Today’s classic dance song of the day is “Do You Want to Dance,” which was a hit for three (actually four, if you count the UK) artists in three different decades.
“Do You Want to Dance” was written by Bobby Freeman, a black teenager from San Francisco. Mr. Freeman was just 17 years old when he released his version of the song, complete with that memorable bongo break, in 1958. It hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B chart.
Four years later, in 1962, British artist Cliff Richard and his group the Shadows released their cover of the song in the UK. Actually, it was the B-side of “I’m Lookin’ Out the Window,” but Brit DJs flipped it over and made “Do You Want to Dance” a #2 hit on the UK Singles Chart. That version was also a top ten hit in Australia, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. It was not released in the U.S.
Three years after that, in 1965, the Beach Boys covered “Do You Want to Dance” with Dennis Wilson singing lead. It was Dennis’ first time on lead vocals and brother Brian Wilson’s first use of session musicians on a recording. (Those musicians included Steve Douglas, Plas Johnson, and Jay Migliori on saxophones; Larry Knectel on bass; and the ubiquitous Hal Blaine on drums.) It was also the first Beach Boys single released since Brian’s nervous breakdown a year earlier. The Beach Boys’ single hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Fast forward another seven years to 1972 and we get to Bette Midler’s version, included on her debut album, The Divine Miss M. Ms. Midler slowed down the tempo into something sultrier, giving the song both a sexy and somewhat vulnerable interpretation. This version hit #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #8 on the Adult Contemporary chart) and became a fixture of Ms. Midler’s live shows.
I’ll be honest, it’s Bette Midler’s version I like the best. It really brings out a hidden depth in the song and shows off Ms. Midler’s more tender and sensitive side. I particularly like it when Bette performs it live, as in the video below from her Emmy-winning 1977 Ol’ Red Hair is Back TV special. Compared to the show’s earlier brassy bombast, her version of “Do You Want to Dance” sounds like a breath of fresh air.
