"Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" | ||||
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Single by Sam Cooke | ||||
B-side | "Little Things You Do" | |||
Released | January 1959 | |||
Recorded | January 7, 1959 Radio Recorders (Hollywood, California) | |||
Genre | R&B, cha-cha-cha | |||
Length | 2:35 | |||
Label | Keen | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sam Cooke | |||
Producer(s) | Bumps Blackwell | |||
Sam Cooke singles chronology | ||||
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"Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" (originally released as "Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha") is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released in January 1959. The song was one of Cooke's biggest successes on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart, peaking at number two; the song also charted at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song references the cha-cha-cha, a dance of Cuban origin that became popular in the United States in the late 1950s.
The song originated from a Christmas 1958 party at Lou Rawls' stepfather's house. During the celebration, all began doing the cha-cha-cha, including Cooke's daughter, Linda. [1] When one of the kids called out, "Everybody, cha-cha-cha!", Cooke grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote down the lyrics while everyone else danced. The song was recorded the week after New Year's 1959. [1]
The song concerns Cooke and his girlfriend going to a dance in which all are doing the cha-cha-cha, a dance which his significant other doesn't know how to do. Cooke teaches his guest but by the end of the evening, she is "doing [the cha-cha-cha]" better than he is. [2]
Credits adapted from the liner notes to the 2003 compilation Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964. [1]
Chart (1959) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot 100 [4] | 31 |
US Hot R&B Sides ( Billboard) [4] | 2 |
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