Let's Dance!
Encyclopedia
Let's Dance! is the seventeenth album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram
, originally released in the fall of 1995. This was the first Sharon, Lois & Bram album to feature a different repretoire of carefully selected pop tunes spanning over four decades of music from the 40s to the 70s. Unlike other Sharon, Lois & Bram albums, Let's Dance! features a smaller collection of songs, although each song is lengthier than those songs found on other albums of the trio.
"Let's Dance! is all about tunes and grooves, moves and memories. It's music for tots and kiddos and parents and grandparents. It's songs you hum, steps you dance, connections you make, fun you have. It comes from our hearts to yours... to pass on to the children and to remind us once again that a really great song has the power to catch you and keep you. Then - now - and forevermore."
The album "contains simple, upbeat renditions of pop favorites from the likes of The Beatles
and Stevie Wonder
". The album also features songs by other famous artists such as Melanie Safka
, Nat King Cole
, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Barry Mann
. The album was not meant to recreate the originals, but to "give them a kind of '90s, contemporary touch"
The album was reviewed shortly after it was released and it was deemed "Sharon, Lois & Bram pull yet another one out of their trunk! Sharon, Lois & Bram's new release, Let's Dance! is a moving experience. Try to keep from dancing, Mom & Dad! Four decades of popular music are covered by this energetic, talented Canadian vocal trio...tight arrangements, great colors and up-front vocals. The producer is Emmy Award
-winner Jamie Lawrence, whose producing bio includes Anita Baker
, Michael Bolton
, Ray Charles
, Aretha Franklin
, and Frank Sinatra
. [The Album] is true to the original tunes, but uses the musical tools of the 90s...The album is great listening with nice dance grooves. So go buy it and Let's Dance!"
and their 1992 Great Big Tour promoting their Great Big Hits
album. The tour lasted from the summer of 1995 to the spring of 1996. Their US section of the tour lasted for the first part of their tour, and then they returned to Canada to complete the remaining cities.
The concerts featured songs from the album as well as many of the Sharon, Lois & Bram classic songs. Their sidekick, Elephant, toured with them and provided much entertainment throughout the concert. Promotional cassettes were produced with the re-release of their 1989/1990 Car Tunes
Series (Volumes 1 through 4), partnered with Sears KidVantage program. They were available for $2.99 each.
Being ambassadors to Unicef, Sharon, Lois & Bram arranged so that with every purchase of a copy of the Let's Dance! album, part of the proceeds would be donated to Unicef to help "treat kids to immunization and health care services, adequate nutrition, basic education and safe water."
Posters, t-shirts and other Sharon, Lois and Bram memorabilia were available for purchase at every Let's Dance! concert as well.
Sharon, Lois & Bram
Sharon, Lois & Bram is the name of a Canadian children's musical trio composed of Sharon Hampson , Lois Ada Lilienstein , and Bramwell "Bram" Morrison .-Group formation:Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillenstein, and Bram Morrison began their singing...
, originally released in the fall of 1995. This was the first Sharon, Lois & Bram album to feature a different repretoire of carefully selected pop tunes spanning over four decades of music from the 40s to the 70s. Unlike other Sharon, Lois & Bram albums, Let's Dance! features a smaller collection of songs, although each song is lengthier than those songs found on other albums of the trio.
"Let's Dance! is all about tunes and grooves, moves and memories. It's music for tots and kiddos and parents and grandparents. It's songs you hum, steps you dance, connections you make, fun you have. It comes from our hearts to yours... to pass on to the children and to remind us once again that a really great song has the power to catch you and keep you. Then - now - and forevermore."
The album "contains simple, upbeat renditions of pop favorites from the likes of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
". The album also features songs by other famous artists such as Melanie Safka
Melanie Safka
Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk is an American singer-songwriter. Known professionally as simply Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Ruby Tuesday" and "Lay Down ".-Early career:...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Barry Mann
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
. The album was not meant to recreate the originals, but to "give them a kind of '90s, contemporary touch"
The album was reviewed shortly after it was released and it was deemed "Sharon, Lois & Bram pull yet another one out of their trunk! Sharon, Lois & Bram's new release, Let's Dance! is a moving experience. Try to keep from dancing, Mom & Dad! Four decades of popular music are covered by this energetic, talented Canadian vocal trio...tight arrangements, great colors and up-front vocals. The producer is Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winner Jamie Lawrence, whose producing bio includes Anita Baker
Anita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
, Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, both on his early solo albums and those recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. [The Album] is true to the original tunes, but uses the musical tools of the 90s...The album is great listening with nice dance grooves. So go buy it and Let's Dance!"
Releases
Let's Dance! is available on CD and cassette released either under the American Drive Entertainment Inc., or in Canada under the trio's very own Elephant Records. Casablanca Kids Inc. (the current distributor of the trio's catalog) has yet to pick up the album and re-release it under their label.Touring and promotions
To promote their album, Sharon, Lois & Bram embarked on a tour under the album's name to over "40 Canadian cities from coast to coast" as well as to many U.S. cities. Their Let's Dance! Tour was deemed their "most ambitious tour ever" quickly followed by their 1990 tour of Sing A to ZSing A to Z
Sing A to Z is the tenth album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1990. This album, like many other Sharon, Lois & Bram albums has been re-released many times...
and their 1992 Great Big Tour promoting their Great Big Hits
Great Big Hits
Great Big Hits is the eleventh album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1992. The album features 31 of your all-time favorite Sharon, Lois & Bram songs, most released on previous albums, although the trio did re-record several songs specially for this...
album. The tour lasted from the summer of 1995 to the spring of 1996. Their US section of the tour lasted for the first part of their tour, and then they returned to Canada to complete the remaining cities.
The concerts featured songs from the album as well as many of the Sharon, Lois & Bram classic songs. Their sidekick, Elephant, toured with them and provided much entertainment throughout the concert. Promotional cassettes were produced with the re-release of their 1989/1990 Car Tunes
Car Tunes
The Sharon, Lois & Bram Car Tunes collection is a set of "mini-cassette" recordings released by the Canadian children's music trio Sharon, Lois & Bram in 1989 and 1990; some were re-released in 1995. It is the largest collection of music in the trio's repertoire...
Series (Volumes 1 through 4), partnered with Sears KidVantage program. They were available for $2.99 each.
Being ambassadors to Unicef, Sharon, Lois & Bram arranged so that with every purchase of a copy of the Let's Dance! album, part of the proceeds would be donated to Unicef to help "treat kids to immunization and health care services, adequate nutrition, basic education and safe water."
Posters, t-shirts and other Sharon, Lois and Bram memorabilia were available for purchase at every Let's Dance! concert as well.
1995
- May 7 - Albany, NY - Palace Theater
- June 3 - Easton, PA - Easton State Theater
- July 8 - Pittsburgh, PA - I.C. Light Amphitheater
- July 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - I.C. Light Amphitheater
- July 26 - Detroit, MI - Meadow Brook Music Festival
- October 14 – St. John’s, NF – Arts + Culture Center
- October 15 – St. John’s, NF – Arts + Culture Center
- October 17 – Sydney, NS – Center 200
- October 18 – Halifax, NS – Metro Center
- October 19 – Moncton, NB – Moncton Coliseum
- October 20 – Saint John, NB – Harbor Station
- November 4 – Montreal, QC – St. Denis Theater
- November 5 – Ottawa, ON – National Arts Center
- November 8 – Victoria, BC – University Center Auditorium
- November 9 – New Westminster, BC – Massey Theater
- November 10 – Kelowna, BC – Memorial Arena
- November 12 – Kamloops, BC – Riverside Coliseum
- November 13 – Edmonton, AB – Jubilee Auditorium
- November 14 – Edmonton, AB – Jubilee Auditorium
- November 16 – Calgary, AB – Jubilee Auditorium
- November 17 – Calgary, AB – Jubilee Auditorium
- November 18 – Red Deer, AB – Centrium
- November 19 – Grande Prairie, AB – Canada Games Arena
- November 20 - :Prince George, BC – Prince George Arena
- November 23 – Regina, SK – Center of the Arts
- November 24 – Saskatoon, SK – Centennial AuditoriumTCU PlaceTCU Place, formerly known as the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium, is a convention and arts centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated in the Central Business District it is located next to Midtown Plaza....
- November 25 – Brandon, MB – Keystone Center
- November 27 – Winnipeg, MB – Centennial Concert Hall
- November 29 – Thunder Bay, ON – Community Auditorium
- December 8 – Toronto, ON – Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
- December 9 – Toronto, ON – Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
- December 10 – Toronto, ON – Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
1996
- March 8 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – White Pines Auditorium
- March 9 – Sudbury, ON – Grand Theater
- March 10 – North Bay, ON – Arts Center
- March 12 – Brockville, ON – Arts Center
- March 13 – Cornwall, ON – Aultsville Theater
- March 14 – Kingston, ON – Grand Theater
- March 15 – Belleville, ON – Centennial Auditorium
- March 16 – Oshawa, ON – Civic Center
- March 17 – London, ON – Alumni Hall
- March 22 – Lindsay, ON – The Academy
- March 23 – Hamilton, ON – Hamilton Place
- March 24 – Windsor, ON – Cleary Auditorium
- March 29 – Barrie, ON – Gryphon Theater
- March 30 – Brantford, ON – Sanderson Theater
- March 31 – Kitchener, ON – Center in the Square
Track listing
- "At the HopAt the Hop"At the Hop" is a hit rock 'n' roll song written by Arthur Singer, John Medora and David White and originally released by Danny & the Juniors. The song was released in the fall of 1957, and reached number one on the US charts on January 6, 1958, thus becoming one of the top-selling singles of 1958...
" (Arthur SingerArthur SingerArthur "Artie" Singer was an American songwriter who wrote 1957's "At the Hop" with David White and John Medora. He died on May 2, 2008 at the age of 89.-Sources:*...
/John MedoraJohn MedoraJohn Medora , also known as John or Johnny Madara, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer, who teamed up with David White and Arthur Singer to write the 1957 hit song "At the Hop"....
/David WhiteDavid WhiteDavid White or Dave White may refer to:*Dave White , Derringer Award–winning mystery writer*Dave White , U.S. journalist*Dave White , U.S. Navy submarine skipper*David A.R...
) - "Simon Says" (Elliot Chiprut)
- "Sh-BoomSh-Boom"Sh-Boom" is an early doo-wop song. It was written by James Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd F. McRae, and James Edwards, members of the R&B vocal group The Chords and published in 1954. It was a U.S...
" (Fester/Keyse/McCrae/Edwards) - "When I'm Sixty-FourWhen I'm Sixty-Four"When I'm Sixty-Four" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and released in 1967 on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.-Composition:...
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
/Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) - "Our House (CSNY song)Our House (CSNY song)"Our House" is a song written by British singer-songwriter Graham Nash, most famously recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 1970 album Déjà Vu. It reached #30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song refers to Nash's brief affair with Joni Mitchell at the time Crosby, Stills Nash and...
" (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) - "Lollipop (1958 song)" (E. Butler/J. Dixon)
- "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (Gus KahnGus KahnGustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
/Fabian AndreFabian AndreFabian Andre was an American composer, best known for cowriting the music of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with Wilbur Schwandt in 1931. Popular in its time, the song was revived when covered by The Mamas & the Papas after Andre's death in Mexico City in 1960.-External links:*...
/Wilbur SchwandtWilbur SchwandtWilbur Schwandt is credited for the music to the song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with Fabian Andre.He frequently went by the stage name of "Don Swan."...
) - "Elephant Party Jam" (James Elliot Lawrence)
- "I Am Singing" (Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
) - "Brand New KeyBrand New Key"Brand New Key" is a pop song written by folk singer Melanie, which became a novelty hit in 1971-72. Taken from Melanie's album Gather Me, it was also known as "The Rollerskate Song" due to its chorus. It was her biggest hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in December 1971 and...
" (Melanie SafkaMelanie SafkaMelanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk is an American singer-songwriter. Known professionally as simply Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Ruby Tuesday" and "Lay Down ".-Early career:...
) - "Good Morning StarshineGood Morning Starshine"Good Morning Starshine" is a pop song from the musical Hair. It was a #3 hit in the United States in June of 1969 for the singer Oliver.-History:...
" (Rado/Ragni/MacDermot) - "Straighten Up and Fly RightStraighten Up and Fly Right"Straighten Up and Fly Right" is a 1944 song written by Nat King Cole and Irving Mills and performed by The King Cole Trio. The single became the trio's most popular single reaching number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for ten non consecutive weeks. The single also peaked at number nine on the...
" (Nat King ColeNat King ColeNathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
) - "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" (Gerry GoffinGerry GoffinGerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
/Barry MannBarry MannBarry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
)