"Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by The Georgia Satellites - April 30th 80's Quest Song/Band of the Day

This is one of those kitschy, silly fun kind of one-hit wonder songs that caught people’s attention for awhile.  It always reminds me of one of my good friends, because she really loved this song. 

The first incarnation of The Georgia Satellites was an Atlanta, Georgia bar band called Keith and the Satellites which formed in 1980 [the band consisted of Dan Baird (lead singer), Rick Richards (lead guitar), Keith Christopher (bass) and David Michaelson (drums)].  The band played every Monday at a bar called Hedgen’s in the Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead.  Under the line-up of Dan Baird (lead singer), Rick Richards (lead guitar), Dave Hewitt (bass) and randy Delay (drums), they changed their name to The Georgia Satellites and recorded a demo tape.  In Summer 1984, shortly after the demo was recorded, the band broke up.  Even so, their English manager, Kevin Jennings, shopped the demo tape to a small record label called Making Waves in Yorkshire, England, who released the demos as an EP called Keep the Faith in 1985.  The EP received positive press and back in the United States, the band decided to regroup.

During the breakup guitarist, Richards had been playing in an Atlanta band called the Hell Hounds which included Rick Price (bass) and Mauro Magellan (drums).  Singer, Baird was off in North Carolina playing with a band called the Woodpeckers, but returned to Atlanta teamed up with the Hell Hounds members, and started playing together resurrecting The Georgia Satellites moniker.

In 1986 they were signed to Electra Records and recorded their debut album, Georgia Satellites, at Cheshire Sound Studios in Atlanta.  The big single from that album, “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in America, and the video for the song was played heavily on MTV.

In 1988 the band garnered another hit with their cover of The Swinging Blue Jeans song “Hippy Hippy Shake” recorded for the soundtrack of the Tom Cruise bartender movie, Cocktail.  It reached #45 on the Billboard charts.  That same year the band released their second album, Open All Night which included a cover version of Ringo Starr’s “Don’t Pass Me By’.  The album did not fare as well as their debut album did, and other singles “Open All Night” and “Dunk ‘n’ Dine” failed to chart. 


In 1989 the band released a third album, In the Land of Salvation and Sin which did not fare well either.  Baird left The Georgia Satellites in 1990 to pursue a solo career.


In 1993 a compilation Let it Rock:  The Best of the Georgia Satellites was released.  That same year guitarist Richards resurrected the band.  He took on vocals and added some new members and began performing again. Richards also plays with former Guns N Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin’s band, Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds.

Baird performs with his band Dan Baird and Homemade Sin which includes former Georgia Satellite members Mauro Magellan and Keith Christopher (who was in the original incarnation of that band).  Baird also plays with country bands Trent Summar & the New Row Mob and The Yayhoos.

Back in 1982 before The Georgia Satellites rose to fame Keith Christopher had left the band to perform with Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush.  He moved around living in London, England, Nashville, Tennessee and now lives in New York City. 


After the original incarnation of The Georgia Satellites broke up in 1984 former drummer Randy DeLay began playing with the Tony Sarno Band, and later the Hell Hounds.  He played all over the Atlanta bar circuit.  In 1993 he died of cancer.

Lyrics:

I got a little change in my pocket
Goin jing-a-ling-a-ling
I want to call you on the telephone, baby
I give you a ring
But each time we talk
I get the same old thing
Always, "No huggee, no kissee
Until I get a wedding ring."
My honey, my baby
Don't put my love upon no shelf
She said, "Don't hand me no lines
And keep your hands to yourself."

Ooh baby, baby, baby
Why you wanna treat me this way?
You know I'm still your loverboy
I still feel the same way
Thats when she told me a story
About free milk and a cow
And said, "No huggee, no kissee
Until I get a wedding vow."
My honey, my baby
Don't put my love upon no shelf
She said, "Don't hand me no lines
And keep your hands to yourself."

See I wanted her real bad
And I was about to give in
Thats when she started talking about true love
Started talking about sin
I said, "Honey, I'll live with you for the rest of my life."
She said, "No huggee, no kissee
Until you make me a wife."
My honey, my baby
Don't put my love upon no shelf
She said, "Don't hand me no lines
And keep your hands to yourself."