“Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle)” (1966) – The Johnny Mann Singers

“Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle)” (1966) – The Johnny Mann Singers * Written by Sol Lake * Produced by Joe Saraceno * 45: “Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle)” / “Rovin’ Gambler” * Label: Liberty * Charts: Billboard Bubbling Under #126

There’s a whole category of records that found airplay and chart listings because of their involvement in TV ads. The Johnny Mann Singers’ “Cinnamint Shuffle” was a notable one from 1966. “Cinnamint,” along with “Teaberry,” were Clark’s chewing gum flavors and commercials for both of these featured consumers popping a stick of it into their mouths and dancing a two-second shuffle before carrying on with their business. The ad campaign’s song was a familiar one: “Mexican Shuffle,” written by Sol Lake, which was a keynote track on Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass’s South of the Border, a Billboard top ten album in 1964 (the “Mexican Shuffle” single hit #88). The Johnny Mann Singers’ 1966 version of the song, sporting the new title of “Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle),” managed to squeak into Billboard‘s “bubbling under” chart, peaking at #126. (Johnny Mann had worked as the musical director for the Joey Bishop Show from 1961-1964, incidentally.)