Rock n Roll

The song “Sugar Shack” was written in 1962 by Keith McCormack and Jimmy Torres, who talked New Mexico band Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs into recording the song in 1963. (They recorded where Buddy Holly had to launch his career, which was at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico.) From the day of its release, the record’s infectious beat made it a smash.  “Sugar Shack” sold more than one million copies in a five-week period and was eventually named Billboard’s 1963 “Song of the Year.” It also went to #1 on the R&B Chart and the Australian Chart. What is that high-pitched  instrument? Is it a piccolo? An Ocarina? Nope.  It was a Hammond Solovox Organ.

The most famous misheard lyric (aka mondegreen)  in “Sugar Shack” is “There’s this cute little girlie, she’s a’workin’ there. / A black leotard and a three-dollar bear” instead of “and her feet are bare.”

Here are the lyrics to “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs:

There’s a crazy little shack beyond the tracks
And ev’rybody calls it the sugar shack
Well, it’s just a coffeehouse and it’s made out of wood
Espresso coffee tastes mighty good
That’s not the reason why I’ve got to get back
To that sugar shack, whoa baby
To that sugar shack.

There’s this cute little girlie, she’s a’workin’ there
A black leotard and her feet are bare
I’m gonna drink a lotta coffee, spend a little cash
Make that girl love me when I put on some trash
You can understand why I’ve got to get back
To that sugar shack, whoa baby
To that sugar shack, yeah honey
To that sugar shack, whoa yes
To that sugar shack.

Now that sugar shack queen is a’married to me, yeah yeah
We just sit around and dream of those old memories
Ah, but one of these days I’m gonna lay down tracks
In the direction of that sugar shack
Just me and her yes we’re gonna go back
To that sugar shack,
Whoa uh oh
To that sugar shack, yeah honey
To our sugar shack

[Fade]

Yeh, yeh, yeh, our sugar shack

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs.