Introduction:
In the early 1970s, the Osmonds were best known as fresh-faced teen idols: tight harmonies, wholesome image, high-energy pop-family appeal. But beneath the clean-cut veneer, the band harbored ambitions of broader musical identity — of rock credibility, of digging into grooves that extended beyond bubblegum singles. The song “The Resurrection Shuffle” marked one of those moments when the Osmonds embraced a rougher edge, a soul-inflected shuffle rhythm that signalled both revival and reinvention.
Origins & Context
Originally written and released by British trio Ashton Gardner & Dyke in November 1970, “The Resurrection Shuffle” became their signature hit — a pride-driven, horn-laden R&B shuffle that soared in the UK charts. The Osmonds, ever-attuned to contemporary trends and wanting to broaden their sound, decided to cover the tune, adapt it into their live sets and capture it on recordings soon after.
While the Osmonds’ version may not have achieved the same commercial impact as the original, it became an important statement for them: you’re not just a teen-pop act. You’re musicians. You can groove, you can shuffle, you can tap into rock & soul.
Musical Style & Performance
What gives “The Resurrection Shuffle” its character is the blend of driving shuffle beat, punchy horns, bluesy guitar and a swaggering vocal delivery. For the Osmonds, this meant stepping out of their familiar vocal‐harmony territory into something grittier. On stage, they delivered the song with energy, backing horns, danceable rhythms — the kind of showmanship that moved them closer to rock bands of the era.
The lyrics themselves — “step on the gas / put your hand in the air / make a ‘V’ sign like you just don’t care” — evoke liberation, movement, resurrection of spirit. For the Osmonds, perhaps the message resonated as much as the sound: revival of musical identity, a shuffle away from safe pop.
Significance in The Osmonds’ Career
This cover signalled a transitional moment. Rather than continuing solely as child‐star pop sensations, the band showed they were willing to stretch. Though their hallmark hits such as “One Bad Apple”, “Yo-Yo” and “Crazy Horses” may dominate the catalogue, their take on “The Resurrection Shuffle” sits as an important pivot: bridging their teen idol era and their rock/pop ambitions.
Live recordings such as Live from London include the tune explicitly. It became part of their show repertoire, proof that the family group could swing a groove. For fans and historians, this is the “other side” of the Osmonds: less the ubiquitous smiling faces, more the band that could rock.
Legacy & Listening Today
Today, listening to the Osmonds’ version offers a layered experience. You hear their vocal polish, you hear the shuffle rhythm, you hear the ambition. It’s no longer just nostalgia; it becomes insight into an evolution. While the Osmonds never became a pure rock outfit, songs like this demonstrate their versatility, their desire for credibility, and their willingness to take risk.
For collectors and fans digging beyond the hits, “The Resurrection Shuffle” by the Osmonds stands out as a collectible track, a live set highlight, a moment of transitional identity. It invites a deeper look: into how pop acts redefine themselves, how covers become acts of reinvention, how groove can be the vehicle of transformation.
Final Thoughts
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Song: “The Resurrection Shuffle”
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Covered by: The Osmonds (original by Ashton Gardner & Dyke)
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Year of original release: 1970 (UK)
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Genre: Rock/R&B shuffle with horns and groove
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Why it matters: Demonstrates the Osmonds’ ambition to move beyond teen‐pop and engage with more muscular, groove-oriented music.
In the shuffle of music history, this track may not be the biggest headline in the Osmonds’ story — but it is one of the most telling. It reminds us that even bands associated with wholesomeness and family values harbour the impulses of change, reinvention, resurrection. And maybe, just maybe, that shuffle was the movement that kept them alive far beyond a single era.