Shake Your Head

"Shake Your Head" is a song by American pop rock group Was (Not Was). It was originally released in 1983 by Geffen on their second album, Born to Laugh at Tornadoes (1983), with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. A 1992 re-recording, remixed by house music producer Steve "Silk" Hurley, with actress Kim Basinger and a re-recorded Osbourne on vocals, was released as a single and on the group's third compilation album, Hello Dad... I'm in Jail (1992).

"Shake Your Head (Let's Go to Bed)"
Song by Was (Not Was)
from the album Born to Laugh at Tornadoes
Released	1983
Length	3:52
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	David Was, Don Was
Producer(s)	Jack Tann, David Was, Don Was

"Shake Your Head"
Single by Was (Not Was)
from the album Hello Dad... I'm in Jail
B-side	"I Blew Up the United States"
Released	June 29, 1992 (1992-06-29)[1]
Length	3:42
Label	Fontana
Songwriter(s)	David Was, Don Was
Producer(s)	David Was, Don Was, Steve "Silk" Hurley
Was (Not Was) singles chronology
"Listen Like Thieves" (1992) "Shake Your Head" (1992) "Somewhere in America (There's a Street Named after My Dad)" (1992)

Background

The original version features Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals. A pre-fame Madonna had auditioned for the vocal but was not used on the final release.

In 1992, it was re-recorded and remixed by house music producer Steve "Silk" Hurley, and features actress Kim Basinger alongside a re-recorded Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. It appeared on the group's compilation album Hello Dad... I'm in Jail.

The original plan for the re-release was to restore Madonna's vocals to the track, but she refused to grant permission, hence Basinger was approached instead. However, Madonna's restored vocals were accidentally released on two occasions. A full Madonna vocal appears on the two-LP and double-cassette formats of compilation release Now Dance 92, entitled the 12-inch mix. The CD format of this compilation includes the regular 7-inch mix, however. The 12-inch and CD single formats of Was (Not Was)'s follow-up single, "Somewhere in America (There's a Street Named after My Dad)", includes a Dub Mix of "Shake Your Head" which uses several of Madonna's vocals. Although the song did not chart in the US, it was the band's biggest commercial success across the Atlantic, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart.

There are several versions of the 1992 remake:

• The 3:48 single version starts with Ozzy Osbourne singing "You can't feed the hungry, you can't talk Shakespeare to a monkey..."
• The 4:00 album version starts with Kim Basinger singing "You can't argue with death. You can't break a burly sailor's neck...". There is also a Steve "Silk" Hurley 12-inch mix and a 12-inch dub.

While the song's verses list things that cannot be done (some are outlandish, some can be done, but have a high amount of difficulty), the chorus rects with the advice to "Shake your head" and "Let's go to bed".

Track listings

• 7-inch and cassette single^[2][3]

1. "Shake Your Head" – 3:42
2. "I Blew Up the United States" – 3:51

• 12-inch single^[4]

A1. "Shake Your Head" – 6:49

A2. "I Blew Up the United States" – 3:51

B1. "Listen Like Thieves" (Giant club mix)

B2. "Listen Like Thieves" (Vandal dub)

• CD single^[5]

1. "Shake Your Head"
2. "Spy in the House of Love"
3. "I Blew Up the United States"
4. "Robot Girl"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1992) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 47 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] 20 Europe (European Dance Radio)[8] 5 Germany (GfK)[9] 77 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 8 Portugal (AFP)[11] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 39 UK Singles (OCC)[13] 4

Year-end chart Chart (1992) Position Europe (European Dance Radio)[14] 25 UK Singles (OCC)[15] 44

Other versions

In 2003, Dutch-German pop singer C. C. Catch released a version of the song that reached number 12 on the Spanish Singles Chart.^[16]