How to Skank video from 1964

Here's a fun skanking lesson from 1964. It's at the legendary Sombrero Club in Jamaica. On stage are Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.

[#1 posted by mdh , February 16, 2009 3:02 PM]

I think Paris Hilton's been doing it wrong.

[#2 posted by Rick York , February 16, 2009 3:17 PM]

So, I was 20 in 1964. This was as dumb then as it is now.

[#3 posted by skatanic , February 16, 2009 3:18 PM]

Um, this is amazing.

[#4 posted by Gilbert Wham , February 16, 2009 3:23 PM]

It's nearly midnight here, I am STILL waiting for the asshole plumber to turn up & fix my boiler, yet this managed to make me smile anyway. And since when was Ska dumb?

[#5 posted by Gemma , February 16, 2009 3:25 PM]

Wow. Before autocues. Where if you didn't know the script by heart you have to look awkwardly off to the right at regular intervals.

[#6 posted by Anonymous , February 16, 2009 3:28 PM]

Ah yes. A "rowing" motion.

[#7 posted by Anonymous , February 16, 2009 3:32 PM]

Steve Buscemi gained like 30 pounds for this part

[#8 posted by sswaan , February 16, 2009 3:50 PM]

MDH, well, you know how these things evolve over time. In the 60s apparently pelvic thrusts were called "rowing."

[#9 posted by brem , February 16, 2009 3:50 PM]

The song is a cover of "Last Night" by the Mar-Keys

[#10 posted by sswaan , February 16, 2009 3:50 PM]

At the veeeery end, you see the woman just to the right (our right) of the MC finally just break into actual dancing, rather than the nonsense he's been telling them to do.

[#11 posted by jstueart , February 16, 2009 3:51 PM]

Ohhhhh....that's called ROWING..... right.....

[#12 posted by minTphresh , February 16, 2009 3:56 PM]

easy skankin! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJsGzEEO6rg&feature=related

[#13 posted by alphagirl , February 16, 2009 4:21 PM]

I like how the pelvic thrusts are described as "throwing back the upper half of the body." It's not sexual if you are moving the upper half, right?

[#14 posted by resista , February 16, 2009 4:27 PM]

Here is the 2nd part of that video with more music , different singers and actual dancing in it. I like the 2 microphone thing he has going on. One is for the stage and one for the Camera I guess.

If you don't like this kind of music or it doesn't make you nostalgic then ok but this music was really innocent and fun. It brought blacks and whites together in the UK and it was a stepping stone for the Blue beat, Red Beat and Reggae artists later on in the decade.

There are no set dances anymore everyone just stumbles around vogueing. (Thanks Hippies!) I think this was more fun. I am glad someone saved this video and thanks for posting it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_pCLw7ONtU

[#15 posted by Joe on the Beach , February 16, 2009 4:45 PM]

Ahhh! So this must be where Bob Marley got his title for "Easy Skanking*" from. Cool!

[#16 posted by dwdyer , February 16, 2009 6:03 PM]

This guy reminds me of 50's educational films.

Here he is again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA9bZgfr86Y

Throbbed.

Surging.

Pulsating.

Yeah, that's the "rowing" bit, right?

[#17 posted by FrankensteinsMonster , February 16, 2009 6:44 PM]

now me see why music world then need Beatles, and new generation who make own minds, not listen to the man say how make music or dance.

[#18 posted by jahknow , February 16, 2009 7:33 PM]

"Yes, this is Ska..."

[#19 posted by GoldMatenes , February 16, 2009 8:24 PM]

Serious hilarity at all the comments claiming skanking as the 'dance of the establishment'.

Since when are a bunch of punks, reggae heads, and big band daddies establishment?

[#20 posted by John Markos O'Neill , February 16, 2009 8:54 PM]

The establishment? Billionaire ukulele ska!

[#21 posted by artomatic , February 16, 2009 10:28 PM]

Are we sure the announcer isn't a young Joe Strummer before he got his groove?

Remember, without original Jamaican Ska, there's no Reggae, no Bob Marley, no Specials, no DJ sound systems, no Dub and no Clash singing "Police & Thieves."

[#22 posted by Rindan , February 16, 2009 11:52 PM]

Ska was good then and it is good now. Too bad it is dead. Alas, these days when it comes to music you only get to pick from wallowing in your own misery or mindless industrial grade pop. This world needs more music with trumpets and trombones.

Bah. Excuse me while I go back to pretending to like indie music and Garden State.

[#23 posted by Hamish MacDonald , February 17, 2009 2:16 AM]

Gosh, that word doesn't seem to mean what I thought it meant at all.

[#24 posted by AJ , February 17, 2009 3:36 AM]

I love you forever for putting this up....

[#25 posted by franko , February 17, 2009 6:29 AM]

wow, he really sucked the joy of out of it with his dry, clinical description, didn't he? at least all the dancers were having fun.

[#26 posted by Miss Jess , February 17, 2009 6:30 AM]

This and the 2nd part were just what I needed this morning - how awesome. Takes me straight back to high school basement shows. Thanks for posting!

P.S. - like this? You'll like them --> http://www.myspace.com/greenroomrockers

[#27 posted by Anonymous , February 17, 2009 6:55 AM]

Little known fact, Salt Lake City had a HUGE ska scene in the 90's and early 2000's. There was a documentary that was recently released about it, and it definitely brings on the nostalgia:

http://www.theupbeatmovie.com/

[#28 posted by KoreanAbdulJabbar , February 17, 2009 7:03 AM]

Little known fact: Salt Lake City, Utah had a HUGE ska scene in the 90's and early 2000's. There was a film released last summer that documents ska, and how it took a hold of the state (and the Mormons). It definitely hits you with some nostalgia.

http://www.theupbeatmovie.com/trailer.php

[#29 posted by CapnMarrrrk , February 17, 2009 7:08 AM]

Come one everybody! Let's do the Pussycat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-wt4VWQxEE

[#30 posted by ryane , February 17, 2009 9:15 AM]

the beatles were fans of the ska. see obla di obla da.

Now that I know how to skank, bring on Sonseed!

[#31 posted by Anonymous , February 17, 2009 9:28 PM]

fantastic! my mom traveled to Jamaica in the 60s, before I was born, and always had great Ska records that I'd listen to growing up. Plus, I think I could actually do this dance! How fun.