Shadow Dancing (song)
| "Shadow Dancing" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Andy Gibb | ||||
| from the album Shadow Dancing | ||||
| B-side |
"Let It Be Me" (US/CA) "Too Many Looks in Your Eyes" (EUR) "Fool for a Night" (Italy) | |||
| Released | April 1978 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | December 1977-February 1978 | |||
| Genre | Disco | |||
| Length | 4:34 | |||
| Label | RSO Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb; Andy Gibb | |||
| Producer(s) | Gibb-Galuten-Richardson | |||
| Certification | Platinum (U.S.) | |||
| Andy Gibb singles chronology | ||||
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"Shadow Dancing" is a disco song performed by English singer-songwriter Andy Gibb that reached number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. Albhy Galuten (who also produced this song) arranged the song with Barry Gibb. While Andy Gibb would have three more Top 10 hits in the U.S., this would be his final chart-topping hit in America. The song became a platinum record.
Song development
The song was written by Andy and his brothers (Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb) in Los Angeles, while the trio of brothers were working on the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.[1] "And one night," Andy would recall, "while we were relaxing, we sat down and we had to start getting tracks together for the album" (also titled Shadow Dancing, which would eventually hit #7 on the U.S. album charts). "So we literally sat down and in ten minutes, we had a group going, (singing) the chorus part. As it says underneath the song, we all wrote it, the four of us."[2]
Release
According to Billboard's Book Of Number One Hits, Gibb became the first solo artist in the history of the U.S. pop charts to have his first three singles hit the number-one spot. It remained in the top spot for seven straight weeks from 17 June to 29 July 1978. On 5 August it was replaced by The Rolling Stones with their hit "Miss You." Additionally, "Shadow Dancing" was listed by Billboard as being the number one single of 1978. In addition the song peaked at number eleven on the soul chart[3] and sold 2.5 million copies in the United States alone.[4] Its two B-sides "Let It Be Me" appeared on US version and "Too Many Looks In Your Eyes" was from his previous album Flowing Rivers.
In July that year, Gibb performed "Shadow Dancing" at the Jai-Alai Fronton Studios in Miami, when Barry, Robin and Maurice unexpectedly joined him on stage, and sang this song with him. It was the first time that all four brothers performed together in concert.[5]
Personnel
- Andy Gibb — lead and background vocals
- Barry Gibb — Background and harmony vocals orchestral arrangement
- John Sambataro — background and harmony vocals
- Joey Murcia — electric guitar
- Tim Renwick — electric guitar
- Ron Zigler — drums
- George Bitzer - Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner clavinet
- Harold Cowart — bass
- Joe Lala — percussion
- Albhy Galuten — orchestral arrangement
- Peter Graves — horns
- Whit Sidener — horns
- Ken Faulk — horns
- Bill Purse — horns
- Neil Bonsanti — horns
- Stan Webb — horns
Charts
Peak positions
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Year-end charts
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Cover versions
- The song was later sampled in the title track of Skrillex's 2010 debut EP, My Name Is Skrillex.
References
- ↑ Gibb Songs 1978
- ↑ Bronson, Fred (October 2, 2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (Fifth ed.). Billboard Books. p. 485. ISBN 978-0823076772.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 229.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (August 26, 1978). "Billboard Vol. 90, No. 34". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.). Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ↑ Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing at Songfacts.com
- ↑ David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- 1 2 "Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing". ultratop.be. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts - Part 3" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "CAN Charts > Andy Gibb". RPM. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- ↑ "Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing". officialcharts.de. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "UK Charts > Andy Gibb". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- 1 2 3 "US Charts > Andy Gibb". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- ↑ "Cashbox Top 100". Cashbox Magazine Archives. June 3, 1978. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
External links
| Preceded by "You're the One That I Want" by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single 17 June — 29 July 1978 |
Succeeded by "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones |
| Preceded by "With a Little Luck" by Paul McCartney and Wings |
Canadian RPM number-one single 17 June — 1 July 1978 |
Succeeded by "It's a Heartache" by Bonnie Tyler |
| Preceded by "With a Little Luck" by Paul McCartney and Wings |
Cash Box Top 100 number-one single 3 June — 8 July 1978 |
Succeeded by "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty |
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