First time hearing Archie Bell & The Drells “Tighten Up” Reaction | Asia and BJ

[@biff9999]

"Hi everybody, I'm Archie Bell of the Drells, from Houston, Texas We don't only sing, but we dance just as good as we walk"

[@JayyeStone]

This one used to be one of my Dad's favorites back in the day. I can just imagine him dancing the Tighten Up again!

[@surlechapeau]

Asia & BJ, their "I Can't Stop Dancing" was also a hit song! Hearing The Tighten Up, was very different from everything else on the radio, in a good way!

[@santosmadrigal3702]

I can't dance . But this song makes me want to dance . I loved this song ever since I heard it . Tighten up is the way . Do the tighten up everybodé .

[@swartetc]

I think 1968 is when I use to listen to this on the pickup radio working with my dad. Thanks!

[@donnabruhn6907]

We were doing the " tighten up " all over the dance floor at teen dances. Loved the tighten up

[@titanfan12]

Once that gets in your head you will be hearing it all day!😊 Htown been here for a minute

[@em-performance2016]

All time classic right here. Brings you in a better mood no matter how you feel, can't help but move my head. I remember that it was paid homage to even on the Simpsons with Homer's one man band.

[@chellj8175]

So true as is much of the 60’s music !!❤️❤️

[@mrb4749]

Very cool tune from I believe 68. Hit #1 in my area. I can't stop Dancing and Showdown were very good. 1968 was one of the best years for music,!

[@jonlenihan4798]

If you like songs where they mix singing and talking, "Have You Seen Her" by the Chi-lites from 1971. There was a new dance, every fifteen minutes in the Sixties.

[@Rosedach]

When this song hit the airwaves, Archie was wearing green and a helmet in Viet Nam.

[@shannonk.6528]

My Grandma used to play this song all the time when she babysat us in the summers when my Mom was working. Takes me back to those times.

[@MuleBlanche]

Big smiles!!! Can't help but smile big and start to move when Archie and the Drells get going.

[@shirleydurr411]

search on youtube for "Tighten Up" done on Soul Train and you get a hint at what the dance looked like.

[@1bigrowdy]

Archie Bell recorded this song and shortly thereafter was drafted he never heard it till he got to Viet Nam and heard it on Armed Forces Radio

[@lorigrif262]

Awww yeah, it's the Tighten Up! Yall better get out on the dance floor! 💃

[@dagmar.6954]

Archie Bell & the Drells was an American R&B vocal group in the 60's-70's. "Tighten Up" was their biggest hit in 1968. Other songs by them are "I Can't Stop Dancing", "There's Gonna Be A Showdown", "Girl You're Too Young", "Here I Go Again" "Soul City Walk", "Let's Groove", "Everybody Have A Good Time", "Don't Let Love Get You Down" etc.

[@joyceedwards2708]

Don’t forget “I could dance all night”. They were on Soul Train a lot.

[@mikewarker4445]

Wow, haven’t heard this song in forever. Just goes to show the difference from todays music. A simple song like this better than most of what is made today. I was blessed to grow up when real music was nonstop. I know I’m old. Get off my lawn!

[@chrisoakley5830]

YES SIR.

[@debrabeck9630]

This song! I still remember every word of that intro - We not only sing, but we dance just as good as we want. Thanks!

[@gpxo11]

I think the verse is ..." we dance as good as we WALK"

[@debrabeck9630]

@@gpxo11 oh crap! You’re right. The dreaded misheard lyrics beast strikes again. 😂

[@lucky4724]

A little trivia....Mr. Archie bell was drafted inn1967 (Army) and served in Vietnam, while on R & R (Leave) he wrote this song!!🇺🇲Hooah💪👌

[@jdodd2798]

Archie Bell - from my hometown, HOUSTON!! Loved them!

[@mdennis9496]

Digging up GOLD here. Made its way into the Top 10 on this freshman offering. Fresh, fun and easy to dance to, sure 60s discotheques at this up:

[@GinnyRobertsonLLC]

Memories of rocking out to this song at high school dances.

[@SteveCreveling]

I really dig this song!! It's so fun spirited & light hearted. First heard it back in late 80s in last year of high school

[@Ritaholden1]

I always loved this song growing up. Thanks for the reaction.

[@danielkesselring9172]

One of the best.. I flippin love this tune since I can remember.. so tight 😎💪🏻🇺🇸👏🏻

[@chellj8175]

Love my oldies! This is a great one !! The 60’s had some of the best music !!❤️❤️

[@marinamartinez6886]

Yay! This was a hit when I was in Junior High and just started getting into dances and parties. Great memories! 😊👍👍👍

[@RichardLong-vu9sr]

The backing band on Tighten Up was the TSU Toronados from Texas State University. They released some instrumentals of their own.

[@willieboy3011]

I remember this on the radio. Guy had a distinct voice. I should point out to that it was nice to hear a feel good song at a time when there were so many protest songs.

[@amandawade6148]

One of the first records I bought. Loved this and still!!❤❤❤❤

[@davidspendlove5900]

I never get tired of hearing this.

[@chrisoakley5830]

I used to hear this song played regularly on FM radio in the 70s and early 80s. It's a great one.

[@stephensgarlato2323]

After all these years (I’m 73) I still love this song as much as I did in 1968❤️❤️

[@kabirahnazeem9403]

I wasin 4th grade and it was a HIT! And we tighten up to withthe 4 corners

[@michellegriffith4200]

I could listen to this song a million times, never gets old...

[@gregscavuzzo5457]

This song was big when I was a kid back in the 1970s I loved Archie and his band was great, thanks

[@johnlong9534]

I had this record 55 years ago. Man, love this. Riding it !

[@christinewaide5249]

This song is so good that it just makes you move. You can’t help it. It came on over the store speakers and I had to start dancing. My husband was so embarrassed that he pretended not to know me. Lol. But you can’t help but move when it comes on.

[@salmuscles]

I was 14 in 1968 and I was trying to tighten up ...

[@ericsmith6615]

Wife here..This sounds 🔥 like FIRE!!..Love the way he calls out the instruments.., !!!..Amazing!!! U2!!!

[@kenmott6387]

I met Mr Bell and his lovely wife a couple of decades ago. The band I was in were opening the Janis Joplin Birthday Bash, and he was a headliner. Sweet, nice man.

[@bryanforis1839]

This song was great 55 years ago there no doubt

[@tonyherrera2570]

Here’s a couple of lost R&B/Soul classics from around the same time period (early 70’s). Cleanup Woman by Betty Wright and Want Ads by The Honey Cone…I think you both would get a kick out of them😊👍🏼👍🏼….

[@debrahartshorn3084]

WOW Throwback 😊 Thanks for this one

[@legoray376]

Awesome!!!! That was one of my favorite when I was young! Thank you for sharing! Love your KZbin channel !! And Asia you are so beautiful!🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🌹

[@danielfardella1622]

OMG - this is a 'goody'...When we were in Jr High this was a song that we mimicked alot, and in basketball that was the thing "tighten up!" Archie Bell...lol. Very nostalgic fun song, good memories.

[@dannycasson1551]

What a great song. I haven’t heard this in ages!

[@lindazee]

One of my favorite memories of this song, is of a summer at Coney Island's amusement park and getting on a fast ride while "Tighten Up" was blasting through the speakers. It added to the thrill, especially when the ride went in reverse, part-way through the song. That's how it is in Brooklyn. 😄😉

[@blackprix]

Oh yeah not bad in 1968 and when you heard this song and you were out you got up and danced. That is back in the day when we did go out just to dance Richie Bell had a famous Brother that plays football for USC. He was a running back and a very good one, who died of cancer very young

[@gpxo11]

What's really bizarre is that Archie Bell was drafted and this song went to #1 when he was a paratrooper in Vietnam. Always chuckled when one of the backup members would shout "Come on tighten it up babe c'mon!"

[@calme-dx2dp]

BJ has it right....there was no specific dance WE did to this song.When this song was played you simply got down. whenever the DJ said TIGHTEN UP (and it didn't have to be this song), You did the best dance you could. If someone was really tightening up, the dance floor gave way, and there was just a crowd around that performer(s)

[@carolespinoza8469]

They use to play at a club in Houston,. On south main all the time. This song has a dance they use to do to it. 💃🕺. Dam they was good. 🎶🎶🎶🎶🥁🎸. B j. You getting it. 💞

[@ppiechnik]

Well, that took me back to Jr. High!!! Ty!!!

[@hansjolen6087]

May 1968. In the Billboard top 10 were also A beautiful morning and Cowboys to girls. It was a month full of vibe. It didn't reach Europe unfortunately.

[@PapaEli-pz8ff]

My senior year in high school 🎶🤓

[@suprafast6338]

Love this song, class of 1975 Pinecrest HS Southern Pines NC

[@MidwesternCornbilly]

Todd Rundgren's first band (that had a record deal) NAZZ did a great parody version of this song called 'Loosen Up'. The song hilariously fall apart towards the end

[@biggmaqq]

This song got to #1. Archie Bell got drafted and that was it for his career.

[@EJ-tm1fe]

This was, interestingly enough, a pretty big radio hit in the '70s and early '80s.

[@waynehall8920]

👍 Great reaction, That's a real oldie but goody

[@loisrogers2511]

😄Always such a fun vibe! I think of this song fairly often for some strange reason. I don't know what triggers it

[@hampyonce]

My parents had me trying to "do the tighten up" at 6. All over the damn house.

[@loadedorygun]

also best studio chatter EVER. Only thing that comes close for me is Can I Start This by Poor Righteous Teachers. That one’s about as fun as this, too.

[@cbreez40]

Y'all Playin now..my older cousins use to listen to this group..it was them Continental 4, The Stylistics and New Birth... please do yourselves a favor and check these groups out ,Archie Bell and the Drells LET'S GROOVE

[@normanrose2711]

oh man I think I strained something !

[@williamweiss6128]

Do the Tighten Up!!! As according to Angelo Moore-Fishbone!

[@jonnno2439]

I love this. Two other songs with a similar theme are Sly and the Family Stone, "Dance to the Music" (has to be the studio version), and The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band with, " The Intro and the Outro" ( again, studio version)

[@talkshitko9234]

In the uk this is a big song at the northern soul weekenders

[@marksilverman4537]

Enter the rabbit hole - next up - I Can't Stop Dancing and I Could Dance All Night - Classics from this group!

[@lucasroth7922]

Saw him in a little place called the Ready Room half a block from larger showcase venue called Fitzgerald's back in the day! That song lasted 2o minutes that night out into the street 🔥✌🤘

[@kathyowens4811]

Good reaction. Watch the video of Archie Bell and the Dells actually doing the Tighten Up. Make sure to check out the dance and the instruments. Then do another reaction video with BJ doing the Tighten Up as it was meant to be done.

[@dantean]

Love this forever! EVERYBODY MUST TIGHTEN UP! TIGHTEN UP, Y'ALL! (Btw, James Brown was doing a killer cover of this in the late 60s/early 70s you can find out there if you look for it. IT'S MURDER!)

[@beasam75]

Great memories

[@MoeFro78]

Philadelphia International Records in The House!!!!!

[@Tomcaatt]

When you went to Dixie mart , and you spent your chore money on a new 45”record, you listened to it , it’s the only one you listened to for a week! Back to back to back then daddy came and said NO MORE !😂😂😂

[@Quartermaster323]

Wow! One I’ve never heard of (and it came out on the year I was born)!?

[@RobynCarmonaKrystleKlearSound]

No 1 on Pop and Soul Charts Classic Party Jam

[@bassblvd3065]

Archie Bell is the older brother of once USC and NFL running back for Tampa Bay, Rickey Bell, and is related to record producer Thom Bell, …..

[@RenR70]

“I Just Can’t Stop Dancin’” should be next!

[@carollittle1059]

Man, this was a hit

[@loadedorygun]

As you know, they dance as good as they walk. Best thing to ever come out of Houston since BBQ!

[@ivarwinter3049]

Now this song was a regular feature on Sole Train when the movements Weren't quite there

[@elmonlarry7097]

That's a good song

[@stevefox3014]

Great reaction guys! I was a little disappointed that Asia didn't tighten up! Show her some moves BJ!♥️

[@marthaz]

Serious cook-out, card game jam! 🤣👍😍

[@richardmartin9565]

There's a place I eat lunch every day Soon as I get there, the jukebox starts to play I can't even eat my "lunch in peace" (on the radio it was "luncheon meat) 'Cause music makes me get out of my seat. FROM: I just can't stop dancin'

[@galemoore521]

Come on to NC and I'll show you how to do the tighten up!

[@jamesgarcia6966]

They're from my hometown Houston,TX

[@SIXX2772]

YEAH TITAN UP!!!

[@elainemarsh5170]

Fun fun song! BJ totally gets it! 😂

[@galemoore521]

Danced to this so many times

[@richardmartin9565]

BJ actually did the Tighten Up...Is he a natural?

[@christianmattison6096]

Just plain fun!!! :)

[@strettoasino9006]

Rufus Thomas had them all beat ....

[@chrisalldis3375]

Loved it!

[@carlbaker7242]

Hey yall don't know but check out the introduction of the music. Yes iam up dancing!!! Do it BJ!!!

[@yvettevargas4192]

I was 13 and did the tighten up

[@joepimentel306]

Classic!!

[@tsonofjohnson489]

does any one remember dancing the "four corners?" lol

[@michaelwilliams-vu2nf]

Y'all need to react to the Winston and a song call Color him father