Shake Some Action

Shake Some Action: the melodic rebirth of rock

Shake Some Action was composed in the mid-1970s by Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson, members of the American band Flamin’ Groovies. In an era dominated by glam rock and the first steps of punk, the group deliberately chose to draw inspiration from the classic sound of the 1960s, taking The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Rolling Stones as reference points.

Recorded in London and released in 1976, the song gave its name to the album Shake Some Action, marking a decisive turn in the band’s trajectory toward a more melodic and timeless style.

Musically, “Shake Some Action” fuses the youthful energy of rock with refined melodies, vocal harmonies, and bright guitars—essential elements of the movement later known as power pop.

With its vital rhythm, accessible structure, and nostalgic yet vibrant tone, the song captures the essence of youth: an impulse for movement, change, and the search for freedom. It steps away from the complexities of progressive rock to focus on emotional and musical immediacy.

Although it did not achieve high commercial chart positions at the time, Shake Some Action has, over the years, become a cult song in rock history. Today it is considered a pillar of classic power pop and a direct reference for later generations of alternative musicians.

Su influencia es reconocida en bandas como The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub y en buena parte de la escena indie rock de finales del siglo XX. Sigue reeditándose en recopilaciones y aparece con frecuencia en listas de las mejores canciones olvidadas o de culto del rock.

Musical legacy today

Shake Some Action has also been included in several film and TV soundtracks, reinforcing its status as a cult track over the years. It is especially notable for its appearance in the film Clueless (1995), an iconic 1990s comedy, where it forms part of the original soundtrack. This inclusion renewed interest in Flamin’ Groovies among a new generation of listeners. In addition, the band Cracker covered the song for the same film, offering an alternative version that also gained notoriety.

Torre Annunziata

Prologue

…As soon as the first bars of «Shake some action»were heard, she saw through the window on his left a boy of no more than eight approaching. In his left hand he held a horrid, dirty, dripping rag; in his right, tightly clenched, half a cream bun, part of whose filling he had already generously smeared across his face and hair, leaving it sticking up wildly…

Shake Some Action

Did you know…?

🔹In 1976, while recording Shake Some Action, Jordan and Wilson set out to revive the melodic English sound of the 1960s inspired by the Beatles, the Byrds, and the Kinks. They believed that in the U.S. this style had disappeared, swept away by glam, emerging heavy metal, and rising punk. To recreate it faithfully, they settled in London and worked for months with producer Dave Edmunds.