But, like so many legends of pop culture, it's not entirely true. Boyd was indeed King's and Goffin's babysitter, but they knew full well that she could sing before “The Loco-motion” was ever written. And the song came first, before the dance. When “Loco-Motion” became a hit, Little Eva had to invent dance moves to go along with the lyrics (which vaguely describe a dance, but really don't provide the full picture).
Little Eva's recording career didn't last long past the 1962 release of "The Loco-Motion" (in 1971 she retired from the music industry). But the song itself has had staying power. It was covered by Grand Funk Railroad in 1974, soaring to No. 1 again, and by Kylie Minogue in 1987, hitting No. 3. When asked what she thought of Minogue's version, Boyd admitted that she didn't like it (though its success spurred a resurgence of her own career). We won't go so far as to say we don't like Minogue's version – it's an '80s classic – but we must admit being partial to Little Eva's classic, original version. It’s been nearly 50 years since Little Eva recorded “The Loco-Motion.” Nine years after her death, we’re so glad she gave us this record to remember her by. Written by Linnea Crowther
