Description
Conway Twitty – Shake It Up Baby – Vinyl Record
Conway Twitty – Shake It Up Baby is a lesser-known but historically fascinating entry in the early rock ‘n’ roll phase of Conway Twitty’s career, released in 1964. This album showcases Twitty during the pre-country portion of his trajectory, when he was still riding the wave of early rock success sparked by his 1958 breakout hit “It’s Only Make Believe.” While Twitty is best remembered today as one of the most iconic country singers of all time—with a record-setting number of country #1 hits—Shake It Up Baby captures a time when he was still blending rockabilly swagger, teen-pop melodrama, and rhythm & blues influences into a style heavily indebted to Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Little Richard.
The album’s title track, “Shake It Up Baby,” is a cover of The Top Notes’ original—though most listeners today associate it with the Isley Brothers’ explosive 1962 version, which helped define early soul-rock crossover. Twitty’s take on the song is faithful to the Isley energy but dialed back slightly for a more controlled, radio-friendly rock and roll interpretation. It’s a fun and enthusiastic performance, revealing Twitty’s capacity for delivering gritty energy with polish and charisma. His voice—already recognizable for its deep, smooth timbre—is a perfect vehicle for this kind of material: emotive, commanding, and a little bit mischievous.
Across the rest of the album, Twitty moves between up-tempo rockers and romantic ballads, often reflecting the stylistic duality that was common in early 1960s pop albums. Tracks like “Double Talk Baby” and “Easy to Fall in Love” lean into the rockabilly and teen idol pop aesthetics of the era, with twangy guitars, saxophone fills, and backing vocals straight from the Brill Building school of production. There’s also a clear influence from Sun Records-style rockabilly, echoing the sound that defined artists like Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. Though the arrangements can at times feel derivative of the genre’s biggest names, Twitty’s performances elevate the material with sincerity and emotional punch.
What makes Shake It Up Baby particularly notable is how it highlights Twitty’s transitional identity at the time. He was caught between the fading glory of 1950s rock and the British Invasion about to redefine the pop landscape. This album, therefore, feels a bit like a time capsule—a record that belongs to the twilight of early American rock ‘n’ roll, just before Twitty made his defining pivot into country music. Indeed, within a few years, Twitty would begin his legendary run as a country balladeer, starting with hits like “Next in Line” (1968) and later duets with Loretta Lynn. Shake It Up Baby, then, offers an essential glimpse into the early voice and style of an artist who would soon become a Nashville legend.
Though not as well-known as his country work or even his early hit “It’s Only Make Believe,” this album serves as a snapshot of a versatile performer still exploring the boundaries of pop and rock ‘n’ roll. It also reminds us that many of the country stars who defined the genre in the 1970s and ’80s had their roots in the earlier, more chaotic world of 1950s and ’60s crossover pop. For fans of rockabilly, early rock, or those curious about Conway Twitty before his rhinestone-and-honky-tonk phase, Shake It Up Baby is a charming, energetic, and historically significant listen.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic.
Track Listing
Born To Sing The Blues
Golly Gosh Oh Gee
Crazy Dreams
Shake It Up Baby
Maybe Baby
Why Can’t I Get Through To You
Double Talk Baby
I Need Your Lovin’
This Road That I Walk
I Wonder If You Told Her (About Me)
Midnight
You Made Me What I Am Today
