"I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying" is a 1963 hit by

the Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

on Motown's Tamla label. It was written and produced by Motown's main songwriting team,

Brian Holland Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous h ...

Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Doz ...

, and

Eddie Holland Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", he ...

Background

"I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying" was the follow-up to the group's Top 10 pop hit, "

Mickey's Monkey Mickey's is a brand of malt liquor made by the Miller Brewing Company. It has a 5.6% ABV. The brand was created by Sterling Brewery in Evansville, Indiana, which brewed it from 1962 through 1972. It is known for its bright green barrel-shaped, ...

", also written by Holland, Dozier and Holland. The smash success of that song, according to Motown policy, automatically gave Holland-Dozier-Holland the green light to write and produce the Miracles' next release, which resulted in this song. Like "Mickey's Monkey", "I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying" features a "live party" feel. The song's title is a play on the old expression, "I Gotta ''Laugh'' to Keep from Crying", highlighting the all-too-human tendency to escape from heartbreak or personal pain by dancing, laughing and having a good time. Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, as the song's narrator, portrays a young man trying to get over the heartbreak of a recent breakup with his girl: '' Cash Box'' described it as "an infectious rocker that the pro belters deliver in their inimitable, ultra-commercial manner." Holland-Dozier-Holland later wrote another Top 20 hit for the Miracles in 1966, "

(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" is a 1966 hit single by Motown group The Miracles, released on Motown Records' Tamla label. Unlike most Miracles songs, which were written and produced by the group themselves, "I'm the One You Need" wa ...

", which was the last song to bill the group as "the Miracles" before their name was officially changed to "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles". "I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying" has inspired cover versions by

the Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

and Jimmy James, and was included on the group's albums ''

The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey ''The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey'' is an album by The Miracles, released in 1963 by Tamla Records. It includes the group's Top 10 smash single "Mickey's Monkey", written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, which was later recorded by seve ...

'', '' I Like It Like That'' (withdrawn from the U.S.), ''

Greatest Hits from the Beginning ''Greatest Hits from the Beginning'' is a compilation double LP by The Miracles released in 1965. This was the first double album ever released by the Motown Record Corporation (Tamla TS2-254). It covers most of the group's hits from their pre-1 ...

'', and several other Miracles "greatest hits" albums and CD anthologies. However, the original stereo version of this song (as found on ''Greatest Hits from the Beginning'' and other compilations) does not fade out the background music towards the end of the song, as it does in the single version. This is corrected in the stereo mix found in 2002's ''Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology.''

Personnel

The Miracles * Smokey Robinson – lead vocals *

Bobby Rogers Robert Edward Rogers (February 19, 1940 – March 3, 2013) was an American musician and tenor singer, best known as a member of Motown vocal group the Miracles from 1956 until his death. He was inducted, in 2012, as a member of the Miracles to t ...

– background vocals *

Marv Tarplin Marvin Tarplin (June 13, 1941 – September 30, 2011) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their bigges ...

– guitar *

Claudette Robinson Claudette Annette Rogers Robinson ( Rogers; born June 20, 1938) is an American singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Miracles from 1957 to 1972. Her brother Emerson "Sonny" Rogers was a founding member of the group, which befor ...

– background vocals * Pete Moore – background vocals *

Ronnie White Ronald Anthony White (April 5, 1939 – August 26, 1995), usually referred to as Ronnie White, was an American singer, best known as the co-founder of The Miracles and its only consistent original member. White was also known for bringing Stevi ...

– background vocals Other credits *

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

– instrumentation *

Holland–Dozier–Holland Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team consisting of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s. Du ...

producer

Chart performance

It was a '' Billboard'' Top 40 Pop hit, reaching number 35 on that chart, and a Top 20 hit on Casbox's R&B chart, peaking at number 17.

Accolades

The song was ranked at number 356 out of the ''1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made'' by the American rock critic Dave Marsh, who wrote: "no band ever cut a deeper groove than the Motown group does here". The British rock journalist Jon Wilde ranked it Number 6 among his top ten favourite songs in 2007, calling it "pure Motown gold and the greatest party-on record there ever was".

References

{{authority control 1963 singles The Miracles songs Tamla Records singles Songs written by Holland–Dozier–Holland Song recordings produced by Lamont Dozier Song recordings produced by Brian Holland 1963 songs