Dance Apocalyptic
{{Infobox song
| name = Dance Apocalyptic
| cover = Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic single cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Janelle Monáe
| album = The Electric Lady
| released = {{Start date|2013|7|2}}{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DPJW114/ |title=Amazon.com: Dance Apocalyptic: Janelle Monáe: MP3 Downloads |publisher=Amazon.com |accessdate=March 19, 2014}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:26
| label =
| writer =
- Janelle Monáe
- Charles Joseph II
- Nathaniel Irvin III{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-electric-lady-mw0002563731|title=The Electric Lady - Janelle Monáe - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic|work=Allmusic|accessdate=March 19, 2014}}
| producer =
- Wonder
- Lightning
- Monáe
| prev_title = Special Education
| prev_year = 2013
| next_title = PrimeTime
| next_year = 2013
| misc =
{{External music video|{{YouTube|eaMBagakSdM|"Dance Apocalyptic"}}}}
}}
"Dance Apocalyptic" is a song by Janelle Monáe, issued as the second single from her second studio album, The Electric Lady. The song was co-written with Charles Joseph II and Nathaniel Irvin III, and Monae, Chuck Lightning and Nate "Rocket" Wonder providing production. "Dance Apocalyptic" is a dance-pop song with elements of hip-hop, doo-wop, rock, Motown, and new wave. The song is built on kick-drums, keyboards, an electric guitar, scratching and synthesizers. Lyrically, the song is about dancing and liberation.
"Dance Apocalyptic" received widespread positive reviews, with critics noting its catchiness and feel-good lyrics.
Composition and lyrics
"Dance Apocalyptic" is a dance-pop,{{Cite web|last=Widianto|first=Stanley|date=May 18, 2018|title=Album Review: 'Dirty Computer' by Janelle Monáe|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2018/05/18/album-review-dirty-computer-by-janelle-mone.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030152709/https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2018/05/18/album-review-dirty-computer-by-janelle-mone.html|archive-date=October 30, 2020|access-date=October 30, 2020|website=The Jakarta Post|quote=...from the dance-pop of "Dance Apocalyptic"...}} new wave rock,{{Cite web|last=Kot|first=Greg|date=October 21, 2014|title=Janelle Monae: Science fiction in African-American pop|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20131106-janelle-monae-pops-space-oddity|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030200120/https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20131106-janelle-monae-pops-space-oddity|archive-date=October 30, 2020|access-date=October 30, 2020|website=BBC}} doo-wop, Motown and hip-hop song.{{Cite web|last=Rosen|first=Jody|date=September 5, 2013|title=Rosen on Janelle Monáe's The Electric Lady: An Intermittingly Thrilling Failure|url=https://www.vulture.com/2013/09/jody-rosen-on-janelle-monae-the-electric-lady.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420125812/https://www.vulture.com/2013/09/jody-rosen-on-janelle-monae-the-electric-lady.html|archive-date=April 20, 2020|access-date=October 30, 2020|website=Vulture}}
Reception
Keith Murphy of Vibe praised the song, calling it an "infectious rave-up" and "the soundtrack to endless summer cookouts".{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/article/review-janelle-monae-%E2%80%98dance-apocalyptic%E2%80%99-weird-genre-bending-fun |title=Review: Janelle Monáe's 'Dance Apocalyptic' Is Weird, Genre-Bending Fun - Vibe |last=Murphy |first=Keith |work=Vibe |accessdate=March 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320083522/http://www.vibe.com/article/review-janelle-monae-%E2%80%98dance-apocalyptic%E2%80%99-weird-genre-bending-fun |archive-date=March 20, 2014 }}
Music video
{{expand section|date=March 2014}}
The music video was directed by Wendy Morgan.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/07/janelle-monae-dance-apocalyptic-video-electric-lady/|title=Janelle Monae Boogies While the World Burns in 'Dance Apocalyptic' Video - SPIN - Videos|last=Martins|first=Chris|work=Spin|accessdate=March 19, 2014}} The video features Janelle performing in a vintage style club accompanied by a band wearing black and white. in the midpoint of the video, there is a interruption where a news reporter (played by Janelle) reports on an Apocalypse, similar to the one described in Book of Revelation, with locusts, fires, earthquakes, and the raising of the dead. The video then returns back to Janelle performing as her band destroys their instruments. The video ends with a gang of bikers taking Janelle and her band away. {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaMBagakSdM |title=Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic [Official Video] |date=2013-07-02 |last=Janelle Monáe |access-date=2025-05-13 |via=YouTube}}
Live performances
On September 9, 2013, Monáe performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman.{{cite web|url=http://www.okayplayer.com/news/janelle-monae-dance-apocalyptic-live-david-letterman-video.html|title=Janelle Monáe Performs "Dance Apocalyptic" On David Letterman's Desk Okayplayer|work=Okayplayer|accessdate=March 19, 2014}} She then performed the song (along with "Electric Lady") on Saturday Night Live on October 26.{{cite web|url=http://snlarchives.net/Episodes/?201310269|title=SNL Archives - Episodes - 10.26.2013 #9|last=Navaroli|first=Joel|work=SNL Archives|accessdate=March 19, 2014}}
Track listing
{{track listing
| headline = Dance Apocalyptic Remixes {{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/66sI7GowtelrUYAb1qMMpn |title=Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic Remixes|publisher=Spotify |accessdate=March 22, 2021}}
| title1 = Dance Apocalyptic
| note1 = Chocolate Puma Remix
| length1 = 5:32
| title2 = Dance Apocalyptic
| note2 = Olugbenga Edit
| length2 = 4:09
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (2013)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Billboardjapanhot100|83|artist=Janelle Monáe|song=Dance Apocalyptic|accessdate=2013-10-12|rowheader=true}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|eaMBagakSdM|"Dance Apocalyptic" Music video}}
{{Janelle Monáe}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Bad Boy Records singles