"Dancing in the Street" is a song written by Marvin Gaye, William Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter for Martha and the Vandellas in 1964, whose version reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks, behind "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" by Manfred Mann. It also peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart following a rerelease in 1969. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.
A 1966 cover by the Mamas & the Papas was a minor hit on the Hot 100, reaching No. 73. In 1982, the rock group Van Halen took their cover of "Dancing in the Street" to No. 38 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 15 in Canada on the RPM chart. A 1985 duet cover by David Bowie and Mick Jagger charted at No. 1 in the UK and reached No. 7 in the US. The song has been covered by many other artists, including the Kinks, the Mamas & the Papas, Tages, Grateful Dead and Van Halen.
Background Reeves recounted that she initially regarded the song as too repetitive. Gaye and Stevenson agreed and including new Motown songwriter Ivy Jo Hunter added in musical composition. Martha Reeves remembered Marvin Gaye recorded the song first and sang it as though singing to a lover. Reeves, envisioning block parties and Mardi Gras, asked the producers to let her sing it her way. The song was recorded in two takes. The song's writers made sure to include Detroit as one of the cities mentioned with the lyric: "Can't forget the Motor City".
Civil rights anthem
"Motown records had a distinct role to play in the city's black community, and that community—as diverse as it was—articulated and promoted its own social, cultural, and political agendas. These local agendas, which reflected the unique concerns of African Americans living in the urban north, both responded to and reconfigured the national civil rights campaign" (Smith 227). The movement lent the song its secondary meaning and the song with its second meaning fanned the flames of unrest. This song (and others like it) and its associated political meanings did not exist in a vacuum. It was a partner with its social environment and they both played upon each other, creating meaning that could not have been brought on by one or the other alone. The song therefore became a call to reject peace for the chance that unified unrest could bring about the freedom that suppressed minorities all across the United States so craved.
Reception "Dancing in the Street" peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart when it was originally released as the group's third album Dance Party's first single in 1964 (see 1964 in music), with "There He Is (At My Door)" included as a B-side. "Dancing in the Street" also reached the Top 5 on the UK Singles Chart peaking at No. 4 in a 1969 release after initially peaking at No. 28 on the chart and helped to revive the Vandellas' success in the UK. Cash Box described it as "an infectious romp that drops names of various locales as it declares that dancing is sweeping the country", stating that it is "one of those sure-fire sock-rock productions."
Martha and the Vandellas' version of "Dancing in the Street" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2006, this version was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Lead singer Martha Reeves said she was thrilled about the song's perseverance, saying "It's a song that just makes you want to get up and dance".
Billboard named the song No. 29 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
"Street Fighting Man", a 1968 song from the Rolling Stones, slightly modifies a signature line from "Dancing in the Street" to be: "Summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the street."
In 2026, the song was included in Esquires list of the "25 Most American Songs of All Time", with journalist Alan Light writing that the song "reminds us that in this country, strong Black voices are inherently and powerfully political."
Personnel Martha Reeves – lead vocals Betty Kelly, Rosalind Ashford, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter – backing vocals The Funk Brothers – instrumentationLiner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4: 1964, Hip-O Select – B0005946-02, USA, 24 Feb 2006 Robert White – guitar Eddie Willis – guitar Joe Messina – guitar James Jamerson – bass guitar Marvin Gaye – drums Jack Ashford – percussion, tambourine, vibes Ivy Jo Hunter – percussion (tire iron) Henry Cosby – tenor saxophone Thomas "Beans" Bowles – baritone saxophone Russ Conway – trumpet Herbert Williams – trumpet Paul Riser – trombone George Bohanon – trombone
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1964)Peakposition Australia (Kent Music Report) 71scope="row" New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade) 3US Cash Box R&B Singles 8US Cash Box Top 1004Chart (1969)Peakposition
Year-end charts Chart (1964)RankUS Billboard Hot 10017US Cash Box Top 10064Chart (1969)Rank UK Singles (OCC)62
Certifications
The Kinks version
British rock band the Kinks recorded "Dancing in the Street" for their second studio album Kinda Kinks in 1965. It was one of only two cover songs on the album, and was recorded on February 15–17, 1965 at Pye Studios Number 2 in London, United Kingdom. The song was rush-recorded, along with most of Kinda Kinks in order to get a quicker release date. The album was released on March 5, 1965 and reached number 3 in the UK, and number 60 in the US.
Nonetheless, "Dancing in the Street" was panned by critics for being too boring. In his book Ready For a Brand New Beat: How 'Dancing In The Street' Became the Anthem for a Changing America, Mark Kurlansky states that the song contained no particular interpretation or a distinct rhythmic groove. Thomas M. Kitts states it as weak in his biography about Ray Davies, and Johnny Rogan calls it colorless in his book, Ray Davies: A Complicated Life. Ultimate Classic Rock considered the track a "barely awake cover of the Motown standard".
Personnel The Kinks
Ray Davies – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Dave Davies – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Quaife – bass guitar, backing vocals Mick Avory – drums
Other personnel
Rasa Davies – backing vocals
The Mamas & the Papas version
Background In 1966, the folk rock group the Mamas & the Papas recorded a cover version of "Dancing in the Street", which was taken from their self-titled second studio album. Cass Elliot sang the lead vocal, while the other members did their harmonies in the background. This version featured an instrumental section. The song's ending is humorous, which featured Elliot and Papa Denny Doherty having a dialogue listing the cities in both the United States, as well as Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where Doherty was from, before the song's fade. At the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, the Mamas and the Papas ended their set with "Dancing in the Street", before Elliot told the audience at the festival: "You're on your own, babies, 'cause we're sure on ours." This was the last time that the group performed live in concert.
"Dancing in the Street" was produced by Lou Adler and issued as the B-side of the single "Words of Love" on the Dunhill Records label. It reached No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Cash Box said it was "a powerful reading of the Motown sound with Cass Elliot singing a powerful lead."
"Words of Love" reached number 3 in Canada.
In 1969, Elliot performed the song on her television special, The Mama Cass Television Program.
Personnel The Mamas and the Papas
Cass Elliot – lead vocals Denny Doherty – harmony and backing vocals Michelle Phillips – harmony and backing vocals John Phillips – guitar, harmony and backing vocals
Other personnel
Hal Blaine – drums, tambourine Joe Osborn – bass guitar Larry Knechtel – electric piano "Doctor" Eric Hord – guitar Lou Adler – producer
Charts Chart (1966–1967)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)6U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – 73U.S. Cash Box Top 10086
Tages version
Background Swedish rock group Tages incorporated "Dancing in the Street" into their setlist during either December 1965 or January 1966. This rendition was performed with original drummer Freddie Skantze, who did not sing lead vocals on the performances. Tages rendition of the song removes the brass parts for optimization during live performances, instead incorporating them into licks by lead guitarist Anders Töpel or organ parts played by rhythm guitarist Danne Larsson, who started learning the instrument in mid-1965. Following the success of their rendition of Marvin Gaye's "I'll Be Doggone", which reached number 10 on Kvällstoppen and number 7 on Tio i Topp in late May-early June 1966, Tages decided to record "Dancing in the Street" for their upcoming album Tages 2.
However, prior to recording the song, Skantze had left the band. He was swiftly replaced by Tommy Tausis, whose drumming talents and vocal skills fit the band perfectly. With Tausis now in the band, bassist Göran Lagerberg had started harmonizing with him on various songs, further minimizing Tommy Blom's role as lead singer in the band. The band had now also finalized the arrangement of "Dancing in the Street", with Lagerberg and Tausis sharing lead vocals on the track, with Larsson playing both the electric organ and piano to compensate for the lack of brass instruments. During sporadic sessions at Europafilm Studios, Bromma between May and June 1966, The group recorded "Dancing in the Street".
Release "Dancing in the Street" was first released by Platina Records on August 4, 1966 when it was included as the opening track on Tages 2, the group's second studio album. It was one of three rhythm and blues covers on the album, along with "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Leaving Here". The album sold over 10000 copies in Sweden alone, becoming their second and final album to be certified gold. The liner notes of the album states that "Dancing in the Street" is "the compact rhythmic opening with a new singing pair consisting of Göran Lagerberg and Tommy Tausis." The group would go on to record another album for Platina, Extra Extra before their contract expired, enabling them to sign with Parlophone Records instead. It was also at around this time that Tausis left the band to join the Spotnicks. He was replaced by Lasse Svensson.
After signing with Parlophone, Platina decided to issue several songs from Extra Extra as singles in order to capitalize on their success, starting with "Secret Room" in 1967. Following several singles from Extra Extra, Platina managed to extract "Dancing in the Street" for single release, almost one and a half years after it was recorded. It was the third single from Tages 2, following "In My Dreams" and "Crazy 'Bout My Baby", but was the only single from that album released in 1967. The B-side was "Those Rumours", a song which was written by the band and also appeared on Tages 2. Due to the lack of advertising regarding the single, and the release of the contemporary single "Treat Her Like A Lady", which reached number 7 on Kvällstoppen and 3 on Tio i Topp, "Dancing in the Street" failed to chart on Kvällstoppen, but entered Tio i Topp on December 9, 1967 for a week before being voted off.
The Swedish single sleeve is a photograph, which is an alternate take of the one which previously appeared on "Miss Mac Baren" in November 1966. Curiously, the Norwegian single sleeve shows Freddie Skantze, who did not participate in the recording. Tages performed the song on an episode of Swedish pop show Popsan on October 7, 1966.
Personnel Tages Göran Lagerberg – co-lead vocals, bass guitar Tommy Tausis – co-lead vocals, drums Tommy Blom – percussion, backing vocals Anders Töpel – lead guitar, backing vocals Danne Larsson – organ, piano, backing vocals Other personnel Anders "Henkan" Henriksson – studio engineer Björn Almstedt – studio engineer
Charts Chart (1967)PeakpositionSweden (Tio i Topp)15
Grateful Dead version