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:When We Dance

{{Short description|1994 single by Sting}}

{{Infobox song

| title = When We Dance

| type = single

| cover = Sting_When_We_Dance_CD1.jpeg

| artist = Sting

| album = Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994

| released = {{start date|1994|10|17|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio = Lake House (Wiltshire)

| length = 5:59

| label = A&M

| writer = Sting

| producer =

| prev_title = Nothing 'Bout Me

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = This Cowboy Song

| next_year = 1995

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|aWjfONP51G4|"When We Dance"}}}}

}}

"When We Dance" is a song by English musician Sting. It was released as a single on 17 October 1994 by A&M Records and is one of two new tracks included on his first greatest hits album, Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994 (1994), alongside "This Cowboy Song". The song was co-produced by Sting with Hugh Padgham, and became his only solo top 10 hit in his native UK and reached the top 40 in five other countries.

Background

Described by Sting as a "generic ballad", "When We Dance" was written specifically to be included as a new track for the Fields of Gold compilation.{{cite web |url=https://see.sting.com/news/title/Interview:%20THE%20INDEPENDENT%20ON%20SUNDAY%20(1994) |title=Interview: The Independent on Sunday (1994) |website=The Independent on Sunday |date=November 1994 |last=Barber |first=Nicholas |access-date=25 February 2023}} The song reportedly took a year to write: "I had the melody around for a whole year before I thought of what to do with it... Then it just fell in place. It wasn't one of those songs written in five minutes."{{cite magazine |url= https://renew.sting.com/news/title/Interview:%20BILLBOARD%20(1994) |magazine=Billboard |title=Hits Set Mines Sting's Gold |last=Borzillo |first=Carrie |date=October 1994 |access-date=25 February 2023}}

Upon its release, "When We Dance" peaked at number 9 in the UK, becoming Sting's only top ten solo single in his home country. It also reached the top ten in Canada (number 10) and Ireland (number 9). The song was less successful in the US, peaking at number 38.

The song was promoted with a music video directed by Howard Greenhalgh.

Track listing

All tracks written by Sting.

  • CD1
  1. "When We Dance" (Edit) – 4:55
  2. "Fortress Around Your Heart" (Hugh Padgham Remix) – 4:10
  3. "When We Dance" (Album Version) – 5:59
  4. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Soulpower Mix) – 7:00
  • CD2
  1. "When We Dance" (Edit) – 4:55
  2. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Soulpower Radio Mix) – 4:34
  3. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Soulpower Deep Dub) – 8:19
  4. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Soulpower Hip Hop Mix) – 5:37
  • Maxi–single (Europe)
  1. "When We Dance" (Edit) – 4:55
  2. "Fortress Around Your Heart" (Hugh Padgham Remix) – 4:10
  3. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Soulpower Mix) – 7:00
  4. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Soulpower Deep Dub) – 8:19

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1994)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Flanders|35|artist=Sting|song=When We Dance|rowheader=true|access-date=25 April 2023}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|10|chartid=2192|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023|refname="can"}}
scope="row"|Europe (European AC Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-12-17.pdf|title=Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=51|date=17 December 1994|page=34|access-date=28 May 2023}}

| 1

scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite web|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=247|author=Pennanen, Timo (2021)|title="Sting". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960-30.6.21 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 247|access-date=August 24, 2024}}

| 9

{{single chart|Germany|51|artist=Sting|song=When We Dance|songid=2901|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023}}
scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2721572#page/n1/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 Vikan 24.-29.11 '94|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=16|date=24 November 1994|access-date=1 April 2025}}

| 12

{{single chart|Ireland2|9|song=When We Dance|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023|refname="Ireland"}}
scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite web|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php|title=Classifiche|work=Musica e dischi|language=it|access-date=28 May 2022}} Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Sting".

| 11

scope="row"|Italy Airplay (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-12-03.pdf|title=Regional Airplay: South|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=49|page=27|date=3 December 1994}}

| 1

{{single chart|Dutch100|32|artist=Sting|song=When We Dance|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|50|artist=Sting|song=When We Dance|rowheader=true|access-date=25 April 2023}}
{{single chart|Sweden|34|artist=Sting|song=When We Dance|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|42|artist=Sting|song=When We Dance|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023}}
{{single chart|UK|9|rowheader=true|date=19941029|access-date=23 February 2023|refname="UK"}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|38|artist=Sting|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023|refname="Billboard"}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|12|artist=Sting|rowheader=true|access-date=23 February 2023}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1994)

!Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=1994 – Singles|magazine=Hit Music|page=31|date=7 January 1995}}

| 139

{{col-end}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|17 October 1994

|{{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD1|cassette}}

|rowspan="3"|A&M

|{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=15 October 1994}}

scope="row" rowspan="2"|Japan

|2 November 1994

|Mini-CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/94866/products/204584/1/|title=スティング {{!}} ホエン・ウイ・ダンス|trans-title=Sting {{!}} When We Dance|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=28 March 2025}}

1 January 1995

|Maxi-CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/94866/products/200804/1/|title=スティング {{!}} ホエン・ウイ・ダンス|trans-title=Sting {{!}} When We Dance|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=28 March 2025}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Sting}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1994 singles

Category:1994 songs

Category:A&M Records singles

Category:Songs written by Sting (musician)

Category:Sting (musician) songs