Dancin' in the Ruins

According to guitarist and vocalist Buck Dharma, although the song was written by outside writers, the band recorded it as it sounded "very plausibly a Blue Öyster Cult song". Dharma also attributed the song's eventual loss of radio play to the media's attention on the ongoing payola scandal. At the time, CBS, the parent company of the band's label Columbia Records, ceased supporting their independent promoters, causing a number of CBS releases to suffer airplay losses.{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Roman |url=https://www.withguitars.com/blue-oyster-cult-interview-with-buck-dharma/ |title=Blue Oyster Cult: Interview with Buck Dharma |publisher=WithGuitars |date=February 5, 2019 |access-date=May 10, 2025}}

The song's music video was directed by Frances Dilea and produced by the Wolfe Company.{{cite magazine |title=New Video Clips |magazine=Billboard |date=15 February 1986 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=98 |issue=7 |page=41 |issn=0006-2510}} It debuted on MTV on February 22, 1986,{{cite news |title=Music video to debut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/688683102/ |newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=February 21, 1986 |page=D3 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 10, 2025}} and went on to achieve power rotation on the channel.{{cite magazine |title=MTV Programming |magazine=Billboard |date=29 March 1986 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=98 |issue=13 |page=56 |issn=0006-2510}} Bassist Joe Bouchard later recalled, "I thought it was kind of cheesy actually. It pulled the whole thing from the creative team. We spent some heavy dollars on making that video but it was never played much on MTV."{{cite web |last=Wright |first=Jeb |url=https://joebouchard.com/the-jeb-wright-interview-continued-page-2 |title=The Jeb Wright Interview |website=joebouchard.com |access-date=May 10, 2025}}

Upon its release as a single, Billboard described "Dancin' in the Ruins" as "accessible hard rock" and felt it was "reminiscent" of the band's 1981 hit "Burnin' for You".{{cite magazine |title=Reviews: Singles |magazine=Billboard |date=March 8, 1986 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=98 |issue=10 |page=85 |issn=0006-2510}} Dave Sholin, writing for the Gavin Report, commented that, 10 years after the success of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", the band "has turned out yet another piece of music for the masses". He added, "If you haven't checked it out yet, you're in for a pleasant surprise."{{cite magazine |last=Sholin |first=Dave |date=March 7, 1986 |title=Dave Sholin's Personal Picks - Singles |magazine=Gavin Report |issue=1596 |page=49}} FMQB felt the song was "destined to rule [radio] as the companion piece" to "(Don't Fear) The Reaper". They added, "Remember when the Cult was considered too rough for full time radio play? Little did we know they were really popsters on petrol."{{cite magazine |title=Hard Choices |magazine=FMQB |date=January 24, 1986 |page=1 |oclc=857904873}}

Alvie Lindsay, writing for the Fresno Bee, noted that the song "reflects a change in the group's direction towards a more danceable, sing-along style".{{cite news |last=Lindsay |first=Alvie |title=Blue Oyster Cult proves dinosaurs can still rock |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/705478322/ |newspaper=The Fresno Bee |date=March 27, 1986 |page=C4 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 10, 2025}} Martin Popoff, in his 2004 book Blue Oyster Cult: Secrets Revealed!, called it a "direct descendant" of "Burnin' for You" that is "full of Buck's pop wonderment", with "more hooks than a fishing tackle box". He also noted that it was a "desperate shot at another hit single" for which the band had to "surrender their creativity to produce it".{{cite book |last=Popoff |first=Martin |title=Blue Oyster Cult: Secrets Revealed! |publisher=Metal Blade Records |year=2004 |page=137 |isbn=0-9752807-0-8}}

7–inch single (US, Canada, Europe and Australia){{cite AV media notes |title=Dancin' in the Ruins |others=Blue Öyster Cult |year=1986 |type=US and Canadian 7-inch single |publisher=Columbia Records |id=38-05845}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Dancin' in the Ruins |others=Blue Öyster Cult |year=1986 |type=European 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=CBS Records |id=CBSA 6962}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Dancin' in the Ruins |others=Blue Öyster Cult |year=1986 |type=Australian 7-inch single |publisher=Columbia Records |id=BA3441}}

1. "Dancin' in the Ruins" – 3:58
2. "Shadow Warrior" – 5:40

12–inch single (Europe){{cite AV media notes |title=Dancin' in the Ruins |others=Blue Öyster Cult |year=1986 |type=European 12-inch single sleeve |publisher=CBS Records |id=CBSA 12.6962}}

1. "Dancin' in the Ruins" – 3:58
2. "Shadow Warrior" – 5:40

Blue Öyster Cult

• Eric Bloom – guitar, backing vocals
• Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead vocals, guitar
• Joe Bouchard – bass, guitar, backing vocals
• Tommy Zvoncheck – keyboards
• Jimmy Wilcox – percussion, backing vocals

Production

• Sandy Pearlman – production

{{Reflist}}

{{Blue Öyster Cult}}

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Category:1985 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:Blue Öyster Cult songs

Category:Columbia Records singles