Let's Dance (Chris Montez song)
"Let's Dance" is a 1962 hit single by Chris Montez, written and produced by Jim Lee.[1]
| "Let's Dance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Side A of US vinyl single | ||||
| Single by Chris Montez | ||||
| B-side | "You're the One" | |||
| Released | 1962 | |||
| Recorded | 1962 | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll, garage rock | |||
| Length | 2:22 | |||
| Label | Monogram | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jim Lee | |||
| Producer(s) | Jim Lee | |||
| Chris Montez singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Original version
The song was written by Jim Lee, who produced and released the song on his own Monogram Records. The personnel on the original 1962 recording included Joel Hill on guitar, Ray Johnson on organ, Ray Pohlman on bass guitar and Jesse Sailes on drums. When initially released, the song shot to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S., and to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.
In 1972 the song was coupled as an "oldie" with the Shirelles "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and re-released in Europe. Based on radio play, the record company, London Records, quickly removed the Shirelles cut and replaced it with the original flip side "You're the One". Consequently, the recording reached the top five for a second time, in both Britain and Germany. It was also the title track of a 1972 album by Montez.
Charts
| Chart (1962) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[2] | 12 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] | 1 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[4] | 6 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] | 3 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[6] | 7 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[7] | 4 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[8] | 2 |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[9] | 1 |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[10] | 1 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[11] | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 4 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] | 15 |
Ola and the Janglers version
| "Let's Dance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Ola and Janglers | ||||
| from the album Let's Dance | ||||
| B-side | "Hear Me" | |||
| Released | September 1968 | |||
| Recorded | 1968 | |||
| Genre | Garage rock | |||
| Length | 2:25 | |||
| Label | Gazell | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jim Lee | |||
| Producer(s) | Gunnar Bergström | |||
| Ola and Janglers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Throughout 1968, Ola and the Janglers chart success had started waning.[14][15] Between January and March of that year, they had released three singles;[16][17][18] all of them failed to chart on both Kvällstoppen and Tio i Topp.[14][15] The band's lead singer, Ola Håkansson, found the song while listening to Kvällstoppen on Sveriges Radio P3 in 1962, when Chris Montez original single reached number one in Sweden.[19] Though they never incorporated it into their setlist at the time, upon their chart success waining they thought it was a good song to record as a single.[19] It was recorded with Sonet Records owner Gunnar Bergström producing.[20] The B-side, "Hear Me", was written by the band's guitarist Claes af Geijerstam, which features distinct influences from baroque pop and a similar chord progression to the Kinks "Sunny Afternoon".[21] The single got released in Sweden in September 1968 through the Sonet sub-label Gazell Records.[22]
It became the Janglers last hit when it entered Tio i Topp at a position of six on October 19, 1968.[15] It peaked on top of the chart on November 9, staying there for four weeks until "Little Arrows" by Leapy Lee replaced it on December 7.[15] It was last seen at a position of number 12 on January 25, 1969.[15] The song debuted on Kvällstoppen on November 5, 1968 at a position of 11, before peaking at number one on December 3, staying on the top for a week.[14] It exited on January 28, 1969 after spending 13 weeks on the charts.[14] The single was released in April 1969 in both the United States and the United Kingdom, through GNP Crescendo and Sonet Records respectively.[23] To the surprise of Håkansson, it started selling well in California which led to it charting nationally.[23] It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on May 31, 1969 before peaking at number 92 on June 7, dropping out that same week.[24][25]
The success of the single was so sudden that the album which it appears on was originally going to be titled Fingertip before Gazell decided to name it after the song.[26][27] Similarly, the Swedish sleeve for the single was issued in over ten different colors and variations because of the countless re-presses which has led to some copies becoming collector items.[19] Despite the unexpected chart success of the single, Ola and the Janglers called it quits in December of 1968.[23] According to Håkansson, "It was a feather in my cap, but then I got tired. We had toured both in Sweden and abroad. You felt like you were just sitting in a touring car and living in a hotel room."[23] Although Siw Malmkvist's song "Sole Sole Sole" with Umberto Marcato had reached the Billboard chart in 1964, it was billed a solo single and as such "Let's Dance" marked the first time a Swedish group charted in the US, [19] something Håkansson states "other groups could only dream of at the time."[23]
Personnel
- Ola Håkansson – lead vocals, handclaps, tambourine
- Johannes "Jonte" Olsson – hammond organ, backing vocals
- Åke Eldsäter – bass guitar
- Claes af Geijerstam – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Leif Johansson – drums, percussion
Charts
| Chart (1968–69) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop)[20] | 10 |
| Canada (RPM) Top Singles[28] | 100 |
| Denmark (Salgshitlisterne Top 20)[29] | 1 |
| Denmark (Tipparaden)[30] | 7 |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[15] | 1 |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[14] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[25] | 92 |
| US Cashbox Top 100[31] | 91 |
| US Record World 100 Top Pops[32] | 92 |
Slade version
| "Let's Dance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Slade | ||||
| from the album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album | ||||
| B-side | "Standing on the Corner" | |||
| Released | 15 November 1988[33] | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, pop rock | |||
| Length | 2:40 | |||
| Label | Cheapskate | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jim Lee | |||
| Producer(s) | Jim Lea | |||
| Slade singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Let's Dance" was covered by British rock band Slade in 1985 for their studio/compilation album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album. The version was produced by bassist Jim Lea. In 1988, the band released their version as a single, dubbed the "1988 Remix". It failed to chart in the UK.
Background
Having reverted to their own independent label Cheapskate in 1987, Slade were largely inactive in 1988, having agreed to take an 18-month break.[34] However, in November 1988, the band decided to release their 1985 cover of "Let's Dance" as a single, but it failed to gain sufficient radio airplay and did not reach the charts. "Let's Dance" had been recorded for Crackers. In a 1989 interview with Guitarist, guitarist Dave Hill recalled: "We just did a rock version of it for a laugh, and thought we'd stick it out." Speaking of the band's decision to release it as a single, Holder said in a 1989 fan club interview: "We thought it was a good track. We decided that "Let's Dance" stood a good chance of getting some airplay so we decided to put the record out, but it wasn't the case. Only the commercial stations like Piccadilly and some of the others played it regularly, but without Radio One, you're sunk."[35]
Release
"Let's Dance" was released on 7" vinyl and 3" CD by Cheapskate Records in the UK only.[36][37] The 7" vinyl included the B-side "Standing on the Corner", which was an album track taken from the band's 1974 album Slade in Flame. For the CD version, two extra tracks were added; "Far Far Away" and "How Does It Feel". Both were also taken from Slade in Flame.[38]
Critical reception
Upon its release, the single was reviewed on the BBC Radio 1 programme Singled Out. Those who reviewed the single were producers Stock, Aitken, and Waterman. All three reminisced about the band with DJ Mike Read, stating what a great band they were. Mike Stock commented that Noddy Holder was the greatest pure rock 'n' roll singer since John Lennon.[39][40]
Formats
- 7" Single
- "Let's Dance (1988 Remix)" – 2:40
- "Standing on the Corner" – 4:54
- CD Single
- "Let's Dance (1988 Remix)" – 2:40
- "Far Far Away" – 3:37
- "How Does It Feel" – 5:55
- "Standing on the Corner" – 4:54
Personnel
- Slade
- Noddy Holder – lead vocals
- Jim Lea – synthesiser, bass, backing vocals, producer of "Let's Dance"
- Dave Hill – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Don Powell – drums
- Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler – producer of "Standing on the Corner", "Far Far Away" and "How Does It Feel"
Other charting covers
British rock band Status Quo included "Let's Dance" in their 1990 medley "The Anniversary Waltz (Part One)", which was a hit throughout Europe and hit #2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Other covers
This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: covers may not meet WP:SONGCOVER. (July 2018) |
Other artists who have covered the song include:
- French singer Sylvie Vartan in 1962, in French, under the title "Dansons", with French lyrics by André Salvet[41]
- Tony Sheridan with the backing band called The Beat Brothers, in 1962, although it was not released in the UK until 1967, on the album The Beatles' First (though none of The Beatles appear on that track)
- The Routers, on their 1963 album 'Let's Go! With The Routers'
- The Ramones, on their 1976 self-titled debut album
- Marc Bolan and T-Rex, on a 1977 episode of the TV show Marc
- Silicon Teens, on their debut 1980 album Music For Parties
- British glam rock band Mud on their 1982 album Mud featuring Les Gray
- Juice Newton, on her 1984 album Can't Wait All Night
- Tina Turner and David Bowie, on Turner's 1988 album Tina Live in Europe, in a medley with Bowie's own song "Let's Dance"
- The Cockroaches, in a recording featured in the Australian film The Crossing (1990)
- Bruno Brookes, Liz Kershaw and the Radio 1 DJ Possee recorded a version for Children in Need in 1990
References
- ^ . Chrismontez.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
- ^ "Chris Montez – Let's Dance" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Montez – Let's Dance" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Montez – Let's Dance" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Montez – Let's Dance" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Montez – Let's Dance" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 9, 2018. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Chris Montez"
- ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 1 November 1962
- ^ "Chris Montez – Let's Dance". VG-lista. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 – 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. p. 243. ISBN 9163021404.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74. Premium Publishing. p. 313. ISBN 919727125X.
- ^ "Chris Montez: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Montez Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Montez Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Hallberg, Eric. (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3 : Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962-19. 8. 1975. Värmdö: Drift Musik. ISBN 91-630-2140-4. OCLC 165178200.
- ^ a b c d e f Hallberg, Eric, 1949– (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök 1961–74. Henningsson, Ulf, 1965–, Kristianstads boktr.) (1. uppl ed.). Stockholm: Premium. ISBN 91-972712-5-X. OCLC 186200204.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Ola & The Janglers – What I Heard Today". www.svenskpophistoria.se. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ "Ola & the Janglers – What A Way To Die". www.svenskpophistoria.se. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ "Ola & The Janglers – Tracks Of My Tears". www.svenskpophistoria.se. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ a b c d "Var Sveriges första USA-hit med Ola & The Janglers?" (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ a b "Ola & Janglers – Let's Dance". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
- ^ "Let's dance / Ola & Janglers". Svensk mediedatabas. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ "Ola & the Janglers – Let's Dance". www.svenskpophistoria.se. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ a b c d e Arvidsson, Kjell (2007). "Skivbolag i Sverige – musikföretagandets 100-åriga institutionalisering" (PDF). Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law: 120.
- ^ "Hot 100 for the week ending May 24, 1968" (PDF). Billboard (May 24, 1969): 102.
- ^ a b "Hot 100 for the week ending June 1, 1969" (PDF). Billboard (June 7, 1969): 90.
- ^ "Ola & The Janglers – Let's Dance (album)". www.svenskpophistoria.se. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ "Ola & The Janglers – Let's Dance – Musikon.se". musikon.se. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
- ^ "RPM100" (PDF). RPM (June 16, 1969): 5.
- ^ . Danske Hitlister. 1969-01-19. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ^ . Danske Hitlister. 1969-02-24. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
- ^ "Cashbox Top 100" (PDF). Cashbox (June 14, 1969): 4.
- ^ "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World (June 14, 1969): 31.
- ^ "Slade – Let's Dance (1988 Remix)".
- ^ "Noddy Holder Interview – Sky By Day 1989". YouTube. 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
- ^ Ian Edmundson. . Crazeeworld.plus.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-29. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
- ^ "ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk". Collectadisc.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
- ^ "Slade – Let's Dance at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
- ^ "Slade – Slade In Flame at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
- ^ "1988 - Slade Fan Club www.sladefanclub.com". Sladefanclub.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
- ^ Slade International Fan Club newsletter October–November – December 1988
- ^ "Sylvie Vartan – M'Amuser / Tous Mes Copains (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-15.