Dancing on the Ceiling (Lionel Richie song)
| "Dancing on the Ceiling" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Lionel Richie | ||||
| from the album Dancing on the Ceiling | ||||
| B-side | Love Will Find a Way | |||
| Released | June 19, 1986 | |||
| Format | CD single, 7" single, 12" single | |||
| Recorded | Summer 1985 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock, Adult contemporary, New Wave | |||
| Length | 4:21 | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Writer(s) | Lionel Richie, Carlos Rios, Michael Frenchik | |||
| Producer | Lionel Richie, James Anthony Carmichael | |||
| Lionel Richie singles chronology | ||||
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"Dancing on the Ceiling" is a song written by Mike Frenchik, Lionel Richie and Carlos Rios and performed by Richie on his 1986 album of the same name.[1]
The song reached the top spot on the Norwegian charts.[2]
Contents |
Reception[edit]
"This [sense of swagger] isn't entirely a good thing, since it means he indulges in silliness [...]" — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic[1]
- In the early 21st century, Blender Magazine published a list of the "50 worst songs of all time", with Dancing listed at #20. By 2009, Blender was out of print.
Despite the negative critical reception, the song remains a regular addition to 80's music nights at clubs and bars.
Music video[edit]
The music video was directed by Stanley Donen who also co-produced it with Glenn Goodwin through Glenn Goodwin & Associates.[3] Michael Peters choreographed[4] and Daniel Pearl was the director of photography.[5] Shooting took place during three days at Laird Studios in Culver City and one day on location at the LeMondrian Hotel in West Hollywood.[3] The video reportedly cost somewhere between $350,000 and $500,000[4] (or around $400,000), making it the most expensive short form music video production at the time.[3]
In the video, which premiered on September 8, 1986,[6] Richie and friends attend a party and dance on the ceiling reminiscent of Fred Astaire's routine in Donen's 1951 film Royal Wedding.[3] Donen later said that Richie actually adapted easier and quicker to the rotating room used in the video than Astaire did while shooting Royal Wedding.[7] There is also a reference in the video to The Seven Year Itch when air blows a womans skirt over her head. At the end of the video Rodney Dangerfield and Cheech Marin make cameo appearances.[4]
In the fall of 1986 HBO aired a half-hour TV special, Lionel Richie: The Making of Dancing on the Ceiling, directed by Sandra Hay and Alan J. Kozlowski, which takes a look at behind the scenes of the music video shoot. This documentary was also released on VHS and later as a hidden extra on Richie's The Definitive Collection DVD.
Charts[edit]
"Dancing On The Ceiling" reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin and "Stuck With You" by Huey Lewis and the News.
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 7 |
External links[edit]
- Live performance on ABC's The View
- Watch official video on Youtube
- Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
References[edit]
- ^ a b Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Dancing on the Ceiling". allmusic. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ "Lionel Richie - Dancing on the Ceiling (Song)". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Frank Lovece (October 18, 1986). "Stanley Donen Is Dancin' On Air After Directing Richie Clip". Billboard 98 (42): 78. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ a b c Linda Moleski (September 6, 1986). "Video Track". Billboard 98 (36): 59. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ "Daniel Pearl's resumé". Daniel Pearl. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ "Dancing on the ceiling [copyright notice]". faqs.org. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ Andy Roberts (June 20, 2010). "Happy Birthday, Lionel Richie". TheVine. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
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