Today’s classic long-forgotten until you hear it again song of the day is “Shake It” by Ian Matthews. Mr. Matthews released this one in late 1978 and it peaked, early in 1979, at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #10 on the Cash Box Top 100.
“Shake It” was written by Terence Boylan in 1977 and released on his self-titled second album that same year. Mr. Matthews picked it up for his ninth solo album, Stealin’ Home. Matthews said including this song on the album was a deliberate attempt to have some tracks with Top 40 potential, which “Shake It” obviously did. Knowing that, Matthews said he didn’t do anything radically different with this song:
“I don’t think I did anything different [to record a hit single]. I guess it’s my reward. After all, I’ve been doing exactly what I want for 14 or 15 years.”
The song is about a high school girl who’s a bit of a tease. The somewhat lecherous lyrics tell the whole story:
Here she comes sliding
Shaking it down the hall
She’s got a picture in her locker
An autographed basketball
She’s got a purse that was made in Mexico
A mind that was made for love
She’s got a new way of dancing slow
She knows what you’re thinking of
Shake it baby, shake it all you can tonight
Go on and break them
Break them all you can tonight
Cause it won’t last forever
Do it for worse or for better
And give the boy something to dream on later
As it says at the end of the first verse, “She’s gonna show the boy what she’s really got, and stop him in the nick of time.” Yeah, slightly lecherous, especially when sung by a then-33 year old guy. Still and all, it’s a catchy little tune with a decent production and a nifty little half-time bit at the end of the chorus. I like it, even if it is ultimately a bit of a trifle.
“Shake It” was British singer-songwriter Matthews’ first and only Top 40 hit as a solo act, although his former band Matthews’ Southern Comfort had a #23 hit with a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” in 1970. He also had some success as a founding member of Fairport Convention. On his own, Matthews released more than forty albums between 1971 and 2017, not including boxed sets and compilation albums. He’s still performing today at the age of 77.
