The Dance (song)

"The Dance"
Single by Garth Brooks
from the album Garth Brooks
B-side	"Friends in Low Places"
Released	April 30, 1990
Format	CD single, 7" 45 RPM
Recorded	1988
Genre	Country
Length	3:37
Label	Capitol Nashville 44629
Writer(s)	Tony Arata
Producer	Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks singles chronology
"Not Counting You" (1990) "The Dance" (1990) "Friends in Low Places" (1990)

"The Dance" is a song recorded by country singer Garth Brooks. The song, written by Brooks' friend, Tony Arata, was a key track on his self-titled debut album Garth Brooks and a #1 chart hit. It is considered by many to be Brooks' signature song.[1]

Background

At the opening of the music video, Brooks explains that the song is written with a double meaning - both as a love song about the end of a passionate relationship, and a story of someone dying because of something he believes in, after a moment of glory.

• Key: G Major
• Length - 3:42

Music video

The song's music video, directed by John Lloyd Miller, shows several American icons and examples of people who died for a dream. These include archive footage of the following:

• Lane Frost - World Champion Bull rider, who was killed by a bull after riding it for a full eight seconds in the arena.
• Keith Whitley - Country singer who died from alcohol poisoning. The Whitley scenes featured his then-wife Lorrie Morgan.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. - Baptist minister who is best known for his involvement in the American civil rights movement and was assassinated in 1968.
• The crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, shortly before it disintegrated after its launch in 1986.
• John Fitzgerald Kennedy - President of the United States who was assassinated in 1963.
• John Wayne - Film actor best known for his roles in Westerns.

It was awarded Video of the Year at the 1990 ACM Music Awards.

Release and reception

Released near the beginning of his career, "The Dance" was a big hit single around the world, including the United States, Europe, Ireland, etc, charting inside the British pop Top 40 [2]. In 1990, it was titled both Song of the Year and Video of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. It was awarded the #14 position in the CMT 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music broadcast and also the #5 position on the network's The Greatest: 100 Greatest Music Videos special.

In 2001, after the death of Dale Earnhardt, Brooks was invited to the NASCAR Awards Ceremony that was honoring Earnhardt to play the song as a tribute.

Track listing

US 7" promotional single Capitol Nashville NR-44629, 1990

1. "The Dance" - 3:37
2. "The Dance"

US 7" Jukebox single Liberty S7-17441-A, 1990

1. "The Dance" - 3:41
2. "If Tomorrow Never Comes"

UK CD single Capitol CDCLS-735, 1993
Disc 1

1. "The Dance"
2. "Friends in Low Places"
3. "Victim of the Game"
4. "Kickin' & Screamin'

Disc 2

1. "The Dance"
2. "Friends in Low Places"
3. "The River" (Live acoustic version)

Chart positions

Chart (1990)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1
UK Singles Chart	36

Other cover versions

• Jazz musician Dave Koz recorded it for his 1999 album, The Dance.
• In 2006, the song was recorded by Westlife and included on their album, The Love Album.
• Country singer Mindy McCready recorded it for her 2010 album, I'm Still Here.

External links

• "The Dance" Lyrics
• CMT's 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music
• CMT's The Greatest: 100 Greatest Music Videos

Preceded by "Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait	Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks number-one single July 14-July 28, 1990	Succeeded by "Good Times" by Dan Seals
	RPM Country Tracks number-one single July 21-August 4, 1990	Succeeded by "He Walked on Water" by Randy Travis