Exactly. It's schlock, but funny and fun. They were almost making fun of themselves, and fed some people who were hungry. If it saved one kid from starving, it was worth it. It was never offered as a serious musical statement. We have Dancing in the Street Derangement Syndrome
dancing in the street 3/5 1985: head down if you're a bowie fan now: two guys goofin' around and having fun and it was for a good cause, so to hell with musical ambitions.
Dancing In The Street Good pop fun. My 14-year old self bought the single and loved it ... so I let him vote. 5/5
Yea, at the end of the day, the song itself is a good crossover point for Bowie and Jagger, and if the idea was to sell copies for charity, there wouldn't be much point making some avant garde anti-pop.... and Jagger has never ventured there anyway
Oh, but for a duet of the Laughing Gnome...one can but dream! That song would then have taken its place at the top of the pop charts...
Dancing In the Street Another case of context is everything. Artistically barren, pointless cover version? Definitely! Typical 80s overproduction? Obviously, goes without saying doesn’t it! It’s a bit of fun for charideee, cheesy and silly, so whatever your stance on the Live Aid fundraiser, just don’t take it seriously. Taken in the spirit in which it was made, and I very much do, there’s nothing wrong with it. 3/5 for just having silly fun
Harmless fun. Some people tend to get all riled up about how atrocious this is...I have always found it to be mildly amusing and a well intended goof.
Dancing In The Street I really liked this song in 1985. It was fun and joyous. So, there’s nothing wrong with this charity song in my book. It brings a smile on my face… I do see this song in the context of live aid. Without that context it probably sounds like a cheerful karaoke song with two friends… This is a 4 out of 5.
Dancing In The Street Yeah this is fun and cringe at the same time. I like it. 3.5/5 (5/5 for the silent music video by the way, a true classic. Wasn't that video the one who started the whole silent music video thing?)
Dancing In The Street, a charity track. I think the idea was great. The lyrics really fit the Live Aid concept and the world's involvement. Jagger seems to take the lead as musically it is stylistically more him. In the Live version Jagger seems to be attempting to leave David in the dust. Less of a collaboration and more of a competition. David looks lost trying to keep up with him. The video makes me laugh. They look like they are having a great time dancing around. Even the video is more in Jagger's wheelhouse of the 80's. They look like they would have fit well onto the Dirty Work lp cover. That's Jagger's style and David trying to follow. I don't love the track, but see nothing wrong with it. I ended buying the 12" version with an Extended Dance Mix, Dub Mix and Edited version. It's was hardly played but it went to a good cause. Score 3.6/5
Huh. My takeaway is that I did not know that Steve Nieve of (Elvis Costello and) the Attractions played on "Dancing in the Streets."
Dancing in the Street I'm not sure I get the hate for this song. It's big dumb fun, and yes, it raised money for charity. Mick and David look and sound like they had a blast doing it. Where's the harm in that? It's a good song anyway, I actually like the bouncy, campy 80s feel of it. I remember absolutely loving this song when it was released and I still think it's pretty darn good. Should it be measured by any Bowie original, nope, but given how dire some of his covers have been, this looks and sounds pretty good. I don't think it's a masterpiece, but it is joyous and given the subject of Live Aid and this part of the 80s generally, joy was not a bad thing to strive for. (Extra points for the video being ridiculously over the top. Two entertainers right there. Did what it was meant to) 4.5/5
Nieve was involved in the Absolute Beginners tracks, which were being recorded in the same time frame, so the AB band was brought over for the "Dancing" single.
Dancing In The Street Well, I've heard worse. Heard worse in this thread within the past week in fact! 2/5
DANCING IN THE STREET Two friends having a ball to raise a buck All good with me. On top of it it's even funny !
Given the exposure this received, it creditably manages to tread the delicate line of fun/charitable cause despite being so terribly naff. Dancing In The Street 3.4/5
Our votes for “Dancing In The Street” 1-6 2-8 3-18 4-6 5-5 Average: 2.7863 Updated averages: “This Is Not America” – 3.6714 (42)
Today’s song is “Absolute Beginners” Lyrics – Absolute Beginners Bowie Bible – Absolute Beginners Pushing Ahead Of The Dame – Absolute Beginners Writer David Bowie Producer David Bowie, Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley Recording Date ca. June – August, 1985 Release Date March 3, 1986 (non-album single, peaked at #2 in the U.K. and #53 in the U.S.) Principal Performers David Bowie – lead vocals Kevin Armstrong – guitar Steve Nieve – piano, keyboards Rick Wakeman – piano Don Weller – baritone saxophone (solo) Andy Macintosh, Gordon Murphy – baritone saxophone Gary Barnacle, Paul Weimar, Willie Garnett – tenor saxophone Matthew Seligman – bass Neil Conti – drums Luis Jardim – percussion Mac Gollehon – trumpet Janet Armstrong – backing vocal Notable Alternate Versions/Live Performances Single edit Glass Spider (Live Montreal ’87) Glastonbury 2000 BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 2000 Pegg, Nicholas. The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated 2016 Edition) . Titan. Kindle Edition. This was one of the songs performed in the musical Lazarus.
