You Can Dance
You Can Dance is the first remix album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on November 17, 1987, by Sire Records. The album contains remixes of tracks from her first three studio albums—Madonna (1983), Like a Virgin (1984) and True Blue (1986)—and a new track, "Spotlight". In the 1980s, remixing was still a new concept. The mixes on You Can Dance exhibited a number of typical mixing techniques. Instrumental passages were lengthened to increase the time for dancing and vocal phrases were repeated and subjected to multiple echoes. The album cover denoted Madonna's continuous fascination with Hispanic culture.
This article is about the album by Madonna. For other uses, see You Can Dance (disambiguation).You Can Dance
November 17, 1987
1982–1987
48:51 (vinyl)
72:57 (cassette)
68:38 (CD)
After its release, You Can Dance received generally positive reviews from critics, some of whom noted how the already known songs appeared to them in a complete new structure, calling it an essential album to be played at parties. You Can Dance was a commercial success, earning a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of a million copies, and reaching the top twenty of the Billboard 200. It reached the top ten of the album charts of France, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
It went on to sell five million copies worldwide, making it the second best-selling remix album of all time, behind only Blood on the Dance Floor from Michael Jackson. "Spotlight" was the only commercial single released from the album, exclusively in Japan. However, the song was released promotionally in the United States, and due to radio play, the song peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. You Can Dance has been credited for setting the standard with remix albums afterward, both in terms of concept and commercial success on record charts.
Background[edit]
In October 1986, Sire Records announced that a 6-track EP called You Can Dance would be released a month or so before Christmas of that year, and would feature the new track "Spotlight" alongside remixes of five other previously released songs.[1] However, the following month, the release was postponed, with Sire opting to continue promotion of Madonna's third studio album True Blue (1986).[2][3] Billboard reported that the release was "still in the production stages" and that it would likely see a release in the spring of 1987.[4] Billboard also confirmed which remixes would be featured on the release and added that a non-remixed song from Madonna (1983) would also be included, which was "likely" to be "Physical Attraction".[4] The album was finally released in November 1987 by Warner Bros. Records and Sire Records.[5]
You Can Dance was Madonna's first retrospective release and was aimed at the dance segment of her audience.[5] By the mid-eighties, post-disco dance music was extremely popular and the concept of remix was widely regarded as a new direction of music.[5] Improvements in studio technologies meant the possibility of shaping a song in new ways after it had been recorded. A particular vocal phrase could be endlessly copied, repeated, chopped up, transposed up and down in pitch and given more echo, reverberation, treble or bass.[6]
Composition[edit]
According to Rikky Rooksby, author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, "Improvements in studio technology meant that possibilities for shaping the sound after it has been recorded are almost limitless."[6] The mixes on You Can Dance exhibited a number of typical mixing techniques. Instrumental passages were lengthened to increase the time for dancing, which undermined the tighter structure of the original pop song.[14] Vocal phrases were repeated and subjected to multiple echoes, panned across the stereophonic sound outlets. At certain points, almost no music is heard except the drums and at others, the drums are removed with only the hi-hat left to keep time.[14] The first song on the album is "Spotlight" which begins with the sound of drums, bass synths and handclaps, followed by Madonna uttering the words "Spotlight, shine bright". After the first verse, the sound of keyboard is heard during the chorus.[15] It continues like this through the second verse, which is followed by an interlude featuring vocal echoes, a piano segment and violin phrases. Madonna follows the music played by the piano and utters the words "Pa-da-pa-da-pappa pappa pa pa" in the same melody.[15] The lyrics deal with Madonna making the listener remember that "everybody is a star" and that if one wants to be famous and be under the "spotlight", the person should sing about it and reality may catch up with him or her.[15] According to the sheet music for the song, is set in the time signature of common time, with a tempo of 100 beats per minute. It is set in the key of F major with Madonna's voice spanning from the notes of C5 to B♭5. "Spotlight" has a basic sequence of Am–C–Am–C–G–F as its chord progression.[16]
The second track is "Holiday", which Benitez said that he always wanted to remix, commenting "There are new sounds on the 1987 remix [of 'Holiday'], but it had a groove that needed no improvement." The sound of the guitar is brought to the front in the remix, with a piano break and a middle section consisting of drum beats.[15] The mix for "Everybody" starts with four repetitions of the vocal hook and then moves into a rhythm centered arrangement. Like "Holiday", the middle section of "Everybody" features a drum break, with a synth tune backing it up. The word "dance" is echoed and slowed-down continuously through the break, gradually changing into the intermedia verse. At the very end, the drums are pulled out, leaving Madonna repeating the "get up and do your thing" phrase, which hovers over to the intro of the next song "Physical Attraction".[15] In the "Into the Groove" remix, overdubs are present with the continuous repetition of the phrase "c'mon". The first verse does not start until about ninety seconds into the remix. After the first "Now I know you're mine" line is sung, there is a percussion break, and repetition of the phrases "step to the beat" and "c'mon". The last verse incorporates echoing on the vocals, causing overlap of the phrases. The remix ends with instrumentation from congas, whistles and timbales, giving it a Mexican-influenced ending.[17]
Promotion[edit]
Compared to her previous releases, Madonna did not heavily promote You Can Dance.[3] Radio-friendly edits of each song were issued promotionally on a release titled You Can Dance (Single Edits of Album Remixes).[18] This release remained promotional-only until it received a commercial digital release in 2022.[19] "Spotlight" was released as the album's only commercial single on April 25, 1988, exclusively in Japan.[20] "Spotlight" peaked at number 68 on the Oricon weekly singles chart, remaining on the chart for five weeks.[20] It also charted on the Oricon international singles chart, reaching a peak of three on May 19, 1988, staying on the chart for ten weeks.[21]
"Spotlight" was not released as a commercial single in the United States, therefore it was not eligible at the time to appear on Billboard's Hot 100. However, it was released as a promotional single, paired with "Where's The Party". "Spotlight" managed to garner enough airplay to appear on the publication's Hot 100 Airplay chart in early 1988. It debuted on the chart at 37 on the issue dated January 16, 1988.[22] After three weeks, "Spotlight" reached a peak of 32 and fell to 40 the next week before exiting the chart.[23][24] It also appeared on the Hot Crossover 30 chart beginning on the issue dated December 12, 1987, peaking at 15 for two consecutive weeks beginning January 9, 1988 and spending eight weeks on the chart.[25][26][27][28]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, the album was released on November 18, 1987, and reached a peak of number 14 on the Billboard 200.[44] The LP cuts debuted at number 41 on the Dance Music/Club Play chart, and moved up to number 17 the next week.[45] The LP cuts ultimately topped the Dance chart, becoming Madonna's seventh number one entry.[46] The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of one million copies across the United States.[47]
In Canada, the album debuted at number 55 on the RPM Albums Chart on December 5, 1987.[48] After five weeks, it reached a peak of number 11 on the chart.[49] It was present for a total of 21 weeks on the chart.[50] In Australia, You Can Dance debuted at number 15 on the Kent Music Report albums chart, and peaked at number 13.[51] It was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 70,000 copies of the album.[51] You Can Dance reached a peak of number four in New Zealand.[52]
In the United Kingdom, You Can Dance was released on November 28, 1987, and entered the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number five.[53] It was Madonna's fifth top-ten album there present for a total of 16 weeks on the chart, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 300,000 copies of the album.[53][54] The album re-entered the chart at number 69, on March 4, 1995, after being released in mid-price in the United Kingdom.[53] Across Europe, the album reached number three on the European Top 100 Albums chart,[55] and the top five in Norway and Netherlands, while charting within the top twenty of Austria, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.[52][56] You Can Dance also reached number two in France.[57] Worldwide, it went on to sell five million copies, becoming the second best-selling remix album of all time.[58][59]