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"Let's Dance" is a 1962 hit single by Chris Montez, written and produced by Jim Lee.[2]
Original version
The song was written by Jim Lee, who produced and released the song on his own Monogram Records.
The personnel on the original 1962 recording included Joel Hill on guitar, Ray Johnson on Philicorda organ, Ray Pohlman on bass guitar and Jesse Sailes on drums.[citation needed] When initially released, the song shot to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S., and to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.
In 1972 the song was coupled as an "oldie" with the Shirelles "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and re-released in Europe. Based on radio play, the record company, London Records, quickly removed the Shirelles cut and replaced it with the original flip side "You're the One". Consequently, the recording reached the top five for a second time, in both Britain and Germany. It was also the title track of a 1972 album by Montez.
Throughout 1968, Ola and the Janglers chart success had started waning.[15][16] Between January and March of that year, they had released three singles;[17][18][19] all of them failed to chart on both Kvällstoppen and Tio i Topp.[15][16] The band's lead singer, Ola Håkansson, found the song while listening to Kvällstoppen on Sveriges Radio P3 in 1962, when Chris Montez original single reached number one in Sweden.[20] Though they never incorporated it into their setlist at the time, upon their chart success waining they thought it was a good song to record as a single.[20] It was recorded with Sonet Records owner Gunnar Bergström producing.[21] The B-side, "Hear Me", was written by the band's guitarist Claes af Geijerstam, which features distinct influences from baroque pop and a similar chord progression to the Kinks "Sunny Afternoon".[22] The single got released in Sweden in September 1968 through the Sonet sub-label Gazell Records.[23]
It became the Janglers last hit when it entered Tio i Topp at a position of six on October 19, 1968.[16] It peaked on top of the chart on November 9, staying there for four weeks until "Little Arrows" by Leapy Lee replaced it on December 7.[16] It was last seen at a position of number 12 on January 25, 1969.[16] The song debuted on Kvällstoppen on November 5, 1968 at a position of 11, before peaking at number one on December 3, staying on the top for a week.[15] It exited on January 28, 1969 after spending 13 weeks on the charts.[15] The single was released in April 1969 in both the United States and the United Kingdom, through GNP Crescendo and Sonet Records respectively.[24] To the surprise of Håkansson, it started selling well in California which led to it charting nationally.[24] It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on May 31, 1969 before peaking at number 92 on June 7, dropping out that same week.[25][26]
The success of the single was so sudden that the album which it appears on was originally going to be titled Fingertip before Gazell decided to name it after the song.[27][28] Similarly, the Swedish sleeve for the single was issued in over ten different colors and variations because of the countless re-presses which has led to some copies becoming collector items.[20] Despite the unexpected chart success of the single, Ola and the Janglers called it quits in December 1968.[24] According to Håkansson, "It was a feather in my cap, but then I got tired. We had toured both in Sweden and abroad. You felt like you were just sitting in a touring car and living in a hotel room."[24] Although Siw Malmkvist's song "Sole Sole Sole" with Umberto Marcato had reached the Billboard chart in 1964, it was billed a solo single and as such "Let's Dance" marked the first time a Swedish group charted in the US,[20] something Håkansson states "other groups could only dream of at the time."[24]
"Let's Dance" was covered by English rock band Slade in 1985 for their studio/compilation album Crackers. In 1988, the band released their version as a single through their label Cheapskate. It failed to reach the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart. The version was produced by bassist Jim Lea.
Background
Slade were largely inactive in 1988 after the band members agreed to take an 18-month break and pursue their own interests.[35] Towards the end of the year, the band made a "last minute" decision to release a single in the UK through their independent label, Cheapskate. They chose to release their cover of "Let's Dance", taken from their 1985 studio/compilation album Crackers.[34] Given the name "1988 Remix", the single failed to gain sufficient radio airplay and failed to reach the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart, stalling at number 152.[36]
In a 1989 interview with Guitarist, guitarist Dave Hill recalled of the track, "We just did a rock version of it for a laugh and thought we'd stick it out."[37] Speaking of the band's decision to release it as a single, Holder revealed in a 1989 fan club interview, "We thought it was a good track. We decided that [it] stood a good chance of getting some airplay so we decided to put the record out but it wasn't the case. Only the commercial stations like Piccadilly and some of the others played it regularly but without Radio One, you're sunk."[38]
Release
"Let's Dance" was released in the UK on 7-inch vinyl and 3-inch CD by Cheapskate on 28 November 1988. The B-side, "Standing on the Corner", is a track from the band's 1974 album Slade in Flame. The CD format featured an additional two tracks from Slade in Flame, "Far Far Away" and "How Does It Feel".[34]
Critical reception
Upon its release, the single was reviewed on the BBC Radio 1 programme Singled Out, where those who reviewed the single were producers Stock, Aitken, and Waterman. All three reminisced about the band with DJ Mike Read and stated what a great band they were. Mike Stock also remarked that Noddy Holder was the greatest rock 'n' roll singer since John Lennon.[39]
^Hallberg, Eric (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 – 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. p. 243. ISBN9163021404.
^Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74. Premium Publishing. p. 313. ISBN919727125X.
^ abcPaul Lythe, ed. (October–December 1988). "News Round-Up: At Last - A New Single!". Perseverance: Quarterly Newsletter for the Slade International Fan Club. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
^ abPaul Lythe, ed. (January–March 1989). "News Round-Up: Snippets". Perseverance: Quarterly Newsletter for the Slade International Fan Club. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
^Hicks, Tony (January 1989). "Slade's Slayer". Guitarist. Vol. 5, no. 7. p. 56. ISSN0953-7023.
^Skellington, Malcolm (April–June 1989). "Noddy Interview - 22.5.89". Perseverance: Quarterly Newsletter for the Slade International Fan Club. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
^Paul Lythe, ed. (October–December 1988). "Slade International Fan Club". Perseverance: Quarterly Newsletter for the Slade International Fan Club. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
