The "Chicken Dance" is an oom-pah song composed by a Swiss accordion (Handharmonika) player Werner Thomas from Davos, Switzerland in the 1950s and the corresponding fad dance. Oom-pah is an onomatopoeic name for a type of Germanic music typically involving brass instruments. ... This article is about the instrument as a whole. ... Davos viewed from air Davos is a town in eastern Switzerland, in the canton of Graubünden, on the Landwasser River. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fad dances are dances which are characterized by a short burst of popularity, while Novelty dances typically have a longer-lasting popularity based on their being characteristically humourous or humour-invoking, as well as the sense of uniqueness which they have. ...

This is not the same dance as "The Chicken" popular in American rhythm and blues in the 1950s, in which the dancers flapped their arms and kicked back their feet in an imagined imitation of a chicken. Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ...

History

The name of the original Swiss song was Der Vogerltanz (The Bird Dance). Since 1963 he played it in restaurants and hotels. On one of those performances, Belgian producer Louis van Rijmenant heard the song. Van Rijmenant made some lyrics and in 1970 released it to the public, without much success. In 1977, Dutch local band "De Electronica's" released an instrumental version, which became a hit, and started the international success of the song. On some recorded releases of the music Werner Thomas is listed as the composer, while on others other authors are listed, e.g., as "Thomas/Rendall/Hose", probably including the authors of the particular arrangement. Since then the song has become known under numerous other "birdie" names, including "Vogerltanz" (Bird Dance), "Danse des Canards", "Chicken Dance" and "Dance Little Bird". Over 140 versions of it are recorded worldwide, including Walt Disney Records, together making over 40,000,000 records. Walt Disney Records is a record company and part of The Walt Disney Company. ...

In 1982 it was introduced to the USA on Nationwide TV's "PM Magazine Show", (GROUP W PRODUCTIONS) as the "CHICKEN DANCE" by Wisconsin Orchestra leader Norm Edlebeck. Despite other claims as to the name "Chicken Dance", the name came about because an Austrian tour guide translated "Bird Dance / Dance Little Bird" and other similar names, from German to English by calling it "The Chicken Dance".

Contrary to some misconceptions, it is not an Austrian folk dance, although it was presented as one in the Austrian film Das Fest des Huhnes. Austrian folk dancing (see Austria) is mostly associated with Schuhplattler, Ländler, Polka or Waltz. ... Das Fest des Huhnes (German for The festival of the chicken) is a 1992 Austrian film, directed by Walter Wippersberg. ...

In the United States, the publishing rights for the song were acquired by a New York publisher Stanley Mills. NY redirects here. ...

It has become popular in the USA as a German heritage song, and has been likewise adopted by people worldwide of many cultures since its creation. It has become a staple dance at weddings and at Oktoberfests. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Dance steps

The "Chicken Dance" song is accompanied by a dance requiring a group of people, and it goes as follows: Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) generally refers to movement used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. ... Group dances are danced by groups of people simultaneously, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually, and as opposed to couples dancing together but independently of others dancing at the same time, if any. ...

• Begin in a large circle with everybody facing in toward the center of the ring.
• At the start of the music, shape a chicken beak with your hands. Open and close it four times, during the first four beats of the music.
• Make chicken wings with your arms. Flap your wings four times, during the next four beats of the music.
• Make a chicken's tail feathers with your arms and hands. Wiggle downwards during the next four beats of the music.
• Clap four times during the next four beats of the music.
• Repeat this process four times.
• After the fourth time spin to the right for eight counts with your partner
• Switch directions and spin to the left with your partner for eight counts
• The dance repeats, progressively getting faster and faster, until the music stops.

A common alternate beginning goes as follows:

• Start with either a group of people (arranged specifically or not), or simply one or two people.
• At the start of the music, shape chicken beaks with both of your hands. Open and close them for the first four beats of the music.
• Make chicken wings with your arms. Flap your wings four times, during the next four beats of the music.
• Bring your arms down, while bending your elbows at a 90 degree angle, and twist your body and your arms in alternate directions (as if performing The Twist by Chubby Checker). Wiggle downwards at the same time to the next four beats of the music.
• Continue as previously described.

The twist was a rock and roll dance popular in the early 1960s. ... Chubby Checker is the stage name of Ernest Evans (born October 3, 1941), an American singer best known for popularizing the dance The Twist with his 1960 song The Twist. He was born in Spring Gulley, South Carolina,[1] and raised in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended South Philadelphia High...

Some releases

• Dance Little Bird By Bob Kames "Dad and The Kids, Crescendo records 1982
• Tchip Tchip, by Cash & Carry with Bobby Setter & Co, Cannon Records, Can 3035, 1973.
• Dance Little Bird (The Birdie Song), by The Tweets, 1981.
• Ententanz (Dance Little Bird), by Chor & Orchester Wilde-Enten GmbH, Hamburg.
• The Chicken Dance, by Whoopee, End of The Trail Records, 1982.
• Two albums containing The Chicken Dance songs by Bob Kames:
  • Album title: "The Chicken Dance (Dance Little Bird)", by Bob Kames (and the Happy Organ), GNP Crescendo Records. (Date released: 1 January 1992)
  • Album title: "Chicken Dance", by Bob Kames, GNP Crescendo Records. (Date released: 17 October 1995)
• Polkarama!, by "Weird Al" Yankovic, Straight Outta Lynwood, 2006.

Sing allong with the chicken dance The Birdie Song is a British novelty tune by The Tweets which reached number two in the singles chart in October 1981 [1][2]. The song was a version of a 1950s Swiss accordion oom-pah song, The Chicken Dance. ... Location Coordinates Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE6 First Mayor Ole von Beust (CDU) Governing party CDU Votes in Bundesrat 3 (from 69) Basic statistics Area  755 km² (292 sq mi) Population 1,754,317 (11/2006)[1]  - Density 2,324 /km² (6,018... This article is about Whoopee! the show and the film. ... An album (from Latin albus white, blank, relating to a blank book in which something can be inserted) is a packaged collection of related things. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... GNP Crescendo Record Co. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Singles from Straight Outta Lynwood Released: August 21, 2006 Released: September 12, 2006 Released: September 26, 2006 Released: March 19, 2007 Straight Outta Lynwood is the twelfth album by Weird Al Yankovic. ... This article is about the musician himself. ... Singles from Straight Outta Lynwood Released: August 21, 2006 Released: September 12, 2006 Released: September 26, 2006 Released: March 19, 2007 Straight Outta Lynwood is the twelfth album by Weird Al Yankovic. ...

"I don't want to be a chicken I don't want to be a duck So kiss my ass and go get fucked"

This song in other languages

• Czech: Ptačí tanec (kuřátka)
• Dutch: De Vogeltjesdans
• Estonian - Tibutants
• Finnish: Tiputanssi
• French: La danse des canards
• German: Vogerltanz, Ententanz
• Greek: Ta papakya stee seera (Gr. Τα παπάκια στη σειρά - the little ducks are in a row)
• Hebrew: ריקוד הציפורים (Rikud Ha'Tsiporim) - The Bird Dance
• Icelandic: Fugladansinn
• Italian: Il ballo del qua qua
• Norwegian: Fugledansen
• Portuguese: A dança do passarinho
• Polish: Kaczuszki (Duckies)
• Russian: Танец маленьких утят
• Slovene: Račke (Ducks)
• Spanish: Pajaritos a bailar / El baile de los pajaritos
• Swedish: Fågeldansen ("the bird dance")
• Hungarian: Kacsatánc (Release after the Spanish version)
• Japanese: Okashi Tori (The Funny Bird)

Notable performances

At the Cincinnati Oktoberfest on September 20, 2004, rock musician Vince Neil served as the Grand Marshall of the World's Largest Chicken Dance. The US cable television channel VH1, in its compilation of the 40 Least Metal Moments panned this performance as the single least metal moment in Heavy Metal history. [1] Cincinnati, Ohio viewed from the SW, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Vince Neil (born Vincent Neil Wharton, February 8, 1961 in Hollywood, California) is the lead singer for American glam metal band Mötley Crüe. ... VH1 (VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. VH1 and sister channel MTV are currently part of the MTV Networks division...

It is also featured in Judson Laipply's Evolution of Dance. Judson (Jud) Laipply is a motivational speaker and comedian from Cleveland. ...

In the animated film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, a bunch of adults perform this dance as part of a ritual. Categories: Stub | 2001 films | Computer-animated films ...

It is the title of an episode of Season 2 of Sex and the City, where the four main characters attend a wedding. Sex and the City is a popular American cable television program. ...

On the British television series Drop the Dead Donkey the mild-mannered editor George Dent, having conquered his fear, forces a thug (played by Daniel Craig) to perform the Chicken Dance. Video Cover, with main cast Drop the Dead Donkey was a situation comedy that ran on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1998. ... Daniel Wroughton Craig[1] (born 2 March 1968[2] in Chester, England) is a BAFTA-nominated English actor best known as the sixth actor to portray secret agent James Bond in the official film series from EON Productions since 2006. ...

For years, Ed Robertson and Steven Page of Barenaked Ladies lead concert goers in the dance after performing their hit song One Week. Lloyd Edward Elwyn Robertson, better known as Ed Robertson (born October 25, 1970 in Scarborough, Ontario), is a lead singer, guitarist and songwriter in the band, Barenaked Ladies. ... Steven Page, 2005 Steven Jay Page (born June 22, 1970 in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada), is a Canadian musician. ... Barenaked Ladies (often abbreviated BNL or occasionally BnL) is a Canadian alternative rock band currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Steven Page, Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart, and formerly Andy Creeggan. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

The song is sung as part of the repertoire of the Broadway musical Tony and Tina's Wedding. Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is one of the longest-running comedies in American theatrical history. ...

Parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic played the accordion at the world's largest Chicken Dance in history. He later used the Chicken Dance to begin his 2006 polka medley, "Polkarama!" from his album Straight Outta Lynwood. This article is about the musician himself. ... Singles from Straight Outta Lynwood Released: August 21, 2006 Released: September 12, 2006 Released: September 26, 2006 Released: March 19, 2007 Straight Outta Lynwood is the twelfth album by Weird Al Yankovic. ...

It is also performed at the Las Vegas wedding reception of Karen Walker and Lyle Finster on an episode of Will & Grace. Will & Grace is a popular Emmy Award winning and Golden Globe nominated American television sitcom that was originally broadcast from 1998 to 2006. ...

See also

• Novelty and fad dances

Fad dances are dances which are characterized by a short burst of popularity, while Novelty dances typically have a longer-lasting popularity based on their being characteristically humourous or humour-invoking, as well as the sense of uniqueness which they have. ...

External links

• The tune in MIDI