1968: This charming little piece appears several times in the 60's as part three of the ridiculous little medley that appears on "Tis the Season to Be Jelly". The medley consists of "You Didn't Try To Call Me"-> "Petrushka"-> Bristol Stomp"-> "Baby Love"-> Big Leg Emma", and the '68 version is essentially performed as on that Beat the Boots track.
"Bristol Stomp" was written by Kal Mann (Cameo/Parkway exec) and Dave Appell (Cameo/Parkway A&R head Dave Appell) for The Dovells in 1961. The Dovells (who started as the Brooktones in 1957) recorded their first single, the Len Barry-penned tune, "No, No, No", in 1961; the same year they recorded "The Bristol Stomp". "Bristol Stomp" spent the better part of the summer of 1961 doing nothing, and then it broke out of the Midwest. On September 11th "The Bristol Stomp" gained enough momentum to go national and by October 23rd was the number two seller in America according to Billboard and the number one seller according to Cash Box. "Bristol Stomp" also reached number seven on the R&B chart. In 1962, The Dovells also recorded "Do the New Continental", "Bristol Twistin' Annie", "Hully Gully Baby", and "The Jitterbug", giving them five different charters to five different dances in a little over a year.
"The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Really somethin when they join in jumpin / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Whoa whoa they start spinnin every Friday night / They dance the greatest and they do it right / Well it's the latest it's the greatest sight to see / The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Really somethin when they join in jumpin / When they do the Bristol Stomp / whoa, oh, oh, ah-ah-ah, oh / Whoa whoa it started in Bristol at a dee jay hop / They hollered and whistled never wanted to stop / We pony and twisted and we rocked with Daddy G / The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Really somethin when they join in jumpin / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Duh-duh-doo / It's got that groovy beat / That makes you stomp your feet / Come along and try / Gonna feel fine / And once you dance with me / You'll fall in love you see / The Bristol Stomp will make you mine / All mine / The stars are spinnin every Friday night / They dance the greatest if they do it right / But it's the latest it's the greatest sight to see / The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Really somethin when they join in jumpin / When they do the Bristol Stomp / It started in Bristol at a dee jay hop / They hollered and whistled / Never wanted to stop / We pony and twisted / And we rocked with Daddy G / The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Really somethin when they join in jumpin / When they do the Bristol Stomp / Feel so fine / Oh, got to say, please, mine / I'm talkin (when they do the Bristol Stomp) / Mine baby (kids in Bristol...)"
Bristol is a small town, southeast of the city of Dallas, situated on a hill.
The Dovells were from Philadelphia and the song was written about Bristol, Pennsylvania, near Philly. The group would not have known about Bristol, Texas. It is a tiny town near Dallas. I have lived in Texas all my life and didn't know it existed. It is certainly not a town for Pennsylvanians to write a song about.
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