"Dance with Me"
One of side-A labels of the US single
Single by Orleans
from the album Orleans II and Let There Be Music
B-side"Ending of a Song"
ReleasedJuly 1975
Recorded1974
GenreSoft rock
Length2:59 (single version)
3:19 (album version)
LabelAsylum
Songwriter(s)John Hall, Johanna Hall
Producer(s)Chuck Plotkin
Orleans singles chronology
"Let There Be Music"
(1975) 		"Dance with Me"
(1975) 		"Still the One"
(1976)

"Dance with Me" is a 1975 hit single by American soft rock band Orleans from their second studio album, Orleans II (1974).

Featuring a melodica solo by Larry Hoppen, "Dance with Me" was introduced on the band's second album, Orleans II, and later included on their third album Let There Be Music (1975). The song was issued as a single on July 19, 1975, to become Orleans' first Top 40 hit, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of October 18, 1975.[1]

Composition

The song was written by group member John Hall and journalist-turned-lyricist Johanna Hall (then a married couple). According to Johanna, John wrote the melody first; Johanna suggested "Dance with Me" as the title after she first heard it, but John rejected the idea as too simple. The couple were out driving one day when Johanna, struck by inspiration, blurted out the lyrics: "Pick the beat up and kick your feet up", and John was won over to the idea of her writing the song's lyric for the title "Dance With Me".[2]

Reception

Billboard described "Dance with Me" as having a "sweet summer sound" resulting from "soft vocal harmonies" and the acoustic instrumentation.[3] Billboard also described the hook as being "infectious."[3] Record World said that it "could be for the Let There Be Music men what "Best of My Love" was to Eagles" and that this "mellow invitation should receive positive, multi-format responses."[4]

Chart performance

References

  1. ^ Billboard Hot 100, Week of October 18, 1975 – Billboard.com. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Rudetsky, Seth (2016-04-04). "Onstage & Backstage: How Disaster! Plans to Beat the Fundraising Competition in Honor of BC/EFA". Playbill. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  3. ^ a b "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. June 28, 1975. p. 78. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  4. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 5, 1975. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  5. ^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1975 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  6. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  7. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  8. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  9. ^ "Adult Contemporary Chart - Billboard", Billboard
  10. ^ "Top 100 1975-10-18". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1975". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2015-01-17.


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