The Twist (song) The Twist (song) "The Twist" is an American pop song written and originally released in early 1959 (having been recorded on 11/11/1958) by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters as a B-side to "Teardrops on Your Letter". Ballard's version was a moderate 1960 hit, peaking at number 28 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. Chubby Checker's 1960 cover version of the song gave birth to the Twist dance craze. His single became a hit, reaching number 1 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 on September 19, 1960, where it stayed for one week, and setting a record as the only song to reach
The Ballad of the Brown King U.S.A." The 1960 performance was sung by the Westminster Choir. The cantata is made up of nine movements with parts for soprano, tenor, baritone and choir. The composition includes "a combination of European, Jazz and Calypso music." Other musical influences include four-part hymn and gospel music. There are also "quasi-recitative sections" and blues influenced parts of the cantata. "Ballad" focuses on one of the Three Kings from the story of the birth of Jesus. Hughes chose the African king, Balthazar, as a way to "reinforce the image of African participation in the Nativity story." The Ballad of the Brown King