Dance Stance
"Dance Stance" is the first single by Dexys Midnight Runners. It reached #40 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1980.
| "Dance Stance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Dexy's Midnight Runners | ||||
| B-side | "I'm Just Looking" | |||
| Released | November 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Genre | Pop, new wave, blue-eyed soul | |||
| Length | 3:41 | |||
| Label | Oddball Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Kevin Rowland | |||
| Dexy's Midnight Runners singles chronology | ||||
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The song references a range of Irish playwrights and writers including Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan, Seán O'Casey, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Eugene O'Neill, Edna O’Brien and Laurence Sterne.
The angry delivery of the lyrics reflect the punk sensibility of the time, although the style of the music is more the soul/Northern soul style from which the band's name is derived (the name is a reference to drug-fuelled dancing in the all-nighters which were a feature of the Northern soul scene).
Dance Stance was performed by Kevin Rowland (vocals, as 'Carlo Rolan'), Kevin "Al" Archer (vocals, guitar), "Big" Jim Paterson (trombone), Geoff "JB" Blythe (saxophone), Steve "Babyface" Spooner (alto saxophone), Pete Saunders (keyboard), Pete Williams (bass) and Bobby "Jnr" Ward (drums).
A re-recorded version appeared on the band's debut album, Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, under the new title "Burn It Down".
The song was released in 1979 on the independent label Oddball Records.
Personnel
- Kevin Rowland (as 'Carlo Rolan'): Vocals
- Al Archer: Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
- Pete Williams: Bass/Vocals
- JB: Tenor Sax
- Big Jim Paterson: Trombone
- Steve Spooner: Alto Sax
- Pete Saunders: Piano/Organ
- Bobby Junior: Drums