loco-Motion" (Oz Tour Backing Track) (previously unreleased)
Charts and sales
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
France (SNEP) Gold 250.000
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loco-Motion, The
1962 songs
1962 debut singles
1974 singles
1987 debut singles
1988 singles
Little Eva songs
Sylvie Vartan songs
Dave Stewart (musician, born 1950) songs
Grand Funk Railroad songs
Kylie Minogue songs
Carole King songs
Ebony (disco group) songs
ARIA Award-winning songs
Songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin
Songs written by Carole King
Song recordings produced by Gerry Goffin
Song recordings produced by Todd Rundgren
Song recordings produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Cashbox number-one singles
Number-one singles in Australia
Number-one singles in Canada
European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Number-one singles in Finland
Number-one singles in France
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Number-one singles in Norway
RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Number-one singles in South Africa
Number-one singles in Sweden
Aladin Records singles
Dimension Records singles
Capitol Records singles
RCA Victor singles
Mushroom Records singles
Geffen Records singles
CBS Records singles
Pete Waterman Entertainment singles
Teldec singles
Songs about dancing
Songs about trains
Novelty and fad dances