"Footloose"
Standard artwork (7-inch single pictured)
Single by Kenny Loggins
from the album Footloose: Original Soundtrack of the Paramount Motion Picture
B-side"Swear Your Love"
ReleasedJanuary 11, 1984
Recorded1983
Genre
Length
  • 3:48 (album version)
  • 3:42 (single version)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Kenny Loggins
  • Lee DeCarlo
Kenny Loggins singles chronology
"Welcome to Heartlight"
(1983) 		"Footloose"
(1984) 		"I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)"
(1984)

"Footloose" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. It was released in January 1984 as the first of two singles by Loggins from the 1984 film of the same name (the other one being "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)"). The song spent three weeks at number one, March 31—April 14, 1984, on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Loggins' only chart-topper, and was the first of two number-one hits from the film. Billboard ranked it at the No. 4 song for 1984.[4]

The song was very well received, and is one of the most recognizable song recorded by Loggins. When the American Film Institute released its AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, "Footloose" reached the 96th position. The song was covered by country music artist Blake Shelton for the 2011 remake of the 1984 film.

It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 1985 ceremony, losing to Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red.

The single version is slightly shorter in length compared to the album version. It begins with a soloed guitar track instead of a drum intro, and features more prominent backing vocals in the mix, particularly towards the end of the song.

In 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant."[5]

Music video

The music video for "Footloose" was directed by Brian Grant. It uses the single version and features several scenes from the film, in particular the warehouse where Kevin Bacon's character performs an unorchestrated dance routine (which was actually performed to a different song in the film itself).

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[33] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[34] Platinum 100,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[35] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[36] Gold 250,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[37] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[39] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Blake Shelton version

"Footloose"
Song by Blake Shelton
from the album Footloose
ReleasedNovember 8, 2011 (2011-11-08)
GenreCountry pop
Length3:38
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
  • Kenny Loggins
  • Dean Pitchford

Blake Shelton covered the song for the 2011 remake of the film. Shelton's version also appears on the film's soundtrack. It charted at number 63 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in November 2011. A music video for Shelton's version of the song, directed by Shaun Silva, premiered in October 2011.[40]

Music video

The video opens with Blake Shelton driving a pickup truck into a drive-in theater screening the 2011 remake of the 1984 movie wherein the manager and ticket seller tells him that the film was only about to start. He then enters the compound where the cinema patrons watch the film while his backing band set up their instruments, which make the patrons take notice of them. Shelton and his band begin to perform the song and the theater patrons join in dancing while scenes from the film are played. The music video was filmed in early 2011 at the Hi-Way 50 Drive In theater located in Lewisburg, Tennessee.

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[41] 59
Canada Country (Billboard)[42] 35
US Billboard Hot 100[43] 63
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[44] 53

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[45] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

VeggieTales performed this song in Bob and Larry Sing the 80's.

The final episode of the second season of Regular Show titled "Karaoke Video", where Pops (voiced by Sam Marin) sings his version of the song towards the end.

American pop punk band Good Charlotte covered the song for the film Not Another Teen Movie.

Chord Overstreet and Kevin McHale performed this song in Glee, season 4.

Andrew Goodwin and David Johnson sang a cover of this song for Final Space, season 2, episode 4, "The Other Side".

The song is featured on the dance-based music game Just Dance Kids 2014 and covered by The Just Dance Kids. It is also featured on Just Dance 2018 as a cover by Marc Martel (credited as "Top Culture" in game).

Swedish band Herreys recorded a Swedish version for their album "Diggi Loo, Diggi Ley".

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lecaro, Lina (November 19, 2016). "This Monthly Club Is a Non-Ironic Celebration of Rock's Softer Side". LA Weekly.
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (August 12, 2020). "The Number Ones: Kenny Loggins' "Footloose". Stereogum. Retrieved July 29, 2023. It's also deeply cheesy — a thoroughly '80s take on '50s rockabilly...
  3. ^ Allmusic entry
  4. ^ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1984
  5. ^ "National Recording Registry Reaches 500". Library of Congress. March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  6. ^ "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 14 July 1984. p. 26.
  7. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ a b "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 23, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  9. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Kenny Loggins - Footloose". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  10. ^ Belgian peak Archived 2012-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  12. ^ Nanda Lwin (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  13. ^ "Canciones más populares en Colombia". La Opinión (in Spanish). 21 July 1984. p. 11.
  14. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Kenny Loggins". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 150. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  15. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: L". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Kenny Loggins – Footloose". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Canciones más populares en Paraguay". La Opinión (in Spanish). 16 June 1984. p. 11.
  19. ^ "Listas de éxitos". UPI. 3 August 1984. p. 32. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  20. ^ "Canciones más populares en Puerto Rico". La Opinión (in Spanish). 4 May 1984. p. 42.
  21. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  22. ^ "Kenny Loggins - Footloose". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Kenny Loggins Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  25. ^ "musicline.de". Archived from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2011-09-16.
  26. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Singles of 1984 – Volume 41, No. 17, January 05 1985". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 2016-05-09. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  28. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  29. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1984". Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  30. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1984" (PDF). Music Week. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  31. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1984/Top 100 Songs of 1984". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  32. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  33. ^ "And Fancy Free" (PDF). Cash Box. May 11, 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 8 December 2021 – via World Radio History.
  34. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kenny Loggins – Footloose". Music Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  35. ^ "Danish single certifications – Kenny Loggins – Footloose". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  36. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kenny Loggins; 'Footloose')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  37. ^ "Italian single certifications – Kenny Loggins – Footloose" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 9, 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Footloose" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  38. ^ "British single certifications – Kenny Loggins – Footloose". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  39. ^ "American single certifications – Kenny Loggins – Footloose". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  40. ^ "CMT : Videos : Blake Shelton : Footloose". Country Music Television. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  41. ^ "Blake Shelton Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  42. ^ "Blake Shelton Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  43. ^ "Blake Shelton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  44. ^ "Blake Shelton Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  45. ^ "American single certifications – Blake Shelton – Footloose". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

Kenny Loggins
Blake Shelton
Footloose
Authority control databases
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