Beach music. The term conjures up images of couples swaying and swirling to the tunes of bands from the 1950s like the Tams and the Drifters. The standard attire for the scene is casual: shorts, sundresses, sandals or maybe no shoes at all. Even though the word “beach” implies the genre is restricted to the sea and sand, it can really be found anywhere — at home, at a party or on the Mount Pleasant Pier.
The compulsory dance is, of course, the shag, a moniker that often lifts the eyebrows of newcomers who experience a bit of a surprise (maybe even shock) when they first encounter the word. But as anyone who grew up around here can tell you, knowing how to shag is a must if you call yourself a local resident. And since the shag is our official state dance, even folks in the Midlands or Upstate are allowed to do it.
This photo from 1912 captures a different image of what beach music meant back then. These couples are certainly not shagging, and the setting looks more like a formal affair. Maybe it was a special event that took place at The Citadel Beach Club or Wild Dunes? Nope. Those places didn’t even exist yet. In those days, this scene took place every weekend on Front Beach at the Dance Pavilion that was located on what is now Ocean Boulevard.
The dance hall was huge – 400 square feet – and was presumably the largest in the South. Orchestras provided live music. However, the couples pictured were not residents of the island, since no one lived on the Isle of Palms at the time. They were likely guests staying at the Seaside Hotel next door. Both buildings were part of the popular beachfront resort that had been established Citadeltwo decades earlier. The site also included a restaurant, bath houses and amusement rides. Some folks even called the place the “Coney Island of the South.”
Today’s visitors to the Isle of Palms can enjoy a variety of lodging accommodations as well as plenty of dance venues. And if shagging to beach music is not to their liking, there’s always country, pop or good ol’ rock and roll to help you get into the groove.
By Mary Coy
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