You Should Be Dancing
"You Should Be Dancing" is a song by the Bee Gees, from the album Children of the World, released in 1976. It hit No. 1 for one week on the American Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 for seven weeks on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, and in September the same year, reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart.[3] The song also peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Soul chart. It was this song that first launched the Bee Gees into disco. It was also the only track from the group to top the dance chart.
"You Should Be Dancing"
"Subway"
June 1976[1]
19 January–1, 8 February 1976
6 May 1976
4:16 (single)
4:47 (12" version)
Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson
It is also one of six songs performed by the Bee Gees included in the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack which came out a year later.
Origin[edit]
"You Should Be Dancing" was recorded 19 January, 1 and 8 February, and 6 May 1976 with Barry Gibb providing lead vocals in falsetto.[1] Barry had developed his falsetto to a remarkable degree in the ten months since the release of "Baby As You Turn Away" from the Main Course album on which he sang a full song in falsetto for the first time (except for its chorus).[4] Keyboardist Blue Weaver recalls that Maurice Gibb wrote the bass line and sang the horn parts to the brass players, while Barry sang parts for Weaver to play, while guitarist Alan Kendall got in a short guitar solo for its instrumental break.[1]
Stephen Stills was also at Criteria Studios recording the album, Long May You Run, with his band and Neil Young. Stills added percussion on the song's February sessions. Members of Stills's backing band, George Perry (bass) and Joe Lala (percussion), also worked with the Bee Gees on some songs.[4]
Reception[edit]
Billboard described "You Should Be Dancing" as a "strong, uptempo disco cut" with the Bee Gees' "strongest singing since "Jive Talkin'."[5] Cash Box said that "the playing is more polished [than 'Jive Talking'], and the band does some things to the vocals, with trading off, which are highly ear-catching."[6] Record World called it an "across the board smash" saying "'Get off your back, you should be dancing' they sing and there's no resisting the stomping beat."[7]
Credits adapted from the album Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track.[36]
"B.G. Tips - You Should Be Dancing"
"Remix"
1995
3:30
Dance Pool
- Barry Gibb
- Robin Gibb
- Maurice Gibb
- Dylan Burns
4 January 1999[44]
Blockster
Other cover versions[edit]
The Bee Gees remixed the song in 1993 for their album Size Isn't Everything, under the title "Decadance".[53]
Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz performing "You Should Be Dancing" in 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
American rock band Foo Fighters, under the alter ego "Dee Gees", covered the song on BBC Radio 2's Sofa Session. The song can be found on their album Hail Satin.[54][55]
For its third season American TV series Glee covered this song as part of its tribute episode to Saturday Night Fever, titled "Saturday Night Glee-ver". Darren Criss, Heather Morris, and Harry Shum Jr. provided lead vocals as their characters Blaine Anderson, Brittany Pierce, and Mike Chang.[56]