There are many versions of this Bo Diddley penned song, including one by the Everly Brothers and another by Sonny and Cher. Mickey & Sylvia's version appeared first in 1956 and was popularised in the 1987 Dirty Dancing film. In 1969 someone put an organ and strings backing track on to a demo by the inimitable Buddy Holly and made a fine version. It is the riff by Jody Williams that gives the song its mesmeric atmosphere. The lyrics of the song will not stand close scrutiny but in pop music sound is as important as meaning and so with love, miss and kiss in there it is a fine pop lyric, ideal for a teenage audience. What is being sung about is infatuation not love, of course, and one would want to encourage any teenager besotted with the song or the girl at the next desk to see that. Love is not so strange but learning about love and seeking to understand how it all works can be, especially at first. Otherwise, we have three minutes of great enjoyment here, still amazingly fresh more than 40 or 50 years on.
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