Let's Dance (David Bowie song)

"Let's Dance"
Single by David Bowie
from the album Let's Dance
B-side	"Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"
Released	17 March 1983
Format	7" single 12" single
Recorded	1982; The Power Station (New York City)
Genre	Funk[1] post-disco[2] dance-pop[3] funk rock[4]
Length	4:08
Label	EMI – EA152
Writer(s)	David Bowie
Producer(s)	Nile Rodgers
Certification	Gold (RIAA and BPI)
David Bowie singles chronology
"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" (1982) "Let's Dance" (1983) "China Girl" (1983)
Let's Dance track listing "China Girl" (2) "Let's Dance" (3) "Without You" (4) Music video "Let's Dance" on YouTube

"Let's Dance" is the title song from English singer David Bowie's 1983 album of the same name. It was also released as the first single from that album in 1983, and went on to become one of his biggest-selling tracks. Stevie Ray Vaughan played the guitar solo at the end of the song.

The single was one of Bowie's fastest selling, entering the UK Singles Chart at number five on its first week of release, staying at the top of the charts for three weeks.^[5] Soon afterwards, the single topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Bowie's second and last single to reach number 1 in the U.S. In Oceania, it narrowly missed topping the Australian charts, peaking at number two, but peaked at number one for 4 consecutive weeks in New Zealand. The single became one of the best selling of the year across North America, Central Europe and Oceania.

Music video

The music video was made in March 1983 by David Mallet on location in Australia including a bar in Carinda in New South Wales and the Warrumbungle National Park near Coonabarabran. In the beginning it featured Bowie with a double bass player inside the one-room pub at the Carinda Hotel and an Aboriginal couple 'naturally' dancing "to the song they're playin' on the radio", The couple in this scene and in the whole video is played by Terry Roberts and Joelene King, two students from Sydney's Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre. As Bowie opted for real people, some residents of the 194-souls village of Carinda are in the pub too, watching and mocking the couple. They do not believe who David is nor what the take is all about, hence their behaviour towards the couple as seen in the video is real.^[6][7][8]

The red shoes mentioned in the song's lyrics appear in several contexts. The couple wanders solemnly through the outback with some other Aboriginals, when the young woman finds a pair of mystical red pumps on a desert mountain and instantly learns to dance. Bowie's calling 'put on your red shoes' recalls Hans Christian Andersen's tale "The Red Shoes", in which the little girl was vainly tempted to wear the shoes only to find they could not be removed, separating her from God's grace - "let's dance for fear your grace should fall" ^[9] "The red shoes are a found symbol. They are the simplicity of the capitalist society and sort of striving for success - black music is all about 'Put on your red shoes'", as Bowie confirmed.^[10]

Soon, the couple is visiting museums, enjoying candlelit dinners, and casually dropping credit cards, drunk on modernity and consumerism. During a stroll through an arcade of shops, the couple spots the same pair of red pumps for sale in a window display, their personal key to joy and freedom. They toss away the magic kicks in revulsion, stomping them into the dust, and return to the mountains, taking one final look at the city they’ve left behind.

Bowie described this video (and the video for his subsequent single, "China Girl") as "very simple, very direct" statements against racism and oppression, but also a very direct statement about integration of one culture with another. He inserted numerous references to the Stolen Generations. For example, the scene where the young woman scrubs the street on her knees in the middle of a busy street refers to Aboriginal children that were trained as domestic servants before being sent to white homes.^[6][7]

Track listing

7": EMI America / EA 152 (UK)

1. "Let's Dance" (Single Version) (Bowie) – 4:07
2. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) – 5:09

12": EMI America / 12EA 152 (UK)

1. "Let's Dance" (Bowie) – 7:38
2. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) – 5:09

Reception and legacy

"Let's Dance" was described by Ed Power in the Irish Examiner as "a decent chunk of funk-rock".^[4] Writing for the BBC, David Quantick said "the combination of Bowie and Rodgers on the title track was perfect – Bowie’s epic lyric about dancing under 'serious moonlight' and the brilliant filching of the crescendo 'ahh!'s from the Beatles' version of the Isley Brothers' 'Twist and Shout' were masterstrokes, each welded to a loud, stadium-ised drum and bass sound".^[11]

The song introduced Bowie to a new, younger audience oblivious to his former career in the 1970s. Although the track was his most popular to date, its very success had the incongruous effect of distancing Bowie from his new fans, with Bowie saying he did not know who they were or what they wanted.^[12] His next two albums, made as an attempt to cater to his new-found audience, suffered creatively as a result and Bowie cited them as the albums he was least satisfied with in his career.^[13]

In 2007, Bowie gave R&B singer Craig David permission to sample the song for his single "Hot Stuff (Let's Dance)".^[14]

The song was also covered by M. Ward in 2007.

Live performances

The track was a regular on the Serious Moonlight Tour (the name derived from a lyric in "Let's Dance"), and was released on the 1983 concert video Serious Moonlight. The song was also performed live on Bowie's 1987 Glass Spider Tour (and released on 1988's Glass Spider), and on his 1990 Sound+Vision Tour, and it was then reworked semi-acoustically for tours in 2000 and later. A live recording from 27 June 2000 was released on BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000, a bonus disc accompanying the first release of Bowie at the Beeb in 2000.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1983) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] 2 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 1 France (IFOP)[19] 2 Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[21] 1 Italy (FIMI)[22] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[26] 1 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[27] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[30] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 1 US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco[32] 1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[33] 14

Chart (2016) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 54 Canada (Canadian Digital Songs)[34] 44 France (SNEP)[35] 21 Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 73 Ireland (IRMA)[36] 37 Italy (FIMI)[37] 80 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[38] 53 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 67 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 40 Portugal (Hung Medien)[39] 37 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[40] 40 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 64 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 25 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[41] 23 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[42] 7 US Digital Songs (Billboard)[43] 35 US Rock Digital Songs (Billboard)[44] 5 US Rock Streaming Songs (Billboard)[45] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1983)	Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[46]	24
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[47]	16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[48]	2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[49]	3
France (IFOP)[50]	10
Germany (Official German Charts)[51]	19
Italy (FIMI)[52]	19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[53]	10
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[54]	14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[55]	2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[56]	10
US Billboard Hot 100[57]	18

Chart succession

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[58]	Platinum	100,000^^
France (SNEP)[59]	Gold	873,000[60]
United Kingdom (BPI)[61]	Gold	905,029[62]
United States (RIAA)[63]	Gold	1,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Production credits

• Producers:
  • Nile Rodgers
• Musicians:
  • David Bowie – vocals
  • Nile Rodgers – rhythm guitar
  • Stevie Ray Vaughan – lead guitar
  • Carmine Rojas – bass
  • Erdal Kizilcay – keyboard bass
  • Omar Hakim – drums
  • Rob Sabino – keyboards, piano
  • Mac Gollehon – trumpet
  • Robert Aaron, Stan Harrison, Steve Elson – saxophone
  • Sammy Figueroa – percussion

Other releases

• The 7" single edit also appears on the following compilations:
  • Changesbowie (1990)
  • Bowie: The Singles 1969–1993 (1993)
  • The Singles Collection (1993)
  • Best of Bowie (2002)
  • The Platinum Collection (2006)
  • The Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 (2007)
  • Nothing Has Changed (2014)

See also

• List of number-one singles of 1983 (Canada)
• List of number-one singles of 1983 (Ireland)
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1983
• List of number-one singles in 1983 (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles of the 1980s (Switzerland)
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1983

References

1. Erlewine,Stephen Thomas. "David Bowie - Let's Dance review". Allmusic. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
2. Anderman, Joan (2 March 2004). "Indie rockers revel in reinvention". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
3. Champan, Ian (2015). Experiencing David Bowie: A Listener's Companion. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 159. ISBN 9781442237520.
4. Power, Ed (1 March 2013). "David Bowie's return to the golden years?". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 421–2. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
6. Loder, Kurt (12 May 1983). "David Bowie: Straight Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
7. Newman, Jason (14 April 2016). "Bowie in the Outback: Inside Making of Groundbreaking 'Let's Dance' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
8. Gibbs, Ed (18 March 2014). "Let's Dance: How Bowie played the outback". BBC News Online. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
9. Toija Cinque; Christopher Moore; Sean Redmond (18 June 2015). Enchanting David Bowie: Space/Time/Body/Memory. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 63, 225 et sqq. ISBN 978-1-62892-304-9.
10. Pegg, Nicholas (2 December 2011). The Complete David Bowie. Titan Books. ISBN 978-0-85768-719-7.
11. Quantick, David. "David Bowie Let's Dance Review". BBC. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
12. Pond, Steve (March 1997), "Beyond Bowie", Live! magazine: 38–41, 93
13. Interview with David Bowie. Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. BBC. 5 July 2002.
14. "Craig David Thanks David Bowie For Sample". Gigwise. 22 September 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
15. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
16. "Austriancharts.at – David Bowie – Let's Dance" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
17. "Ultratop.be – David Bowie – Let's Dance" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6281." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
19. "Le Détail par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "David Bowie" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
20. "Offiziellecharts.de – David Bowie – Let's Dance". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
21. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Let's Dance". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
22. "HitParadeItalia Top10 del 11 Giugno 1983". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
23. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 17, 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 10 June 2016.
24. "Dutchcharts.nl – David Bowie – Let's Dance" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
25. "Charts.org.nz – David Bowie – Let's Dance". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
26. "Topp 20 Single uke 15, 1983 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
27. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
28. "Swedishcharts.com – David Bowie – Let's Dance". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
29. "Swisscharts.com – David Bowie – Let's Dance". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
30. "Archive Chart: 1983-04-09" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
31. "David Bowie – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
32. Whitburn, Joel (10 June 2004). Billboard's Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-156-X.
33. "David Bowie – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
34. "David Bowie - Chart History". Billboard Charts. for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
35. "Lescharts.com – David Bowie – Let's Dance" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
36. "Chart Track: Week 2, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
37. "HitParadeItalia Top100 del 16 Gennaio 2016". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
38. "David Bowie – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
39. "Portuguesecharts - David Bowie - Let's dance". portuguesecharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
40. "Spanishcharts.com – David Bowie – Let's Dance" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
41. "Archive Chart: 2016-01-21" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
42. "David Bowie – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
43. "David Bowie – Chart history" Billboard Digital Songs for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
44. "David Bowie - Chart History". Billboard Charts Rock Digital Songs. for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
45. "David Bowie - Chart History". Billboard Charts Rock Streaming Songs. for David Bowie. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
46. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
47. "JAHRESHITPARADE SINGLES 1983". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
48. "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1983". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
49. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
50. "TOP - 1983". top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
51. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1983". GfK Entertainment Charts (in German). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
52. "Hit Parade Italia - I singoli più venduti del 1983". FIMI (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
53. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1983". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
54. "Dutch Jaaroverzichten Single 1983". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
55. "Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1983". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
56. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1983". Swiss Singles Chart (in German). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
57. "Billboard Top 100 - 1983". longboredsurfer.com. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
58. "Canadian single certifications – David Bowie – Let's Dance". Music Canada. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
59. "French single certifications – David Bowie – Let's Dance" (in French). InfoDisc. Select DAVID BOWIE and click OK
60. "Les Singles en Or :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
61. "British single certifications – David Bowie – Let's Dance". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Let's Dance in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
62. "Official Charts Analysis: David Bowie's UK chart life". Music Week. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
63. "American single certifications – David Bowie – Let's Dance". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 June 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

General

• Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5
• Mojo Bowie, EMAP Performance Network Ltd, 2004

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics