All She Wants To Do Is Dance
Encyclopedia
"All She Wants to Do Is Dance" is a 1984 song recorded by Don Henley
and became a Billboard Top 10 hit in March 1985, peaking at number 9, and also became his second song to top the Top Rock Tracks chart. The song was originally released from Henley's Building the Perfect Beast
album.
The lyrics are a personal commentary, critical of then-modern American culture for being more concerned with self-gratification and hedonistic
behaviors, e.g., dancing, partying, being promiscuous etc., than with serious issues such as domestic and foreign policies of their government. Ironically, it became a popular dance song, reaching #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.
The commercial U.S. 7" vinyl version has a slightly different intro than the LP version from Building The Perfect Beast
.
John Leland
from Spin
magazine wrote about the 12-inch single
version of the song saying "...this mother whomps from the git with punchy electronic drums and a mix that keeps one foot off the ground for a full seven-and-a-half minutes. Henley's vision of post-hedonist vision of apocalypse is twisted".
Don Henley
Donald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
and became a Billboard Top 10 hit in March 1985, peaking at number 9, and also became his second song to top the Top Rock Tracks chart. The song was originally released from Henley's Building the Perfect Beast
Building the Perfect Beast
Building the Perfect Beast is the second album by Don Henley, released in 1984. The album became a huge hit for Henley, forming him into a solo star. The album reached #13 on the charts and sold 3 million copies. It also released four Top 40 singles including "The Boys Of Summer" which won Henley...
album.
The lyrics are a personal commentary, critical of then-modern American culture for being more concerned with self-gratification and hedonistic
Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
behaviors, e.g., dancing, partying, being promiscuous etc., than with serious issues such as domestic and foreign policies of their government. Ironically, it became a popular dance song, reaching #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.
The commercial U.S. 7" vinyl version has a slightly different intro than the LP version from Building The Perfect Beast
Building the Perfect Beast
Building the Perfect Beast is the second album by Don Henley, released in 1984. The album became a huge hit for Henley, forming him into a solo star. The album reached #13 on the charts and sold 3 million copies. It also released four Top 40 singles including "The Boys Of Summer" which won Henley...
.
John Leland
John Leland (journalist)
John Leland is an author and has been a New York Times journalist since 2000. During a stint in 1994, he was editor in chief of Details magazine...
from Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine wrote about the 12-inch single
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
version of the song saying "...this mother whomps from the git with punchy electronic drums and a mix that keeps one foot off the ground for a full seven-and-a-half minutes. Henley's vision of post-hedonist vision of apocalypse is twisted".
Pop culture occurrences
- "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" has been featured in the films Real GeniusReal GeniusReal Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
, Coyote UglyCoyote Ugly (film)Coyote Ugly is a 2000 romantic comedy/drama based on the actual Coyote Ugly Saloon, set in New York City. The film stars Piper Perabo and Adam Garcia...
, and referred to in the book Bag of BonesBag of BonesBag of Bones is a 1998 novel by Stephen King. It focuses on an author who suffers severe writer's block and delusions at an isolated lake house four years after the death of his wife...
. - Kool & the GangKool & the GangKool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
performed a version for their 1989 album, SweatSweat (Kool and the Gang album)Sweat is the twentieth studio album by the band Kool and the Gang, released in 1989 following a three-year gap between albums. J.T. Taylor and Khalis Bayyan had departed, and this album showed a refocused band.-Reception:...
. - American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
winner Kris AllenKris AllenKristopher Neil "Kris" Allen is an American musician and singer-songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of American Idol...
performed this song in the final 8 on season 8American Idol (season 8)The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol...
of American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 34 |
See also
- List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)