Finally! It’s Sunday and time for my favorite prompt of the week: Helen Vahdati’s Song Lyric Sunday. This week’s theme is “street.”
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street” has been my favorite summer song since I first heard it when it was released in 1964. Written by Marvin Gaye, William “Mickey” Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter, this is a song that makes your feet start dancing, whether the rest of your body wants to or not. I dare you not to dance!
“Dancing In The Street“
Calling out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat
Summer’s here and the time is right
For dancing in the street
They’re dancing in Chicago (dancing in the street)
Down in New Orleans (dancing in the street)
In New York City (dancing in the street)
All we need is music, sweet music
There’ll be music everywhere
There’ll be swinging, swaying, and records playing
Dancing in the street
Oh, it doesn’t matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy, grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
They’ll be dancing (dancing in the street)
They’re dancing in the street (dancing in the street)
It’s an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet
There’ll be laughing, singing, and music swinging
Dancing in the street
Philadelphia, P-A (dancing in the street)
Baltimore and D.C. now (dancing in the street)
Can’t forget the Motor City (dancing in the street)
All we need is music, sweet music
There’ll be music everywhere
There’ll be swinging, swaying, and records playing
Dancing in the street
Oh, it doesn’t matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy, grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
They’re dancing
They’re dancing in the street (dancing in the street)
Way down in L.A. (dancing in the street)
Every day, they’re dancing in the street (dancing in the street)
Let’s form a big, strong line (dancing in the street)
Get in time, we’re dancing in the street (dancing in the street)
Across the ocean blue (dancing in the street)
Me and you, we’re dancing in the street
Excellent choice. I gave this song strong consideration, but ultimately decided to go in a different direction.
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Love this song and it was my first choice also…and then I got difficult! LOL! But this song always makes me want to get up and…dance in the street! 😀
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We used to do aerobics to this song in the 80s! We were dancing in the gym. 🙂
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I almost used this song but I was going to use the Mick Jagger/David Bowie version. You HAVE to dance when this song comes on!
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You definitely have to! (I almost posted the Jagger/Bowie at the end as a bonus.)
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I just had heard this the other day, what a fun song!
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Oh yes! The year I joined the Army. Wow, is it really that long ago?
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So hard to believe, isn’t it?
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I’m with Janet: I prefer the David Bowie/Mick Jagger version, simply because they camp it up something serious. But the original is good, too. The original sounds like it uses Phil Spector’s “Wall o’ Sound.”
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**dancing in my chair here, and singing along, of course**
Super classic, always fun! 🙂
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