Artist
Martha and the Vandellas
Lyrics
Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancing in the street
They're dancing in Chicago(chicago echo)
Down in New Orleans(down in New Orleans echo)
Up in New York City
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin' and swayin' and records playing and
Dancing in the street
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
I want ev'ry guy to grab a girl
Ev'rywhere around the world
They'll be dancing, dancing in the street
It's an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet
There'll be laughing,and singing, and music swinging
and Dancing in the street
Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore and D.C. now
Can't forget the Motor City
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin' and and swayin', and records playing
and dancing in the street
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
I want to ev'ry guy grab a girl
Ev'rywhere around the world
Ther'll be dancing,
dancing in the street
Way down in L.A.
Every day
Dancing in the street
Are you ready for a brand new beat
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancing in the street
They're dancing in Chicago(chicago echo)
Down in New Orleans(down in New Orleans echo)
Up in New York City
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin' and swayin' and records playing and
Dancing in the street
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
I want ev'ry guy to grab a girl
Ev'rywhere around the world
They'll be dancing, dancing in the street
It's an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet
There'll be laughing,and singing, and music swinging
and Dancing in the street
Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore and D.C. now
Can't forget the Motor City
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin' and and swayin', and records playing
and dancing in the street
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
I want to ev'ry guy grab a girl
Ev'rywhere around the world
Ther'll be dancing,
dancing in the street
Way down in L.A.
Every day
Dancing in the street
RS500_rank
40
Length
2:37
BPM
127.5
Released Year
1964
Genre Era
Genre
Key
E m
Produced By
Stevenson
Released Info
Sept. '64 on Gordy
Chart Weeks
14 weeks
Chart Top
No. 2
Musicbrainz ID
82acf59e-9db2-9751-fbc7-261240174ba6
Song Note Source
Rolling Stone 500
Song of Day Date
Written By
Marvin Gaye, Ivy Hunter, William ""Mickey""<br/>Stevenson
Album
The Ultimate Collection (Motown)
Song Status
Stevenson, who gave Martha Reeves her first job, as his secretary, approached the group with this song after it was turned down by Motown labelmate (and future Mrs. Stevenson) Kim Weston. The trio agreed to record it as a demo with its songwriters singing background. "When Martha got into the song," Stevenson said, "that was the end of the conversation!" Against a backbeat that cracks like a gunshot, Reeves reinvents the world as a giant block party.