"Everybody Dance" is a song by American band Chic. The

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

song, which features

Norma Jean Wright Norma Jean Wright (born July 15, 1956) is an American singer and was the lead vocalist of the American group Chic, a soul, R&B and disco band, from 1977 to 1978.Hogan, EdNorma Jean Wright Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 2011-08-08 Early life Norm ...

on lead vocals and

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

Diva Gray Diva Gray is an American singer. She is best known as a background vocalist behind the band Chic, as well as in disco groups, including Change, and Lemon with Lani Groves, Gordon Grody, Luther Vandross, David Lasley and Kenny Lehman, and in Bette ...

Robin Clark Robin Clark is an American vocalist known for her work as a vocalist on David Bowie's 1975 album ''Young Americans'' and Simple Minds' 1985 album ''Once Upon a Time''. Clark was born in New York. In 1966, when Clark was 16, she and future s ...

and David Lasley on background vocals, was released as the second

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

from the band's self-titled debut album ''Chic'' (1977). According to guitarist

Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...

, it was the first song specifically written for Chic, and, due to its historical status and popularity, is usually played as the opening song of the band's live set. It was later heavily sampled by British group

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on their song " Stomp" and echoed by the Manic Street Preachers on their single "

(It's Not War) Just the End of Love "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" is a song by Manic Street Preachers and was released as the lead single from their tenth album ''Postcards From a Young Man''. The song was made Record of the Week on BBC Radio 2 and added to the BBC Radio ...

". The song has featured in films such as '' The Last Days of Disco'' (1998) and '' Summer of Sam'' (1999) during the orgy scene, and is also featured in the '' Grand Theft Auto IV'' expansion pack '' The Ballad of Gay Tony'' on the radio station

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. According to Rodgers speaking for the BBC4 documentary "How to Make It in the Music Business", the session the song was recorded during cost the band $10, which went on bribing the elevator engineer not to tell the manager they were recording in there.

Release

Unlike most Chic singles, its 12" version was not included on a regular album, nor was it widely available upon original release, with the 12" format being issued only as a

promo Promo or promos may refer to: Promotions and advertising *Promo (media), a form of commercial advertising used to promote television or radio programs *Promo (professional wrestling), a televised interview in which a wrestler's on-screen personali ...

. The extended 12" version has, however, subsequently been issued on numerous compilations. Also unlike most Chic singles, the b-side "You Can Get By" was edited down from the original album track; almost all future Chic b-sides would be presented in their full-length versions.

Reception

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' praised the "fine, flashy

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

work, double-timing on the high-hat and handclapping."

Chart performance

"Everybody Dance" became another hit for the band in the United States, peaking at number 38 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in 1978. In the UK Singles chart, it reached number 9 in May 1978, spending 9 weeks in the Top 40 there.

Track listing and formats

;Atlantic 7" 3469, 1978 *A. "Everybody Dance" (7" Edit) - 3:30 *B. "You Can Get By" (7" Edit) - 3:59 ;Atlantic promo 12" DSKO 109, 1978 *A. "Everybody Dance" (12" Mix) - 8:25 *B. "You Can Get By" - 5:36 ;Atlantic 12" DK 4621, 1978 / Atlantic Oldies promo 12" DSKO 179, 1979 *A. "Everybody Dance" (12" Mix) - 8:25 *B. "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" - 8:21

Charts

Certifications

Cover versions

;1990s *In 1993,

RuPaul RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960; stylized as RuPaul) is an American drag queen, television personality, actor, musician, and model. Best known for producing, hosting, and judging the reality competition series ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' ...

recorded a version of the song for his debut album ''

Supermodel of the World ''Supermodel of the World'' is the debut studio album by American singer and drag queen RuPaul, released on June 8, 1993 by Tommy Boy Records. It is his second album overall, his first release being a soundtrack album. With the release of the '' ...

''. *In 1993, British dance group ''Evolution'' scored a UK Top 20 hit with a house cover of the track, released on Deconstruction Records. The extended version was appropriately titled 'Chic Inspirational Mix'. ;2000s *In 2007, Canadian singer Deborah Cox reinterpreted the track as "Everybody Dance (Clap Your Hands)", incorporating a sample of the original Chic vocals in the mix. The track briefly hit the US

Hot Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...

Chart, peaking at No.17. ;2010s *In 2011, English singer Kimberley Walsh covered the song for Horrid Henry: The Movie.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Everybody Dance (Song) 1978 singles Chic (band) songs Songs written by Bernard Edwards Songs written by Nile Rodgers Song recordings produced by Nile Rodgers Song recordings produced by Bernard Edwards 1977 songs Atlantic Records singles Songs about dancing