Dance, Dance, Dance (The Beach Boys song)

1964 single by The Beach Boys

"Dance, Dance, Dance"

Single by the Beach Boys

from the album The Beach Boys Today!

B-side

"The Warmth of the Sun"

Released

October 26, 1964

Recorded

October 9, 1964

Studio

RCA Victor Studio, Los Angeles

Genre

Rock and roll^[1]^[2]

Length

1:59

Label

Capitol

Songwriter(s)

Brian Wilson
Carl Wilson
Mike Love

Producer(s)

Brian Wilson

The Beach Boys singles chronology

"When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"
(1964)

"Dance, Dance, Dance"
(1964)

"The Man with All the Toys"
(1964)

Audio sample

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"Dance, Dance, Dance" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Mike Love, it was first issued as a single in October 1964, backed with "The Warmth of the Sun". "Dance, Dance, Dance" marked Carl's first recognized writing contribution to a Beach Boys single, his contribution being the song's primary guitar riff and solo.

Composition

"Dance, Dance, Dance" was composed by Brian and Carl Wilson, while the lyrics were written by Brian and Mike Love.^[3] Although many pop songs raise their key at the start of a final chorus, "Dance, Dance, Dance" subverts this convention by modulating in the middle of the verse.^[4]

Billboard described the song as having a "tremendous rock -surfin' beat and groovy lyrics," saying that the Beach Boys "have never sounded better."^[5] Cash Box described it as a "sensational hot-rod-surfin' [rocker],... that zips along with money-makin' glee."^[6]

Variations

The song was originally released in mono, while a remixed stereo version was released on the compilation Hawthorne, CA. An early version of the song, with different lyrics and arrangement, appears as a bonus track on The Beach Boys Today!/Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) two-fer CD.

Personnel

Credits from Craig Slowinski.^[3]

The Beach Boys

Al Jardine – backing and harmony vocals; rhythm guitar
Mike Love – lead, backing and harmony vocals
Brian Wilson – lead, backing and harmony vocals; bass guitar
Carl Wilson – backing and harmony vocals; lead guitar (twelve-string)
Dennis Wilson – backing and harmony vocals; drums

Additional musicians

Hal Blaine – sleigh bells, triangle, tambourine, castanets
Glen Campbell – acoustic rhythm/lead guitar
Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
Carl Fortina – accordion
Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
Ray Pohlman – 6-string bass guitar

Charts

Chart (1964)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart^[7]	7
UK Singles Chart^[8]	24
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[9]	8

Cover versions

Wilson Phillips – featuring Brian Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy – recorded the song for their album California.
Big Time Rush sang a cover of this song on the special "Big Time Beach Party".
The song was recorded and released by Jan & Dean on their 1982 album, One Summer Night/Live.
Joanie Bartels covered this song on her 1991 album, Dancin' Magic.

References

^ "Dance, Dance, Dance - the Beach Boys | Song Info | AllMusic". AllMusic.
^ Larkin, Colin (1999). All-Time Top 1000 Albums. Virgin Books. p. 85. ISBN 0-7535-0354-9. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Slowinski, Craig (2007). "The Beach Boys- The Beach Boys Today!" (PDF). Retrieved April 4, 2019.
^ Interrante, Scott (May 12, 2014). "When I Grow Up: The Beach Boys - "Dance, Dance, Dance"". PopMatters.
^ "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. October 31, 1964. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 31, 1964. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-09-13. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
^ "Beach Boys". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
^ "The Beach Boys awards on Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 13 June 2013.

External links

Dance, Dance, Dance at AllMusic

The Beach Boys Today!

Songs

Side one	"Do You Wanna Dance?" "Good to My Baby" "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" "Help Me, Ronda" "Dance, Dance, Dance"
Side two	"Please Let Me Wonder" "I'm So Young" "Kiss Me, Baby" "She Knows Me Too Well" "In the Back of My Mind" "Bull Session with the 'Big Daddy'"

Outtakes

Surfin' Safari
Surfin' U.S.A.
Surfer Girl
Little Deuce Coupe
Shut Down Volume 2
All Summer Long
The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
The Beach Boys Today!
Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
Beach Boys' Party!
Pet Sounds
Smiley Smile
Wild Honey
Friends
20/20
Sunflower
Surf's Up
Carl and the Passions – "So Tough"
Holland
15 Big Ones
The Beach Boys Love You
M.I.U. Album
L.A. (Light Album)
Keepin' the Summer Alive
The Beach Boys
Still Cruisin'
Summer in Paradise
Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
That's Why God Made the Radio

The Beach Boys singles

1960s

1961	"Surfin'" / "Luau"
1962	"Surfin' Safari" / "409" "Ten Little Indians" / "County Fair"
1963	"Surfin' U.S.A." / "Shut Down" "Surfer Girl" / "Little Deuce Coupe" "Be True to Your School" / "In My Room" "Little Saint Nick" / "The Lord's Prayer"
1964	"Fun, Fun, Fun" / "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" "I Get Around" / "Don't Worry Baby" "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" / "She Knows Me Too Well" "Dance, Dance, Dance" / "The Warmth of the Sun" "The Man with All the Toys" / "Blue Christmas"
1965	"Do You Wanna Dance?" / "Please Let Me Wonder" "Help Me, Rhonda" / "Kiss Me, Baby" "California Girls"/ "Let Him Run Wild" "The Little Girl I Once Knew" / "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" "Barbara Ann" / "Girl Don't Tell Me"
1966	"Sloop John B" / "You're So Good to Me" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "God Only Knows" "Good Vibrations" / "Let's Go Away for Awhile"
1967	"Then I Kissed Her" / "Mountain of Love" "Heroes and Villains" / "You're Welcome" "Wild Honey" / "Wind Chimes" "Darlin'" / "Here Today"
1968	"Friends" / "Little Bird" "Do It Again" / "Wake the World" "Bluebirds over the Mountain" / "Never Learn Not to Love"
1969	"I Can Hear Music" / "All I Want to Do" "Break Away" / "Celebrate the News"

1970s

1970	"Add Some Music to Your Day" / "Susie Cincinnati" "Cottonfields" / "The Nearest Faraway Place" "Slip On Through" / "This Whole World" "Tears in the Morning" / "It's About Time"
1971	"Cool, Cool Water" / "Forever" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (live) / "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (by Merry Clayton) "Long Promised Road" / "Deirdre" "Long Promised Road" / "'Til I Die" "Student Demonstration Time" / "Don't Go Near the Water" "Surf's Up" / "Don't Go Near the Water"
1972	"You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" / "Cuddle Up" "Marcella" / "Hold On Dear Brother"
1973	"Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You" "California Saga/California" / "Funky Pretty"
1974	"Surfin' U.S.A." / "The Warmth of the Sun" "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" / "Susie Cincinnati"
1975	"Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You"
1976	"Rock and Roll Music" / "T M Song" "It's O.K." / "Had to Phone Ya" "Everyone's in Love with You" / "Susie Cincinnati"
1977	"Honkin' Down the Highway" / "Solar System"
1978	"Peggy Sue" / "Hey Little Tomboy"
1979	"Here Comes the Night" / "Baby Blue" "Good Timin'" / "Love Surrounds Me" "Lady Lynda" / "Full Sail" "It's a Beautiful Day" / "Sumahama"

1980s

1980	"Goin' On" / "Endless Harmony" "Livin' with a Heartache" / "Santa Ana Winds"
1981	"The Beach Boys Medley" / "God Only Knows" "Come Go with Me" / "Don't Go Near the Water"
1985	"Getcha Back" / "Male Ego" "It's Gettin' Late" / "It's O.K." "She Believes in Love Again" / "It's Just a Matter of Time"
1986	"Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" / "Good Vibrations" (live) "California Dreamin'" / "Lady Liberty"
1987	"Happy Endings" (with Little Richard) / "California Girls" (live)
1988	"Kokomo" / "Tutti Frutti" (Little Richard)
1989	"Still Cruisin'" / "Kokomo"

1990s

1990	"Somewhere Near Japan" / "Kokomo" "Problem Child" / "Problem Child (Instrumental)"
1992	"Hot Fun in the Summertime" / "Summer of Love"
1996	"I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" / "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "Here Today"

2010s

2011	"Good Vibrations" / "Heroes and Villains" "Don't Fight the Sea" / "Friends"
2012	"That's Why God Made the Radio" / "That's Why God Made the Radio" (instrumental) "Isn't It Time" / Live in Chicago