Lucas Delgado
The Chicken Dance is a popular drinking and dancing song at American Oktoberfest events and weddings. The song was composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in 1957 and was originally called Der Ententanz, which means The Duck Dance. It was first released in 1970 without much success but became a worldwide hit from 1980 to 1982. Over 140 versions of the song have been recorded and sold 40 million copies worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Original Name | Der Ententanz (The Duck Dance) |
| Creator | Werner Thomas |
| Creator's Occupation | Swiss accordionist/accordion player |
| Year Created | 1957 or 1950s |
| Year First Released to the Public | 1970 |
| Year Gained Popularity | 1980-1982 |
| Number of Versions Recorded | Over 140 |
| Number of Records Pressed | 40,000,000 or 40 million |
| Other Names | Dance Little Bird, Tchip-Tchip, The Bird Dance, The Bird's Dance, Dance de Canards, Song of the Chicken, etc. |
| Performance Characteristics | The piece is often notated in cut time and the key of C major. It begins with repeated dominant chords before moving into the main theme. The secondary theme features a contrasting rhythm. The two themes alternate. In some versions, tempo shifts are introduced to confuse and amuse the dancers, and the final repetition of the main theme is often played as one continuous accelerando. |
| Dance Characteristics | The dance has five discrete moves. The first four moves are done in place and are repeated throughout each verse. |
| Dance Move 1 | The dancer lifts both hands into the air and opens and closes them as if operating a hand puppet (simulating a chicken's vocalizations) four times, once on each beat. |
| Dance Move 2 | The dancer tucks their hands into their armpits and flaps them like a chicken four times, once on each beat. |
| Dance Move 3 | The dancer wiggles their shoulders and/or hips (tail feathers) while descending downward for two beats. |
| Dance Move 4 | The dancer claps four times. |
| Dance Move 5 | If performed in a circle or square dance formation, the entire group of participants may rotate the circle in one direction, then shift direction halfway through the refrain, or they may perform an allemande at the command of a caller. |
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What You'll Learn
The song's original name was 'Der Ententanz' ('The Duck Dance')
The song that became known as the Chicken Dance was originally called "Der Ententanz", which means "The Duck Dance". The song was created by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in the 1950s. Thomas played the song in hotels and restaurants throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1973, Belgian music producer Louis Julien van Rijmenant (also known as Louis van Rymenant) heard the song being played. He collaborated with a band called Bobby Setter's Cash & Carry to publish the song as a single called "Tchip Tchip". However, it was not until the 1980s that the song became a worldwide hit. During this decade, it was recorded in many countries and more than 140 versions were released, selling 40 million copies worldwide.
The song's name was translated to Brazilian Portuguese as "Baile dos Passarinhos" ("Little Birds' Ball") in 1984, becoming an instant success in Brazil. In the same year, an electronic remix was released by the Belgian band Brussels Sound Revolution as "La Danse Des Canards / De Vogeltjesdans". In 1990, the Dutch band Grandmaster Chicken and DJ Duck released the song as "Check Out the Chicken", which peaked at number 16 in Australia.
The song's journey from "The Duck Dance" to the "Chicken Dance" began in 1981 when a German band wanted to perform the dance in costume for a local TV station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. However, they were unable to find a duck costume, so a chicken costume was used instead.
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It was composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in the 1950s
The music for the Chicken Dance was composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in the 1950s. The original name of the song was "Der Ententanz", which means "The Duck Dance" in German. Thomas created the song and dance while performing in restaurants and hotels across Switzerland.
The song was originally performed without lyrics, but Belgian music producer Louis van Rymenant (or Rijmenant) added lyrics and released it to the public in 1970 through his publishing company, Intervox Music. However, the song did not become a worldwide hit until the early 1980s, when it was recorded in multiple countries and performed at the Tulsa, Oklahoma Oktoberfest in 1981.
The Chicken Dance is often performed with dancers in bird costumes, as the song made its way to the United States when a German band wanted to demonstrate the dance in costume, but they could only find a chicken costume instead of a duck costume. The dance has five discrete moves that are performed in place and repeated throughout each verse, including flapping hands and wiggling shoulders to simulate a chicken's movements.
Over 140 versions of the Chicken Dance have been recorded worldwide, with an estimated 40 million copies sold. It is a popular drinking and dancing song at American Oktoberfest events and weddings, particularly in cultures that include polka music. The song has also been translated and released in other countries, such as Brazil, where it was included in the soundtrack of a Mexican TV series.
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It was first released in 1970 without much success
The music for the Chicken Dance was originally called "Der Ententanz", or "The Duck Dance", and was composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in the 1950s. Thomas performed the song in restaurants and hotels from the 1950s through the 1960s. In 1970, Belgian music producer Louis van Rymenant (also known as Louis Julien van Rijmenant) heard the song and released it to the public through his publishing company Intervox Music, later co-publishing it with his other company Eurovox Music. However, this initial release was not very successful.
The song was copyrighted in 1969 by Thomas and was likely created for a parade in Munich, Germany, in the 1970s. It was also played in Spain during the late 1970s or early 1980s on a popular children's TV show, where the accordionist who performed it said she had composed it for children and was embarrassed by its huge success among adults.
Van Rymenant heard the song being played in 1973 and collaborated with a band called Bobby Setter's Cash & Carry to publish it as a single called "Tchip, Tchip". This version of the song did not achieve much success upon its release in 1970. It was not until the 1980s that the song became a worldwide hit, with over 140 versions recorded worldwide and an estimated 40 million records or more pressed.
The song's journey to becoming a global phenomenon began in 1981 when it was introduced to the United States during the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oktoberfest. A German band wanted to demonstrate the dance in costume, but they could not find a duck costume, so they used a chicken costume instead. This led to the song becoming known as the Chicken Dance, and it has since become a staple at weddings, festivals, and celebrations around the world.
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It became a worldwide hit from 1980 to 1982
The Chicken Dance is a well-known drinking and dancing song at American Oktoberfest events and weddings, particularly in cultures that include polka music. The song was composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in 1957 and was originally called "Der Ententanz", which means "The Duck Dance". It was first heard being played by Thomas in the 1950s and 1960s in restaurants and hotels.
Belgian music producer Louis van Rymenant (or Rijmenant) heard the song being played in 1973. He had some lyrics created and released it to the public in 1970 through his publishing company Intervox Music, without much success. It was then released as a single called "Tchip, Tchip" in collaboration with the band Bobby Setter's Cash & Carry.
The Chicken Dance became a worldwide hit from 1980 to 1982 and was recorded in many countries. It was introduced in the United States in 1981 during the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oktoberfest by the Heilbronn Band from Germany. The band wanted to demonstrate the dance in costume but could not find a duck costume, so they used a chicken costume instead. This is also how the dance got its name, despite the original being called "The Duck Dance".
In 1981, the song and its dance were performed during the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oktoberfest. A local television station provided a chicken costume for the dancer at the festival, in keeping with the costumed performances by The Tweets in England. A 1981 video recording of the Tweets performing the song before a live television audience in the UK shows all the "musicians" in large, mascot-style bird costumes, miming to the recording, while a group of British teens perform the dance in a line behind them.
In 1982, the music producer for the Milwaukee-based organist and polka composer Bob Kames first heard "Dance Little Bird" at a German music fair. Kames recorded his own version on the Hammond organ, as "Dance Little Bird" or "The Chicken Dance" and released it that same year. The Kames recording was a huge success, selling 300,000 copies in Poland alone.
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Over 140 versions have been recorded, selling 40 million copies worldwide
The Chicken Dance is a popular drinking and dancing song at American Oktoberfest events and weddings. It is also known as "Der Ententanz" or "The Duck Dance", composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in 1957. Thomas played it in restaurants and hotels from the 1950s through the 1960s. In 1973, Belgian music producer Louis van Rymenant (or Louis Julien van Rijmenant) heard the song and collaborated with the band Bobby Setter's Cash & Carry to publish it as a single called "Tchip, Tchip".
The song was first released to the public in 1970 through van Rymenant's publishing company Intervox Music, but it did not achieve much success at the time. It was not until the 1980s that it became a worldwide hit, with over 140 versions recorded and 40 million copies sold. The song's popularity may be attributed to its catchy melody, ease of learning, and lack of lyrics to memorise.
The dance was introduced to the United States in 1981 during the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oktoberfest by the Heilbronn Band from Germany. They intended to perform it in duck costumes but had to settle for a chicken costume due to availability. This led to the dance becoming known as the Chicken Dance in the US. The song has since been recorded in various languages and released by notable companies such as Walt Disney Records.
The song's success has resulted in it becoming a staple at weddings, festivals, and cultural events worldwide. Its simple yet effective formula of being easy to learn, catchy, and memorable has ensured its longevity and widespread appeal. The Chicken Dance is a testament to the universal power of music to bring people together and create lasting memories.
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Frequently asked questions
The original name of the song was "Der Ententanz", which means "The Duck Dance". It was composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas in 1957.
The dance was introduced in the United States in 1981 during the Tulsa, Oklahoma Oktoberfest by a German band. They wanted to demonstrate the dance in costume but they could not find a duck costume, so they used a chicken costume instead.
The dance step has five discrete moves. The dancer lifts both hands into the air and opens and closes them as if operating a hand puppet (simulating a chicken's vocalizations), then tucks their hands into their armpits and flaps them like a chicken, followed by wiggling their shoulders and/or hips (tail feathers) while descending, and finally clapping four times.
The Chicken Dance is often associated with polka music and is commonly performed at events featuring polka music, such as Oktoberfest. However, it is not clear if the dance itself is specifically a polka.
The Chicken Dance has become a worldwide sensation, with over 140 versions of the song recorded and an estimated 40 million copies sold worldwide. It is particularly popular at weddings and festivals, especially those celebrating German culture.
