Only nine songs in history have reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 multiple times, including Little Eva's classic 1962 boogie "The Loco-Motion," which was followed to #1 in 1975 by Grand Funk Railroad's rockified cover. (Another version, from Aussie pop starlet Kylie Minogue, almost repeated the feat in 1988, but peaked at #3.) Though describing the steps to a non-existent dance craze is a simple, even silly, conceit for a song, "The Loco-Motion" has survived as a party favorite for five decades because of its timeless feel-good vibe. From the opening horn blares to the hand claps and doo wop harmonies, the track exudes an infectious joy that makes it almost impossible not to swing your hips and jump up and back right along with Little Eva. It's a testament to Gerry Goffin and Carole King's writing that the sentiment has translated so well across genres and generations. A
50 years ago this week, "The Loco-Motion" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.
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