Though dance crazes have been around since the Renaissance period, the 1960's decade had more than its fair share. These dances were fads and songwriters were always quick to capitalize on them. In some cases the dance came first and the song afterwards or vice versa. Depending on the source, the facts about the "The Loco-Motion" goes either way. In an interview with original songwriter Carole King on NPR radio, after "Little" Eva died in 2003, King stated she and co-songwriter/husband Gerry Goffin were introduced to Eva Boyd by another vocal group, The Cookies, while working on the song. They realized she had singing talent and had Eva, at the age of sixteen, record the song under the stage name "Little" Eva, but there was no dance upon its release. Once the song became a smash hit, Eva then had to create a dance to go along with the song.
"The Loco-Motion" reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, UK Singles Chart as #2, Canadian Singles Chart at #1. Its popular and enduring legacy includes a version by Grand Funk Railroad reaching #1 in the 70's and one by Australian singer Kylie Minogue hitting #3 in the US in the 80's. The song is ranked #359 on the Rolling Stone Magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
