Nut Rocker

"Nut Rocker" is an instrumental rock single recorded by American instrumental ensemble B. Bumble and the Stingers that reached number 23 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in March 1962 and went to number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1962. It was a version of Tchaikovsky's "March of the Toy Soldiers", from his ballet The Nutcracker.

Original recording

The recording was made by the house band of session musicians at Rendezvous Records in Los Angeles, including drummer Earl Palmer and guitarist René Hall, who had already had hits in the US charts with rocked-up versions of "In The Mood" (1959, credited to the Ernie Fields Orchestra) and "Bumble Boogie" (1961, also credited to B. Bumble and the Stingers, with Ernie Freeman on piano). "Nut Rocker" was produced by Kim Fowley, and, since Freeman did not show up, featured pianist Al Hazan.