j i m v a l l a n c e . c o m > m u s i c > s o n g s | |||||||||||||
Let Me Take You Dancing | |||||||||||||
Recording Artist: | Bryan Adams | ||||||||||||
Writers: | Jim Vallance Bryan Adams |
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Date Written: | February 1978 / Vancouver Canada | ||||||||||||
Albums: | Single only / originally released November 6, 1978 | ||||||||||||
Awards: | 1979 - Procan Award (Performing Rights Organization of Canada) | ||||||||||||
Sales: | approx. 200,000 | ||||||||||||
Charts: | #62 - RPM Chart (Canada) / September 8, 1979 | ||||||||||||
Audio-1: | - Orignal version (Canadian single) | ||||||||||||
Audio-2: | - John Luongo remix | ||||||||||||
Audio-3: | - John Luongo 12" remix | ||||||||||||
Bryan Adams: vocal, harmony Jim Vallance: drums, keyboards, percussion, vibraphone Wayne Kozak: tenor and baritone sax Don Clark: trumpet Backing vocals: Joani Taylor, Nancy Nash?, Rosalyn Keene? Ray Ayotte: congas |
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Recorded 1978 at Pinewood Studios by Geoff Turner. Produced by Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams. Additional recording 1979 at Little Mountain Sound (by Roger Monk?). Assisted by Pat Glover and Ron Vermeulen. Produced by John Luongo. |
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Comments: |
"Let
Me Take You Dancing" was the first solo recording by Bryan
Adams, age 18 (he'd previously been a member of the Canadian group "Sweeney Todd", and had
participated in writing and recording their album, "If Wishes Were
Horses").
"Let Me Take You Dancing" was written during the first week or two Bryan and I spent together in January/February 1978, and started off as a Robbie King-inspired rag-time piano riff Id written on my parents' piano during Christmas holidays, 1977. Bryan helped turn the riff into a song. In 1978 Bryan hadn't yet "found" his voice. He was still singing in a high, fragile vocal range, a hold-over from his time with "Sweeney Todd", where he'd been expected to emulate former singer Nick Gilder. It didn't help matters when "Let Me Take You Dancing" was sped up during the re-mix, making Bryan sound like a chipmunk on helium! Nearly 20 years later, in 1997, Howard Stern played "Let Me Take You Dancing" on his radio show, offering $500 to anyone who could name the recording artist. No-one claimed the prize. |
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The original version of "Let Me Take You Dancing" was recorded by Geoff Turner at Pinewood Studios in Vancouver. I played keyboards, bass and drums, and Bryan sang lead vocal. Joani Taylor and Rosalyn Keene (and possibly Nancy Nash?) provided backing vocals. Wayne Kozak played tenor and baritone sax and Don Clark played trumpet. Don also happened to be Bryan's landlord (Bryan and his mom and his brother Bruce rented a house from Don on Creelman Street, in Vancouver ... now demolished). As I recall, "Let Me Take You Dancing" (in its original form) had already enjoyed some minor radio success as a single in Canada before John Luongo, a respected New York re-mixer, was brought in to add colour to the track and turn it into a "real" disco record for release in the USA. Luongo flew up to Vancouver where we'd booked an evening at Little Mountain Sound. I don't remember who engineered the session - perhaps Roger Monk or Dave Slagter - however the assistants on the session were Pat Glover and Ron "Obvious" Vermeulen (twenty years later Ron would become the technical manager at Bryan's Warehouse Studios, as well as maintaining Mutt Lange's studio in Switzerland). |
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The original version was recorded on a 16-track machine. Luongo needed twenty-four tracks to do the additional recording he had in mind. |
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Disco Box: This is possibly the only CD release of "Let Me Take You Dancing" ... from a series of 12 box sets, all under the name 'Disco Box'. "Let Me Take You Dancing" appears on "Disco Box, Vol. 2 - Disco Heat". I don't know if this is a bootleg or an official CD pressing. In addition to the "Disco Box" information above, researcher Pierre Oitmann also submitted the following data regarding various authorized mixes and releases: 1978 releases - Canadian 7" (promo) with the original version on both sides / catalog number is DJ-AM468 - Canadian 7" (retail), cat. no. AM-474, b/w "Don't Turn Me Away". 1979 releases - US 12" (retail), cat. no. SP-12014, b/w Instr. (same applies to Canadian 12") - Dutch 12" (retail), cat. no. AMS12.7610, b/w Instr. Front cover says "Disco Version". - UK 7" (promo), cat. no. AMS7460, b/w "Don't Turn Me Away" (same applies to UK retail 12"). - US 7" (promo), cat. no. 2163 (?), b/w (?). - European 7" (retail), cat. no. (?), b/w "Don't Turn Me Away". Same picture sleeve as Dutch 12". The Luongo remix of "Let Me Take You Dancing" was originally described as 'Dance Mix' on the label, probably for both the 7" and 12" mix. Also, there was a 12" single of "Let Me Take You Dancing" released in Brazil with the song "One On One" by LTD on the B-side. |
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Lyrics: | Makes you wanna turn your head around Fills you with desire Sets both your feet on fire How could you stand to be alone How could you stay at home so ... Let me take you dancing Let me steal your heart tonight Let me take you dancing All night long Strolling through an easy feel To the motions that make it rock 'n reel You can learn to fake it Keep on trying and you're bound to make it It's gonna turn up upside down It's gonna spin you 'round so ... Let me take you dancing Let me steal your heart tonight Let me take you dancing Let me make you feel alright |
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