Shake Me

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Shake Me" by Cinderella, a high-energy track from their 1986 debut album Night Songs, and the Zoo Freaks are surely feeling the vibe. This song, written by frontman Tom Keifer, was Cinderella’s first single, a raw, sexy rocker that didn’t chart but caught enough radio play to put the band on the map. The music video, filmed in Philadelphia, leans into a Cinderella fairy-tale theme: a girl, stuck at home while her cruel sisters head to a Cinderella concert, is magically transported to the front row by a guitar falling from a poster. Her sisters, meanwhile, are locked out of the sold-out show. This narrative continues in the video for "Nobody’s Fool," tying the two together. Posts on X highlight the song’s place in history, noting that Night Songs, released on June 9, 1986, hit #3 on the Billboard 200 and went triple platinum, with "Shake Me" setting the stage despite its lack of chart success.

Another tidbit comes from the song’s reception among fans and critics. A 2020 X post by @Akki_Sixx8429 praises "Shake Me" as a catchy, LA-metal-style track from Night Songs, distinct from the bluesier sound Cinderella later embraced. The post also mentions Tom Keifer’s unique vocals, influenced by Janis Joplin, which gave the song its gritty edge. The track’s lyrics, full of innuendo, tell the story of a passionate encounter that lingers in the narrator’s mind, with lines like “Shake me, all night, she said / Shake it, don’t break it, baby.” Though it didn’t crack the charts like "Nobody’s Fool" (#13) or "Somebody Save Me" (#66), "Shake Me" was a staple of their early live shows, especially during their 1986 tours opening for Poison and Loudness, and later for David Lee Roth and Bon Jovi.

Cinderella’s journey began in the suburbs of Philadelphia in 1983, where Tom Keifer and bassist Eric Brittingham formed the band. Practicing in the attic of the American Legion building in Wayne, Pennsylvania, they honed their glam-metal sound. Their big break came when Jon Bon Jovi caught their set at the Empire Rock Club in Philadelphia and pushed his A&R contact, Derek Shulman, to check them out. Initially hesitant, Shulman signed the band to Mercury/Polygram after negotiations. By 1985, guitarist Jeff LaBar and drummer Jim Drnec joined, though session drummer Jody Cortez and guitarist Barry Benedetta contributed to Night Songs’s recording. Fred Coury later replaced Drnec, appearing in the band’s MTV videos and tours. The album’s success, driven by MTV airplay and those high-profile opening slots, propelled Cinderella to sell 15 million records worldwide, as noted on Tom Keifer’s official site.

Despite their glam-metal roots, Cinderella evolved toward a blues-rock sound by the early 1990s, though their fame waned amid personal setbacks, including Keifer’s vocal cord issues, and shifts in the music industry. After a hiatus, they reunited in 1996 and continued live performances, though no new studio albums followed 1994’s Still Climbing. Fans can connect with the band through Tom Keifer’s official website, which covers his solo work and Cinderella’s legacy, or follow updates on Cinderella’s Facebook, Tom Keifer’s Instagram, and Tom Keifer’s X account. For community vibes, check out fan-driven spaces like the Cinderella Fan Club on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks and other devotees share memories, photos, and love for the band’s enduring catalog.