great song. uplifting and catchy. the intro itself is sheer new wave goodness. makes you happy, makes you dance. one perfect 80s tune.

When it seems like The Free Design finally have got the attention they so well deserve, I would like to recommend something that is very close in my opinion... Bobby and I! 5:09 fits in perfectly between Love so fine (Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends) and 2002-A Hit Song (The Free Design). The arrangment is incredible, there's a unique singer-singer magnetism on the top and the drums and bass makes me wanna dance the days away. Jim Gordon play drums (how many records has he done?) and the bass player, Rod Ellicott, is brilliant. Of course they added the song with string, horns & flutes... It's sunshine all over! I don't know anything about them, I only have this fine record, so if you know anything feel free to send me an email.

Awesome band, can't get enough of them. Some pretty clever lyrics, and they've been featured in a lot of teen soaps, because their music tends to be the type you'd want to slow dance to or have a romantic movie scene with it as background music. Others good songs on this album: Pills, Nothing Like You & I, Trouble Sleeping and Weekends.

Cool in the Xxtreme !
Sixties dance jazz funk instumental from harpist Dorothy. Complete with organs, flutes and bongos it is driving classy joyful music .

The album also contains the awesome "Action Line " which is weirdly atmospheric and deeply strange

I don't know if this has already been recommended. When you think Marvin Gaye, it's the gut-wrenching, highly emotive vocal style and incredible lyrics that immediately come to mind. This song is curious, yet not unique to Marvin in that it manages to capture those same Marvin-qualities in a purely instrumental track. The vocal version of this song is great too, and I don't mean to imply that the vocal version is somehow inferior, however the vocal and instrumental versions leave me with completely different emotional impressions. The vocal version is so much more overtly full of desire and pure lust, the instrumental version by comparison feels so much more uncertain, longing, and subtle. For me, it's the subtlety and grace of this instrumental version that make it so compelling.

Fast, good clean vocals, powerful song. Techy yet simple.

a catchy organ riff and some duh duh wailing...it's just one of those fun obscure mid sixties soundtrack songs. sounds like a cheesy party sequence, although i've never seen the film it originates from.
good clean fun. Actually i was surprised when i found out morricone originally wrote this, because some cheap dance/pop bill (can't remember who right now)had a hit wich borrowed heavily from this sometime during the mid-to late nineties... why is it that every time something catchy pops in top 40-music, it turns out to be borrowed from one of the old masters?

A staple Northern Soul fave ,though not a dancer its cool breezy rhythym has been loved and revered by everybody from Dusty Springfield to Joss Stone ,.A relentless verse chorus onslaught boosted by fantastic brass and clen drums with a melody to sit down for .One of this over exposed genre.s unsung artists who is well worth a second look .

This manages to have a late seventies punk spirit, yet still be a really well crafted guitar pop song. Always great to hear on the dancefloor.

A great version of this Troggs song, which formed one side of Spiritualized's first single. It's a pretty straight cover version, but with a richer production and that probably soon to become hip again early 90s dance/indie crossover sound (wah wah guitars, funky drums). Actually, it has aged pretty well, and I still can't listen to it without singing out loud when I hear it 'I've been watchin' you; and a lovin' you in vain...'

Come closer and listen carefully, this is the best kept secret of the so called music industry.
The Monochrome Set have changed my life and the ones of thousands (Well..maybe hundreds..ok, maybe 5 or 10). They came out of nowhere in the late seventies with a serie of singles on Rough Trade and were signed by Virgin in 1980 for 2 albums then by Cherry Red for a third one (Eligible bachelors) and by Warner for the last one (The lost week end). It is not an easy task to describe their music, it is always unpredictable, brilliant, clever and funny.

To finish, this is a quote from the cover of their second album :
"Once this record is in the house two's company and four is a party, roll back the carpet, switch out the light and dance in the glow of the firelight as the Monochrome Set provide your very own music far from the maddening crowd of the dancehalls"

Oh by the way, Apocalypso is an exquisite little song with a marimba and percussion break.

yes, this is one of the songs in the commercials for itunes. yes, it is probably going to be overplayed and annoy you to death. but until then, it's a damned rocking good song. i have had to listen to it a few times a day, and i still can't get it out of my head, not that i want to. makes me want to dance, puts me in a good mood. is it a really great song? maybe not. but for now, it completely rocks.

An even funkier hit single than "Sledgehammer" ? which had an epic groove but was too slow to actually dance to ? "Big Time" is a sardonic response to yuppie materialism with the funniest lyrics of Peter Gabriel's entire career. (The ending of the song, stopping just before the obvious punch line to all this discussion of how preternaturally huge everything in Gabriel's charmed life is, is a small moment of brilliance.) But the brilliance of the song is in the way it ties all that Gabriel had been learning about African percussion and Middle Eastern melodies ever since the days of his third solo album and ties them all into the service of a walloping great groove, making plain the connections between North Africa and Stax-Volt once and for all. The combination of talking drum and wah-wah guitar owes as much to Booker T and the MGs as it does to King Sunny Ade, which is both the key to "Big Time" and a clue as to why Gabriel's later, more explicitly world music focused albums just aren't as much fun.
(AMG)

Don't see the trials, look past them to the glove, and those moves. Dance away.

A brilliant psychedelic dance record mixing over-the-top orchestration and brilliant harmonized vocals. Plus the kind of innocent-meets-intense vocal that I find immensely attractive in pop. Pity it's not officially available on CD, but that could change...

Regular visitors to this site will know I'm partial to this song and to the era of this recording. But nothing could have prepared me for the mind-blowing grooviness this Petula Clark version from 1968. It has a 'slightly too slow to dance to' funkiness, kind of like the tastiest version of 'Watermelon man' you ever heard. The arrangement has piano, bouncy drums, peppy brass, flutes, and to top it all, some beautiful strings adding some complexity to what is basically a simple bluesy composition.

Isn't it great when you come across a track and just think 'this is the best thing ever'?

The entire CD is great - 28 of Petula's grooviest tracks. I recommend it!

I love how this scottish girl spice up her pop songs with a little blues. This song gives me a lot of energy. Makes me dance in the streets!!

totally amazing, swinging piece of japanese vocal-centered 60's big band sound. i�m especially fond of the tarzan-esque way her voice bends at about 2:54, and the uh! ah! sounds of the backup singers. this needs to get its own movie scene ala the big dance number in sabu's "monday", if anyone's seen that.

Just a perfect, perfect pop song. Makes you wanna dance and groove along, but at the same time it's soo unbelievably sweet and a just a liitle melancholy. It starts with a drum beat, and then there's this bass-and-drums groove for a few seconds. Then a little sweet electric piano line enters, just before the voice begins singing the melody: "I'm drinking stars up in the sky, you know where you are / I'm driving cars around your house, it seems so fun". When it's time for the chorus ("So listen to my bubble go pop / I'm coming in, I'm coming over the top"), the main voice sings over a backing vocal doing an "ooh" harmony, and then there's absolute genius backing vocal, where the word "pop" becomes "papapapa". After that, a little guitar riff/solo, along with a very cool electric piano line. Then it just repeats everything all over again one more time, for infinite happiness. The time for a middle break has arrived. A new funky bass groove with lots of different "papapa"s harmonizing together. Now, go back to the first bass-and-drums groove, with a jazzy, relaxed guitar solo, and then it's just grooves and grooves and heavenly harmonies, "Blowin' bubbles".

One of the most nonsensical song title ever, yes, I know and much derided for that reason, but to quote Otis Redding when told his lyrics didn't make any sense, "I'm gonna worry about settin' the groove. I get that groove going, they don't care what I say." Boogie Oogie2 has got groove to spare, with a jazzy intro (similar to Boogie Nights by Heatwave) before that bass line drops in shakes the floorboards. Just like all the dance craze songs of the 60s, the disco era about vocals were mostly used as a counterpoint to the rhythm section. The Mizell brothers add a touch of sophistication to this female-led band (Hazel Payne and Janice Marie Johnson on bass and guitar - they're the ones on the awesome album cover) which is a step further in the commercial direction after their work with Jazz Funk kings like Donald Byrd, Gary Bartz and Johnny Hammond. This song is up there with G.Q.'s "Disco Nights (Rock Freak)" and anything by Chic in the sophisticated disco category.

This is part of the De Wolfe library collection. A good library collection has just been reissued in Japan that includes some of the better selections that this catalog has to offer. Now that most of the great music libraries have found snug homes, this CD is an easy way to avoid the price gouging and hassle of scoring a song you just want to listen to. I like this song because it has a unique cool and light tone, while being somewhere in between bossa and uptempo dancefloor jazz. Something to listen to in the shade at the beach. It only clocks in at 1:41, but you couldn't ask for more or less.

Super groovy percussive Hammond work-out on the mod-pop Page One label. (The B-side to Puppet On A String.) I got pretty tired of listening to wimp-out Hammond slop, but this is a dancefloor-filling boomer. Costs an arm and a leg on a 7" - anyone know if it's on a compilation?

One of the best song intro's ever! Lot of strings and Marlena Shaw's voice at it's most powerful
Fabby supersoulful run-on-the-dancefloor song.

A great thumping house-groove! Robert Miles flawlessly blends amazing piano work with great techno and produced a great album of very danceable tracks, especially this one. This is perfect for listening to while driving!

An old Lotte chocolate commercial song turned into an infectious disco-ish club track.
The song starts with a loop of the famous "we like music, we like the disco sound" sample and with social dance instructions in Japanese, and then turns into disco with a groovy bass line and wah-wah guitar, to then apply the commercial song's vocals perfectly.

Although this track is not my favorite from Berlin's Jazzanova, I think it best represents the best bits of of their own work and their remixes for others. This track is a few years old but has been newly remixed by Japan's Fukutomi. Jazzanova are at the forefront of the nu jazz scene in the dance world. Beginning with a soulful piano introduction, the tune breaks into a heavy bass driven uptempo beat, sprinkled with a bit of a jazz scat, and a sample of a very haunting and seductive flute solo that sounds as if it has been lifted from an old soundtrack. The song however is not as simple as this review and must be listened to carefully to appreciate all that it offers.

Guy Sebastian has a really great smooth voice and I love most of his work. This is just a happier song that makes me want to dance. Dance I tells ya!

lovely.

Find this song! It is by far one of the funkiest things I've ever heard, it absolutely screams party. The lyrics repeat "dance and shake your tambourine, your funky tambourine, tambourine, tambourine". The instrumentation may get a bit repetitive for some, but the sheer funkiness and humor of this song will put a smile on your face while you're dancing the night away, without a care in the world. I especially get a kick out of the background voices, that seem to approve the shake that this song has. It sounds like it was recorded at a party and a time that you could only dream about experiencing. I like to play this song with the pitch up to about +4, which makes the experience all the more intense.

Dave Gedge, main man in long-time British alternative band The Wedding Present, decided to do something a bit different in the latter part of the 1990s, so he enlisted girlfriend Sally Murrell and a number of musical friends and put out some really good material under the name Cinerama. The purpose was to do some less noisy, more classic-pop oriented tunes, and it worked like a charm! This track, their second single, is a sprightly '60s-influenced number, which means it's mega-tightly produced and has the rhythm guitars at the back of the mix where they belong. It also has a nifty string and piano arrangement. Lyrically it's a fantasy about a girl he wants very badly (not in real life presumably). The song is on my '90s top ten list for sure!

I always knew the original version of this song by Leonard Cohen and over the last few years kept hearing this version. She sounds like Billie Holiday in this and makes it her own song. Don't know much about her but she also sings in French and does a great version of En Vie En Rose, another favorite song of mine.

:)

From that much maligned genre, eurodisco, comes an amazing story of a young girl moving to the city. She has dreams of dancing and making it under the bright lights, but is confronted only by people who see sexuality in her dancing, not freedom. She is exploited; her ideals ruined.

People think I make too much of the genius of Penny. I can often be heard espousing, at length, her brilliance and analysing her songs (I tend to do the latter in my head - there's only so much friends can take). Penny was pretty famous in Germany and only vaguely so everywhere else, primarily for the disco classic Lady Bump. She is now a sci-fi/fantasy novelist but unfortunately her books have not been translated into English else I'd doubtless find social comment in those as well...

Produced by Patrick Adams, I don't know what if anything else this Marta Acuna did, but I like her voice in the same kind of way I like Nico's voice.

A brilliant pop song from Auckland bubblegum pop combo The Brunettes. The interplay between Heather and Jonathan's voice is just fantastic, and the song gets the crowd dancin' every time. Imagine Jonathan Richman and Debbie Harry dueting with Chuck Berry on lead guitar ...

An electronic collusus,the real joy of repitition ,its influence is 50% Kraftwerk and the same of Giorgio Moroder,a lenghthy epic dance workout ,increasing in intensity as it hurtles ,train like, to its sweaty conclusion ,its one concession to its American origins is the radio friendly vocal style ,imagine Hall and Oates being produced by Moroder and you are some way there .

A small hit at the time which has grown into a genuine dance classic,re mixed and revised several times ,but its always that relentless rhythym which grabs the listener,refusing to let go .

the lyrics are meh, but it sounds amazing. :)

Many people think that Petula Clark first came to the US when the song 'Downtown' topped the charts in 1965. However, she actually came to Los Angeles in 1959 and recorded an album of Jazz songs. Among the many treasures produced during these sessions is 'Darn That Dream'. She sings this great song with all the innocense and charm of a hopeless romantic whose desired love is just out of reach. Her resignation to unrequited affection for her unavailable romeo is interrupted briefly by a soaring interlude from the orchestra. The sweeping melody almost suggests that she is dreaming of being held in "his" arms as they dance across the floor of a dimly lit ballroom. In the end she must come back down to earth and awake to the reality that she will never have the man of her dreams, however she refuses to give up the hope that one day she will get her happy ending. I know I'm rooting for her!!

Arguably one of the best reggae albums of all time, Super Cat's Don Dada is a fun, FUN, "get on de dance flo', mon!" fiasco of bass and high hats. Super Cat's soft and clear voice complements the music where some other rastas and their gritty voice would detract from it. You really can't lose with this album; every track is spectacular and irresistable. If you've never listened to reggae or just could never get into it, you might be able to appreciate Super Cat.

Upon first listen to this tune, I was sold! Available so far only on 12", the track starts off in a traditional congas ala samba vibe with dashes of upright bass. Then the simple but colorful piano melody kicks in and your booty is ready to move. Although this is a modern dancefloor stormer you cannot help but hear its nod to a bygone era in Latin music. If it wasn't for the quick tempo I would think this fine example of a dancefloor delight was created in the late 60s, early 70s.

insanely hard, pulsating fascist dance punk piece, easily the best song on primal scream`s uneven last album. features some mean distorted synthezisers, a gigantic bassline and some great, sneering vocals from Jim Reid of the jesus and mary chain. (am i the only one who has a problem with bobby gillespie`s singing voice?)i often find myself jumping around the house while listening to this.

Super organ led (Herbie Hancock no less) Swinging jazz dance number... Buy the album, if only for this track and the Brilliant cover!

Israeli entry for Eurovision Song Contest 2011, 15th place in the semi-final

Happy dance-pop song about a high school love.

Disco, dance, superficial, but SO fun! Who hasn't heard this song a million times? It's still great!

Over-used sample song. Great stuff.

One of their hits, If you like Gay this is the track for you. Get ready to dance.

This is one of those songs that you put on when you want to sit back, relax, and float away to somewhere warm and safe.

A friend of mine once told me that she had an out-of-body experience to this song as she was meditating.

This is a song that I put on a mixed tape to give to a lover once as a way of showing that I would be there with her through it all, accompanying her journey as you explore the realms of love and life.

This whole LP will make all you Ed Lincoln fans happy. It is a group led by Wilson Neves, the percussionist on a lot of major Bossa releases including all the Eumir Deodato LPs released on Equipe. This track is not the Elton John Kiki Dee version but the earlier Burt Bacharach version. The whole LP is loaded with great organ heavy instrumentals and dance-floor-burners performed by an extremely tight combo. Best of all its available on CD as part of the Odeon 100 Anos series. A lot of groups on the Parlophone label could crank out the cheesey sixties-organ sound and Bacharach covers but not many could match the rythms of Das Neves. How do they say it - ritmo calliente!

In a stupid pop mood tonight, egged on by seeing the recent McFly recommendation. The sun finally came out over South Yorkshire today too, which is probably what's making me think of this enthusiastic pop-reggae workout. I really click with this, despite the OTT misogynistic lyrics, Beenie Man's homophobia and the general rubbishness of most of his back catalogue (that which I've heard, anyway).

Ms. Thing doesn't really do much to shut Beenie and his sexist mouth up, but at least Shawnna has a but more life to her which is why I'm recommending this remix with her rap on.

The video's cute too, especially where Beenie, Thing, Shawnna and various cronies do a ridiculous trot-dance at the end.

Okay, here's an obvious Bollywood recommendation, a genre I don't know a lot about, but nevertheless, it's really a great track. It's from the movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna. The way Bollywood movies were able to draw elements of psychedelic, funk, and dance music, then fuse it with Hindi music is incredible to me. This song has a addictive, hard, danceable, and completely credible sound, not to be confused with some lighter, cheesier, or more kitsch Bollywood fare. Great stuff.

Mr. Quintron has been performing/ inventing for 20 years or so. He currently resides in the 9th ward of New Orleans, LA. His "one man band" sound does not really fit into any genre that I know of. If I had to describe it, I would say it's as if a mad scientist, a Hammond organ, early 80's techno and your favourite Jerry Lee Lewis or Elvis song met somewhere deep in the murky swamps of Louisiana. The song "Dungeon Master" is a geeky, upbeat, yet dark, tongue in cheek, seemingly blatant, but possibly unintentional theme song for anyone who has either played or is aware of the board game, "Dungeons & Dragons". *I've never played, but am familiar with it from my ..."less social" classmates from grade school. The song begins with a very techno-esque, oddly-timed organ solo that swells and then abruptly breaks as Quintron belts out, "DUNGEON MASTER, MAKE ME GO FASTER!!!", only to be followed by quirky Hammond and Vocoder sounds as Miss Pussycat chants along in her cheerleader style back-up vocals. After you think you've figured out the gimmick, "Q" channels Elvis Presley as he reaches the climax..."Comma, Comma, Comma, Come On" and erupts in other indecipherable grunts and yelps. Check it out.

A quasi-psychedelic throwaway from one of Elvis' later, cheesier movies. This song in particular gets a bad rap because it's presented in an ultra-campy dream sequence with groovy go-go dancers writhing and a man pouncing about in a dog costume. But I'm addicted to the song itself, which has a gorgeous arrangement with harpsichords, punchy trumpets and pillow-soft backup vocals by The Love Generation (who also sang on The Partridge Family's hits). And Elvis' vocal performance is more gutsy than you would imagine at this stage in his career. Worth seeking out!

Just one of many gems on the wonderful "Simplesmente" LP. A fairly stripped-down arrangement and recording, but which still allows for the song's bright verse and chorus melodies to shine forth. The track is built from acoustic guitar, bass, drums and a hint of (what else?) percussion, which pulse gently along on the verses in a rhythm that reminds me of dancehall reggae somehow, while still being obviously a branch of the bossa nova tree. Fernanda's sweet croon and instinctive sense of swing navigate this terrain effortlessly. Who is Fernanda? Where has she gone? On the strength of this LP, she definitely had quite a bit to offer. But it was tough, back then, being Elis Regina's competition.......

Usually I'm bored to tears with Mr. Muriat's over the top orchestral take on stuff... but this track is a total exception. Starts out with this reeling Beethovenesque orchestral intro, and then lays flat into this funky latin workout, almost in a Deodato meets Zarathustra way. Really nuts. Just a great dancefloor track for loungecore types.

With Saint Etienne being one of my favourite groups of the last decades (and possibly the best british pop group today) it's really hard to pick a track, it wouldn't be hard to recommend dozens of amazing tracks they did the last 15 years. That said, "Fascination" is the only new song they produced since Finisterre (2002) and it was included on their first compilation released in the US. It doesn't really matter if they embrace a more late 60s style a la Good Humor or a more electronic or dance approach to their music, due to Sarah Cracknells distinctive voice and Stanleys and Wiggs' ear for strong melodies it always sounds essentially Saint Etienne. This one is a heartfelt, bittersweet song, with an almost Hip Hop-ish basic beat, lush synths, floating harp-like electronica and a great piano melody.

geeetars, synthesizers and tap dancers + pop-ish happy sound=amazing. what more is there to say? this song was lovely live, as well.

a wonderful production, this song features a good mix of stereotypical rock and dance sounds with Amanda's raspy vocals. i wish i heard it dance clubs more often.

it's fun, has a dancy vibe and dan keyes has great vocals.

One of the most influential and awesome dance tracks of '04..and still bears playing today. Rumored to have been written during a flight from Amsterdam to the US, the title certainly supports the idea.
Rolling bassline, tight and hard kick and an amazing array of drumwork compliment a very simple and yet gracefully full-on melody (Tiesto's signature in my opinion). As with most of Tiesto's production work, an excellent track and well put together, displaying an awesome talent for a wonderful genre...Trance.

Nice groovy dancetrack with electric sounding guitars, trumpets and a rockbeat....

Imagine James Brown and Bob Marley's genius and charisma plus a broader musical knowledge, much more danceable beats, complete ease at improvisation, and a wicked sense of humor. This didn't happen in the US or in the UK - it happenned in Africa and it was done by Nigerians in a Nigerian studio & for a African audience. Little, wimpy Euro-American civilization: now that you got it on CD, listen and learn.

Quality Tune! Mr Scruff is from the Ninja Tune label (Nuff said!)Find it and enjoy (Dance music, kind of!)The album has been out a while but if you haven't heard it it's well worth a listen

Indie Pop feel. More than one singer (big group of people singing this song) fun and upbeat!
- I like this because its good to dance to when your with your friends and the lyrics are quick to learn.
- Electric guitar, keyboards,

Fantastic Austrlian pop drawing on the post Beatleseque for references ,perhaps an imaginary collaboration between John Lennon and George Harrison,the Dark Horse meets No9 Dream .Bright and energetic from start to finish with a sun bleached aura to make your day shine .incidentally this group split and re emerged as Empire of the Sun well worthy of perusal .

With the likes of Buzzsaw by The Turtles and Dance With The Devil by Cozy Powell, Groovin' With Mr. Bloe is one of my favourite late 60's-early 70's groovy "novelty" pop instrumentals.
Beginning with a tight drum beat that carries on throughout the song and followed by one of the fattest basslines ever, this is a real dancefloor gem for hip crowds. Best of all is the harmonica lead by Mr. Bloe himself, a session musician by the name of Harry Pitch. Groovin'...became a surprise top ten hit but the best credit to the song is that it allegedly still enjoys club play by Richard Searling, the legendary northern soul deejay.

Bedroom electro-dance music by some Scottish guy. Genius it certainly isn't, but there is a certain kind of intrinsic lyricism about some of his ideas that appeals. His album samples Judie Tzuke's "Stay with me still dawn" and Kim Carnes's "Bette Davis Eyes" as well as, famously, Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine's "Doctor Beat".

I love Ren and Stimpy. This is an killer version of the song from my favorite episode. (Stimpy's Invention) My sister and I danced along when that episode aired.
Can you smell the nostalgia?

Though, the whole album (Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits) rocks.

Danceable stoner rock. Rock instruments (vox, gtr, bass, drums, keys)
Just has a good vibe. It's laid-back but heavy rock, got catchy melodies & a good beat.

fine little new wave bubblegum desperation pop song, with lyrics wich borrow heavily from the beatles' "yesterday". great bassline and some great new-wavey dance effects. not exactly a masterpiece, it's way too long and a bit clumsy in places, but it has that something that keeps me returning to it from time to time. usually when drunk at parties.

this song is total one-person dance party in my underwear music!

this song makes me wanna throw a dance party.

A lovely, soulful, poppy dance song. I've never understood why a band like Saint Etienne aren't serious chart contenders. They make intelligent pop music, have great tunes, have a beautiful lead singer with an amazing voice. And yet "the kids" prefer manufactured acts like Kylie Minogue. (sigh). The Saints have released so many brilliant pop songs, but this is my favourite.

It makes me want to dance. The instrumentation is pretty simple, but it works.

this is a funky song. it makes you wanna dance and have fun. great great great song

I really like the bass in the song, it's the best.

brilliant version of the marvin gaye classic. the funk bassline, primitive drumming and the sheer energy of ari up's semi-braying vocals is what makes the song for me. often i find the slits' songs a bit directionless, but this one really hits the spot. look into miy window while this is playing. chances are i'll be doing some sort of jerky white guy- dance.

'60s Motown rarely strayed from that classic sound, but this one attempts an earthier, Muscle Shoals/Stax-like sound -- with brilliant results. Martha's voice could even be mistaken for Aretha here. An underrated, mighty danceable single with killer rhythmic guitars, tambourines and a bubbling bassline.

Queen of the New wave and possibly Vampires, Eastern Bloc princess of the moogs and synths takes a old 80's teeny bopper cover and refreshes it by singing the lyrics in Japanese and adding a synethically mellow-dramatic and somewhat retro kitsch shibyua district cuteness. Dance to it or cry to it, nonetheless this cover is 1000X better than the original..

You may remember Annie from her/their housey dancefloor number of a year or two back "The Greatest Hit".

Well, they've come back with this, a sublime downbeat track with a lush-yet-delicate female vocal. Instrumentally, it reminds me of a slower, swinging P-funk number, quite minimal beats but funky as all hell (in a chill kinda way).

Absolutely beautiful -hard to find but worth looking.

Originally a limited-release 7" on Norwegian label Telle, and quickly licensed by UK house label Loaded -it appears on a sampler they released late 2002.

This sounds like the sun going down on 15 years of dance culture ,the raver sounding older and wiser on this Ibizan sun kissed "dance ballad" ?
A reflective intro gives way to a keyboard break chorus and back again but building in layers to a celebratory pitch ,both chilled and euphoric in equal measure ,a grown up dance track for the Brit Pop generation

This is a gorgeous summer tune in a similar vein to "Heartbeat" by Tahiti 80. This song makes you want to dance, a bit disco, a bit easy listening and a smudge of retro. I can't recommend the entire album - it's all over the place but this single is stunning.

the dubs of this song are great. Digitalism put a new spin on the song that is originally an r&b song. They give it a great dancefloor work over. Hard edged genius.

upbeat
euphoric
dance beats
Eurodance vibe

One of the highlights off of their 200 self-titled album, !!!'s "Intensify" delivers upon the promise of its title by being really, well, intense. The band stick pretty close to their typical dancepunk sound, but there's a kick-ass breakdown halfway through where all the music drops out to make way for a chorus of people clapping and shouting "can u feel it intensify!"

Hott.

This song starts with a great simple keyboard riff, and the driving bass gives it a real urgency, unusual for the Beach Boys 70's music in that it makes you really want to dance. A great vocal performance by Dennis Wilson, with intriguing lyrics.

It's exactly that, A Fine Day. Kinda like theose first days of Spring, people finally leave their houses and shake out the Winter Blues. Great to hear at a club and dance to. The epitome of house breaks.

If you're looking for a feelgood song, this is it. Off of Jason Mraz's newest album, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, the whole album is a pretty good listen. Less funkier than Mr. A-Z but groovier than Waiting for My Rocket to Come.

Uppish tempo, clap-your-hands Brit pop/alt rock song that makes you want to drive and drive and push the speed limit. Lead singer (Chad Horton) has an in-tune yet rasping tone remeniscent of John Lennon. Instrumentation includes tamborine and congas, and a delay pedal. Excellent musicianship. Killer basslines. Dance, dance, dance.

Starts with a piano tinkling up and down the scale, and then the whole Latin Orchestra starts, ultimately Edmundo's raspy voice bellows out of the speakers sounding for all the world like Shaggy's drunken grandfather. Kind of Rhumba, very very danceable, surprisingly modern sounding with a terrific breakdown to the piano in the middle. Beware Edmundo ros has done another version of La Bamba which is terrible.

biff! bang! pow! from the toughest band in sweden in the 60s. a really raw and fuzzy version of this song. a must have for all you who're interested in obscure 60s music a la nuggets etc.

I used to be such a boy,but I have seen the terror of my ways.The Strokes have cornered a few hooks and terrorized them into submission,using them to tantalize testosterone top-heavy lads,making them dance like innocents caught in American/Iraqi crossfire;but I'm past that age where testosterone tampers with my thought processes.

Vitamin C,real name Colleen Fitzpatrick,ex-singer of Eve's Plum,has made Last Night,by blending it with Blondie's Heart of Glass,into the pop song it always wanted to be.Gone is the nasal whine of the original replaced by cool clear vocals that caress rather than puncture the ears.

On the 12" you get three versions.If you want a good dance work out you'll pick the A side.I favour track two,not so hurried I think it's slightly more reflective tenor illuminates where other versions obfuscate.

No doubt will be on every forthcoming Ibiza summer 2002 compilation but I do have a small spot for this top house record. First heard it on Danny Rampling's show on Radio 1 and it really grabbed me. It is a simple repetitive tune (which constitutes most 4/4 house records) but its the vocals that do it for me. That awkward sounding vocalist is none other than David Byrne, pop music's official cool eccentric. Due out officially in the UK on March 25, 2002, it can be heard out in clubs and on aforementioned radio stations. X Press 2 is the collaborative effort between Ashley Beedle and Rocky & Diesel, London based electronica/dance producers who have had success in their solo efforts. Love it or hate it it's nice to hear David Byrne do something different.

awesome electro-rock group! good for if you're working out, going out or just want to dance around your house in your undies lol

From the Italian western of the same name. I haven't seen the film, but it seems to be a comedy starring Thomas Milian and in the mode of the popular Trinity films. This track is kind of a light-hearted square dance with typically brilliant instrumenation by Morricone -- bells, banjo, organ, chorus, acoustic guitar, drums and violins. This makes a nice companion to the "Wanted Dead Or Alive" track I recommended earlier. Lots of fun.

Minimalist pop, and hurrah for that. The ex-Revolution musicians show Prince that they have learned their lessons well and throw in their own funky twirls, too. They eschew the back-up lipstick lesbian persona that characterised their time with Mr Rogers Nelson and dig out a sound that nicely epitomises the late 80's, a great and much-ignored time in funky dance-pop.

Electronic music made and performed without the use of laptop computers. great string sample from sigur ros. Holy Fuck is an amazing group

And I am not just including this because it is from Rosemary's Baby, my very favourite film of all time. Well, maybe I am a little - the opening credits where Polanski guides us over the rooftops of the Bramford while Mia murmurs her "la la la"s sets up perfectly the movie heaven that is to come.

Actors usually make a hash of singing (and, of course, vice versa - Bjork is great in Dancer In The Dark but that's all I can come up with), although I've heard that Cybil Shepherd makes a decent stab. But Mia can't fail to impress with her innocent singing voice, keeping in the character of Rosemary even though she doesn't speak a word in this song. Komeda maintains his usual atmospheric wonder, with the sort of piano based joy that gave such a fruitful relationship with Polanski's films.

Lots of others have had a pop at this, usually with some degree of success as the melody is so strong (discounting a dodgy metal version of it by some chancers whose name escapes me). My favourites are Hugo Montenegro's (on Good Vibrations) and Claudine Longet's lyric-added version, Sleep Safe And Warm.

A great track to jam to. Extremely different for Ms. Furtado. If you're into it, this is a great song to hoop dance to :)

The multi-talented Dutch artists Kraak & Smaak shine in their unprecedented, soul-shaking compilation, �The Remix Sessions� due out May 29th. Named by IDJ as "one of the most incendiary live outfits," Kraak & Smaak take that crackling energy and infuse classic jams with their signature style. Music lovers everywhere will rejoice as hard-to-find tracks, many of which were only released on vinyl, join each other in this boogie-licious showcase.

From banging dance floor "Mimezine � Can't get Enough (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," to funky, midtempo "Jamiroquai � Electric Mistress (Kraak & Smaak Remix)" to eerie, internationally-infused "Skeewiff � Man of Constant Sorrow (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," Kraak & Smaak reveals their astounding vision for the possibilities of electronica. This beat-driven assembly is an invaluable resource for re-tracing the various pathways of this modern musical expression.

Cosmopolitan Disco with a warm orchestration igniting the perfect melody, Cory Daye's vocal performance can't go wrong. Dr. Buzzard's music is unlike any other music with the battered "Disco" tag. As with most of their discography, this is highly recommended! Also try "The Gigolo and I" and "Transistor Madness-Future DJ" from their wrongly criticized "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Meets King Pennett" album.

It's an absolutely over-the-top hard soul dance tune. I first heard it on a soul compilation and recently, against all odds, I found the 45! Really cool mid paced groove with amazing guitar sound.

Hot damn this is a dance song, and the music video is slick as well. It's two canadians, Pee Thugg and Dave 1, and they describe themselves as the only successful arab/jew collaboration since the beginning of time.

A good chunk of knob-twiddling electro-dance layered over a beautifully atmospheric string backing.

From the originator of Madonna's "Paradise" which is also included on the album.

Extremely catchy. Makes me wanna dance.

Opening with a brat beating bass and melody that is scarily reminiscent of some late 70s euro disco pathos, it�s only when Brian James� raunchy guitar kicks in that you know you�re well away from the lights of that dance floor and in the grips of a very different master. A hedonistic web of Bators� beloved conspiracy theorizing, the logical successor to the Wanderers� paranoia-packed repertoire, �Open Your Eyes� previewed a closet of horrors that embraced organized religion, the impending World Tour of Pope John Paul II, Bolshevik plots and Ronald Reagan�s apparent rush towards nuclear Armageddon. With session man Matt Black�s synthesizers giving the whole thing a classic rock feel that merged edgily with the band�s own punkish sensibilities, it was, as always, Bators� viperous lyrics that brought the whole thing into the twilight zone of pre-Internet intrigue. The 80s politicking of Margaret Thatcher�s Britain and Reagan�s cold war America pretty much ensured that both sides were far happier not having to open their eyes. A gleeful Bators was there, though, to make sure they did.
(AMG)

From the album Morrison Hotel, Peace Frog is a bouncy toe tapping tune encapsulating funky wah wah with jazzy tones and a hint of country.

What I love about this tune is it's ability to make me get up and dance, head bounce toes tap.

Facinating lyrics, quite contradictory in contrast with the merry, whimsicalness of the music.

"There�s blood in the streets� it�s up to my ankles"

However when your dancing around It has little precedence, the organs and drums take you away and the lyrics are gone.....

This is an almost 12 minute remix of tons of different Pizzicato Five songs by the Tokyo DJ duo Pandart Sashoona. It's quite amazing and very danceable. If you're never heard Pizzicato Five, it can be a bit overwhelming, but it's a good start! Give it a listen, you won't be disappointed!

sexy, great guitar and dance-able beat. very chill

I absolutely love this band and this is one of my favorite tracks. Jonny Craig is amazing btw, check him out.

It's just pure fun baby, pure fun! Yes, the music itself isn't anything special, and the lyrics are very repetative and lame, but it's still a hit. Anytime you're feeling a little drained of energy, pop this baby in and watch yourself go!

This sultry ballad from 1984 is the perfect showcase for Tina's great voice. A nice chill out song and good soundtrack for a romantic evening.

The multi-talented Dutch artists Kraak & Smaak shine in their unprecedented, soul-shaking compilation, �The Remix Sessions� due out May 29th. Named by IDJ as "one of the most incendiary live outfits," Kraak & Smaak take that crackling energy and infuse classic jams with their signature style. Music lovers everywhere will rejoice as hard-to-find tracks, many of which were only released on vinyl, join each other in this boogie-licious showcase.

From banging dance floor "Mimezine � Can't get Enough (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," to funky, midtempo "Jamiroquai � Electric Mistress (Kraak & Smaak Remix)" to eerie, internationally-infused "Skeewiff � Man of Constant Sorrow (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," Kraak & Smaak reveals their astounding vision for the possibilities of electronica. This beat-driven assembly is an invaluable resource for re-tracing the various pathways of this modern musical expression.

An obvious selection for a favorite track but nonetheless truly deserved. I nearly wet my pants when I heard this track and immediately went up to the dj to ask what it was. I ran out to the record shops in town looking for it and finally found a copy a week later. That was exactly one year ago, this month, March 2001. Its repetitive cymbal/drum shimmy, combined with the samples of "I want you to get together" and "put your hands together one time" begins this journey of jazzy dancefloor heaven. Then the real electricity of the tune begins and yes its otherworldly. Slowly, the house beat teases its way into the song, until it can't take it anymore and the shit hits the fan!! If you don't know it, listen to it and see if you agree.

This 1968 LP out on CTI/A&M records was a big leap fpr the group formerly known as Tamba Trio. It spawned big bossa hits like the title track Samba Blim, my absolute favorite for hip acid jazz(nu-jazz/ Rare Groove)dancefloors from London to Tokyo to even Phoenix,AZ. It's fusion of traditional Bossa Nova, Samba, and 60's Jazz melodies are delectibale to the ears. Nice songs that will get you groovin' are "Samba Blim", Reza", "Tristeza de no dois", and "Baiano". A big LP in my DJ box. A pretty heavy cost for a mint copy, but mine is only VG condition full of pops and crackles. I STILL LOVE IT!!!

a simply subime mixture of cultures. from iranian DJ, sharam and young cleveland rapper kid cudi

This Melbourne, Australia 6 piece manages to mix dance beats and easy listening/soul samples in a much more interesting and moving way than recent artists working with similar ingredients. This track is sample happy, sampling the likes of the Main Attractions "Everyday," Klaus WUnderlich's "Let's do the Latin Hustle," and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." I immediately recognized the Hustle's melody, acting as a primer for the wonderful 60s soul vocals. This is no doubt a feel good song!

Beneath the avant-garde lyrics and futuristic synth textures, there was always a pulsing dance music quality that drove the classic Duran Duran sound. As they progressed into the late '80s, they allowed that dance element to move up front and dominate their style. A good example of this tactic is "Skin Trade," a hit whose silky and funky style led to it being mistaken for a Prince song. The lyrics have a surprisingly direct, soul-searching feel to them as they lay out scenarios of people shortchanging their dreams to make money. These moments are followed with the dramatic proclamation that makes up the chorus: "Will someone please explain/The reasons for this strange behavior?/In exploitation's name/We must be working for the skin trade." The music lends contrast to the angry tone of the lyrics by creating a sultry, mellow melody that juxtaposes verses with a soft, hypnotic ebb and flow with an ever-ascending chorus that revs up the song's inherent drama. Duran Duran's recording is fuelled by funky but gently layered guitar textures and subtle drum work that push its groove along, plus some atmospheric synth textures on the chorus. Interestingly, Simon LeBon uses his normal tenor voice for the choruses but sings much of the verses in a lush, soulful falsetto that led many pop fans to initially mistake "Skin Trade" for a Prince ballad. The result was a perfect blend of slow-dance textures and adult social critique. It didn't do as well as "Notorious," just barely making the Top 40 in the U.S., but it got plenty of radio airplay and is fondly remembered by the group's fans as one of Duran Duran's most mature achievements of the late '80s.
(AMG)

Woohoo! My first recommendation.
Bernard Kawka, one time vocalist for the Novi Singers, recorded this little dancefloor filler in 1989. It has a slight Steely Dan/Donald Fagen sound and feel to it, which doesn't usually grab my attention in this way, but this really is a fantastic track. Great arrangements by Bernard too. He's joined by Polish female vocalist Ewa Bem who was in a Novi-esque vocal group in the 70's named Bemibem. I'd never heard of this group before buying the compilation that "Sky's the Limit" is found on. The comp is titled "Holding Hands - Rare Jazz/Fusion Gems From Polish Vaults Vol. 2". It's on the English label "Cosmic Sounds", which must've passed me by because they've been releasing compilations for at least the past 4 years and I hadn't come across them before. The "Holding Hands" comp is really suprisingly good. Every track is a winner.

* P.S. Please excuse the MP3 quality. I wanted to fit as much of it in as I could.

Unreal.
First of all, there's Jill Scott. With as much respect I have for her songwriting and singing abilities, I've never thought of her as a musical genius. Her music was, and stays, consistently the best soul music being released. And I'm sure that in twenty years I'll still have great fondness listening to her tunes. Yet, I don't hesitate to state that she is not a genius.

"Slowly Surely" is a great track off Jill Scott's "Who is Jill Scott: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1" album. The track, itself, is a departure from the rest of the album in composition. It is lyrically and melodically experimental, and deosn't perform as a very commercially radio friendly tune. Having said that, this is probably my favorite track on this sublime album.

Theo Parrish is a genius, however. There are no two ways about it. His music is difficult to understand. His path to fame and stardom seems as intentional as Donald Trump's efforts at staying unnoticed. He has a tendency to compose electronic dance music with beats so slow, they'd make Big Daddy Kane half step. This isn't a salmon swimming upstream. This fish is out of the water wondering why he can't fly.

The remix, in the commercial music industry, has been tainted ever since the digital age. Starting off as a tool for DJs in night clubs, a track would have been remixed to have extended beats in the beginning and the end of the track. Thus, early remixes were plainly titled, "Extended Version". However, remixes on commercial radio are merely an effort to milk the popularity of whatever is popular at the moment. These remixes usually include a guest vocalist singing, or rapping, along the original track. Another version of the remix is the time filler. When albums were made with consideration to program times for opposing sides (as well as cassette tapes), remixes were often added when material was scarce. This practice would eventually wipe out the addition of the "Reprise" track. These remix tracks were usually the chosen radio friendly track with extra production on top of the original track.

The remix for "Slowly Surely" is none of the above. It is very unique as it's own being. It pulsates to it's own heartbeat. It moves on it's own, in no predictable direction, as if Theo Parrish had little control over his artistic output. That's his genius. That's his art.

One of a handful of Quebec artist Michel Pagliaro's (unsuccessful) stabs at the American charts, "Some Sing, Some Dance" is a breezy, acoustic-led pop trifle, lighter than air, with rudimentary lyrics apparently provided by William Finkelberg. A sample:

Ooh you
How would I know just to hold you
How could I show that I want to
'Cause I do wanna hold you
Yes I do

And the following verses expand ever so slightly on that very simplistic base, except by the 3rd terse verse, Michel has sped along from desiring the girl to doubting she could be true, to realizing she, in fact, WAS untrue. Nothing profound here lyrically (and one wonders how comfortable Pagliaro was in 1971 with the English language to keep things this simple), but no matter: The whole package is wrapped in an upbeat, spare but energetic arrangement featuring Pagliaro's acoustic guitar chording, and nice little touches sprinkled throughout, like castanets, shaken tambourine, echoey hand claps, an elegant string arrangement (by Ben McPeak)providing a wonderful counterpoint, and a flamenco-like guitar figure finishing out the brief chorus:

Some sing, some dance
Some like-a romance
I love lovin'

So, even though Michel's been chastened by his lover, he's still coming back for more and longing to still hold this woman...and he loves lovin'...obviously, the magic's in the music here, instead of the lyrics, and it's a little gem of a song. Listen and see if you aren't charmed as well.

The third in a series of 3 linked postings, the other being White Rabbit and the original Jefferson Airplane version of this song.

It probably wouldn't be unfair to describe this as a fairly cheese-y dance cover of the Jefferson Airplance song. It puts a fairly similar sounding vocal over a dance track, with some extra squelchy noises.

I would never have thought the world needed a dance version of this song, but its good fun, and it fills the gap when you have one of those need-to-hear-a-disco-fied-version-of-a-60s-goth-classic moments.

Where it gets really wierd, though, is the video. The singer is a fairly genericvideo female without many clothes on. But she's shot as if she's a giant lying across several fields. And then you see a number of babies parachuting out of an airplane, and eventually landing on top of her. You could say its tasteless, crass, sexist or all three (and I probably would), but its kind of nutty enough to suit what there is of the howling vocal.

�Something Better Change� was released in July of 1977 as the first single from The Stranglers upcoming second album No More Heroes which would appear in mid September. Along with the albums title track, �Something Better Change� would signal a move in a more overtly pop direction that was only hinted at on the group�s first album and would manage to peak at #9 on the U.K. singles chart. This is not to say that The Stranglers abandon their reputation as caustic agitators as No More Heroes was littered with politically contentious tracks such as �I Feel Like A Wog�, �Bring On The Nubiles� and �Bitching�, but the song�s infectious guitar riff and winning melody suggests a tenuous party rock atmosphere. It�s left to singer J.J. Burnel�s particularly gruff vocal performance to keep thing in the punk zone as he alternates between a gnarly throated delivery and a melodic toned timbre. Pumping organ and a buoyant mid-tempo rhythmic romp keep the energy high as he confronts the status quo with a tirade against stifling apathy, flaunting the punk new order with the taunting second verse, �Don�t you like the way I dance? / Does it bug you? / Don�t you like the cut of my clothes? / Don�t you like the way I seem to enjoy it? / Stick my finger right up your nose!� The bridge becomes a jubilant anthem where Burnel voices a punk battle cry to a flurry of organ runs and a growling bass line, �Something�s happening and it�s happening right now / You�re too blind to see it / Something�s happening and it�s happening right now / Ain�t got time to wait�. The chorus is a simple statement, Burnel demanding �Something better change!� with support from the boys in the band who join in for a group shout. Ironically, the arrangement also shows signs of classic rock moves, including a stinging guitar solo and an old school build up of the chorus late in the track.
(AMG)

absolutely no one can deny this magnetism of this song. it's the kind of song you can pump up to full volume on your ipod and dance down the street to. give it a few listens and once you get used to the toe tappin musical sounds, give a good listen to the lyrics. i love the lyrics, they are very relatable and truthful.

This is the final track off their 1982 LP "Heartache", which is the Most Underrated LP Of All Time, and one of the three or four best of the 1980s!! The song actually sounds quite a bit like David Bowie's "Let's Dance" (which it preceded by about 18 months, in case anybody wants to raise plagiarism issues), only serious instead of stupid.
It's one of the more subdued tracks on the LP, which I would characterize as being most like the livelier end of Simple Minds (say "Sparkle In The Rain" or "Once Upon A Time"-era), but with a powerful lead singer who is probably closest to Jay Black of '60s hitmakers Jay and the Americans, or maybe Gary Puckett of the Union Gap (I am not knocking Jim Kerr's vocals by the way).

The full track listing for this wonderful LP: Time After Time, Living In A Heartache, Madelaine, L'Image Craquee, Spirits; The World, Dancing Inside You, Major Major, Too Late To Fly The Flag, Standing In The Rain. Produced by Mick Glossop.

This one fits well with with my previous reccomendation in the melancholy/eerie vein. I read somewhere that the song was in the African JuJu style, but discofied of course given its 1976 production. It was this song that proved to be the Dr. Buzzard . . . was not your average disco band. Cory Daye's vocals are beautiful and harken back to an earlier era of classic jazz vocals, like Ella and Billie. The children's backup vocals are what gives it the spooky quality, probably because the intrumentation is dark, like seeing those cute (but scary) kids come out of the corn fields in Children of the Corn. The last chorus just sends chills down my spine as Cory digs into the lyrics and dances around them as the everything sort or brightens up, like the sun coming out after a summer rain. This makes the title all make such perfect sense.

"She's only 14 but she knows how to draw!" I can't help but think this song isn't about what it sounds like. A great psychy dancer from Donovan's 'rockier' period.

I just found Caravan Palace a while ago. They're amazing! They play a mix of gypsy swing and dance techno with some jazz thrown in there and a little bit of hip hop sprinkled over top.
This track is great because it showcases all their influences. Also the guy scatting over the song is awesome!

This is partly a recommendation, partly a request for information if anybody has it. (hope thats not an abuse of the website)

I recorded this by accident off of a John Peel show in the late 70s/early 80s. Its a dance-y dub-by version of a old American square dance song I believe. Its not unlike Malcolm Maclarens stuff of the same time in concept, but its al lot more taste.

So does anybody else know it?

Nujazz maestro extraordinaire has taken Alemaro Romero's "Tema de la Onda", a Sergio Mendes-style light vocal bossa number, and turned it into a jazzdance smasher.

Conte takes the female lallation-like vocals and a simple two note piano riff, adds his trademark samba/dance-skewed percussion work with a huge shaking piano breakdown, and creates a number that would have been as much a dancefloor filler in the 70s as it is today.

This song is so sinister sounding, and so dark, but at the same time you can dance to it. It's uptempo, but somehow still vaguely depressing. Plus, "It's better in the matinee, the dark of the matinee" is just such a cool lyric.

This is taken from an album of spaghetti western themes that came out on United Artists records in the late 1960s. It has a similar sound to other releases of the era on that label, probably because Leroy Holmes was a staff arranger. I can definitely hear Al Caiola's guitar playing.

To my ears, the arrangement also has a hint of Quincy Jones's work on 'The Italian Job'. It's an upbeat, jerky track with a bassline so percussive that it almost sounds like part of the beat. The melody is carried by guitar, horns, and also some nice wordless vocals (right near the end there's an incredible descending vocal swell that's really something).

Overall, this has a slightly menacing, very hip sound. It might even work on the dancefloor!

Dieter Meier is a hero of mine. Some say I resemble him. If only I had as much suave and cool in my whole body as he possesses in one note, I would be happy. This is synthetic underground dance music at it's finest. They kep on producing albums which may tread familiar territory, but which are never stale or old. I first saw the video for "The Evening's Young" on USA Networks "Nite Flite" TV show and was hooked by the throbbing synths and odd vocal delivery. I became hooked on Yello. This is a quintessential song IMO

I always want to dance to this song, and it's great to sing along to. It reminds me of "Wednesday" in a lot of ways; I just love how the tone changes from upbeat and cheerful to somewhat dark, then back again.

The first track on the seminal 'Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse' LP McDaniels cut in 1971 is the most furious and energetic of the album. Spiritual afro-soul-rock with a politically aware attitude. A very 'dirty' psychedelic electric bass guitar with a top-class drummer (Alphonse Mouzon) comprise a hard-hitting rhythm section to remember. I prefer this very bluesy track over the more obvious selections from this top-notch release, e.g. the haunting Jagger the Dagger, and Freedom Death Dance.

What a great song. Lead vocals by 2-year-old Cubie...what can I say, I'm a sucker for gimmickry. It's been sampled a few times, too.

why can't primal scream do a record with songs like this one? organ drenched with girls chanting ye-ye-yeah! dance 'til you drop! some might say that primal scream peaked with screamadelica, i say hell no! even if screamadelica is a great record, possibly one of the hundred best albums from the last century...

It's no matter what you do but how you do it! This is a darker song in the Ladytron repertoire and electro disco pop at its very best. Very synth bass heavy yet melodic thanks to these people who understand the recipe of making me happy! Ladytron succeed in making their highly synthetic music sound very organic. Just like Kraftwerk have always done. Apart from Kraftwerk this reminds me of... The Human League. But with a modern touch, leaving the trademark 8t's echoes out. Get up on the dancefloor!

if you haven't heard this song yet, i highly recommend waiting until you are wearing shoes that are comfortable enough for you to uncontrollably break out into dance!

This song, along with "What You Know" by TDCC, just make me wanna dance. Wonderful, wonderful song.

If you happen to be a fan of trippy dance pop, with a little bit of soul, you'll love this song. When I first heard it I was reminded of the band Jamiroquai. They have that same feel to them. The song is infectious and very danceable. Not deep in the lyric department, but sometimes you just don't need to think while you listen.

Beautiful crunchy guitar pop to Irish dance music, all in the same song. An amazing song, great album.

The song "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John is one of my favorite songs of all time. Even though I have never been to California, it reminds me of California. When I hear that song, I think of walking down Hollywood Boulevard and staring down at the stars studding the marble floor. I think of sitting in a movie theater with James Dean and Marilyn Monroe and laughing at Charlie Chaplin reels. Elton is an extraordianary pianist and a wonderful singer, and I think that "Tiny Dancer" does him more justice than any other song that he has ever performed. This song just moves me in a very special way, and it will always be close to me.

This song has a little bit of everything. It makes you want to get up and dance!

i bought on a 12" in 1979 when it was released it was considered a milestone for the dancefloor way ahead of its time!!streaking strings and a pulsating bassline the b side was equally as good "american express"

However you look at it, this song is simply too good to have not yet been recommended by me on this site. The final track on Ride's 1991 debut, this is simple, formulaic even, but very nicely executed. It opens with the same nice chord sequence that makes up most of the song, played on a solo guitar. Mark Gardner's vocals are wavering and delicate (ok, they're a little out of tune as well), but charming. The drum beat hints at the indie-dance sensibility of the time, and is extremely catchy without being ridiculous.

The real hook of the song for me lies in the harmonies introduced by the string parts which periodically underlay the chords. As the song builds, these string arrangements become more full. The rest of the band fades away and leaves them at the end. I'm surprised at how much I still enjoy this.

Flash and the Pan was an Australian New Wave group (essentially an ongoing studio project) formed in the late 1970s by Harry Vanda and George Young, both formerly members of the Easybeats. George Young is also an older brother to Angus Young and Malcolm Young of AC/DC.
The song has an infectious lead that pulls you along to the very end a one off attempt that worked..

The film this if from -- Sonny & Jed -- is a spaghetti western circa 1972. The soundtrack has some really nice moments like the beautiful track "Sonny" and this one which is an energetic sort of dance number. On spaghetti soundtracks, including Morricone's, it seems there is often an annoying dance number thrown in that sort of breaks the mood for me. Not so in this case. I particularly like the way uses the chorus and banjo here. For a while last spring, this track was more important than my morning cup of coffee.

I get the impression that even a lot of Pavement fans don't know this one very well, presumably because it's on a pretty duff album (wowee zowee). However, it's one of my absolute favourite pavement songs. Musically it is very quiet - it's essentially just an acoustic guitar, though the funny noises the band make are quite entertaining. However, I really love the structure: there's nothing that can be called a verse or a chorus there - he just rambles on until he is finished. It has the full extent of Pavement's lyrics - completely ridiculous, funny, and sometimes very moving. Plus, as ever, malkmus' weirdy voice is a joy to listen to. So, if you like the pavement style - slow, quirky, funny, and often amazingly beautiful musically, and you don't know this one, you should really look into it. There's a brilliant solo version of it you can get off Napster (legally - Pavement distribute this stuff) - search for "we dance acoustic" - means you don't have to cough up for the album too.

Wedding Day is a guitar rock song with a mid-tempo dance beat. The lyrics are tight and concise. It's about a young man's fear of commitment. It's just over two minutes, and it has superb movement. The simple guitar leads in the closing bars are brilliant. I like this song for the steady, thumping drums, the sweetly melodic underlying riff, and the general resignation of its singer.

From the mysterious Miss Lewis - she had other releases - a Northern Soul stormer . This record has been bootlegged and also issued on cd.
Its a typical Sixties kitchen sink Los Angeles full on dance production featuring the vocal slightly unusual vocal talents of Louise. Does anyone know anything about her?

Alright! Vrooooooooooom! This is Vegas!... Or maybe the LA strip!... Vrooooooooooomaaah!!

This is the kinda song that you need for a break-up. Or some other kinda' I gotta leave this place and dance with syrup-y drink in my hand kinda feelin'... I realized that I needed this song when I lost my lousy job.... Tough luck.... I wish just once someone would play this in a club so I could hear it realllly loud! Great arrangement,this sort of ballistic lounge-y electric pulse... With these short baroque "rests" that take a short daydream break from the tension... Brilliant!

They had this song tucked away on the second side of the LP. I don't know what singles came off this particular release. Roy Kral himself led the group on keyboards as he does on most of the better J&R recordings, with an excellent group of creative players that give the sessions a dirty punched-up sound...

If you have'nt got any Jackie & Roy yet, this is album to get!

This is an R&B song that I first heard on BET. It begins with the hand claps from the song "Car Wash" and then goes into a typically groovy R&B dance song. I like it so much because it is very easy to dance to and the lyrics are about a girl going to a club and wanting to get her groove on while the guy she came with just stands there "like he's much too cool." This is typically how I feel when I go out. Hand claps continue throughout the song.

Cathy Dennis' music is predominantly rubbish. As UK residents know, she is now the writer behind much of the teeny crap that fills the top 40 singles chart every week. But When Dreams Turn to Dust shines like a beacon amongst a fog of blandness. I bought the single for 50 pence from a charity shop in 2000. I thought I'd paid too much. I was wrong.

I was out of work at the time and looking for a job. Dennis' masterpiece is the sound of those crazy job-search days - there was a good two week period when I listened to this song continually. Hard times economically - even tougher times on the turntable...

The song has a king of warped Beatles/Byrds quality. And an amazing minor chord chorus. To top it all, she shifts the whole chorus up an octave in the final eight or so bars and kills the listener with a repetitive and insistent refrain.

Convinced by its majesty, I then bought one of her dance albums from a car boot sale for �1. Never has money been so well intentionally spent and inevitably wasted.

Greatest song ever written about the importance of music in our lives; "music is your special friend; dance on fire as it intends"

Beautiful harmonies, a fun catchy rhythm, and wonderful lyrics that'll be sure to make you giggle. It has some blue-grass influences... but it's not at all country. (if that makes any sense)

Dance, slightly pop, up beat. I know people dismiss jedward, but this is really worth a listen to if you enjoy good pop music. It was writen by Ortise' of JLS fame and is a good all round pop song, very well performed, you will be suprised.

Late period Faces hint at the looser funkier sound which was calling Rod across the pond ,all the faces elements are on this slab of disco pop rock,i mean swagger ,melody ,tightness,looseness,atitude and humour and a chorus which subliminates love/lust into eight carefully chosen words .Possibly their last piece of greatness before Rod Stewart made his Atlantic crossing and headed for safer shores and leopard skin trousers .

the dandy warhols are particularly skilled at making songs that are simultaneously moody and dance-y, so you can listen to most of their output no matter what direction your mood is swinging in. this song is a perfect example of just this skill, being both tinged with melancholy and yet resolutely upbeat. in my mind, this is the best song off their last album (which was produced by nick rhodes of duran duran). like the other tracks, it has more of a synth-y electro feel than much of their previous output, but unlike the rest of the album, this is a strong song very much in character.