Dancing with Myself

Both versions of "Dancing with Myself" have been described as new wave{{cite web|last=Brennan|first=Collin|date=30 June 2016|title=Civil Twilight turn Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" into a sparse, understated ballad – listen|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2016/06/civil-twilight-turn-billy-idols-dancing-with-myself-into-a-sparse-understated-ballad-listen/|access-date=15 August 2020|website=Consequence of Sound}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/03/04/billy-idol-acoustic-fingers-crossed-for-an-unplugged-rebel-yell/|title=What is New Wave icon Billy Idol up to now? You might not guess|website=East Bay Times|date=March 5, 2019|access-date=March 8, 2025|last=Harrington|first=Jim}} and dance-rock,{{cite book|first= Robert |last= Christgau |author-link= Robert Christgau |year= 1990 |title= Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s |publisher= Pantheon Books|chapter-url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=I&bk=80|chapter=I|isbn= 0-679-73015-X |access-date=20 February 2020|via=robertchristgau.com}} but also as power pop,{{cite web|last=Ruhlmann|first=William|title=Don't Stop - Billy Idol {{!}} Songs, Reviews,Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-stop-mw0000653995|access-date=15 August 2020|publisher=AllMusic}} glam rock,{{cite web|url=https://www.budapesttimes.hu/entertainment/a-survivor-of-rocknrolls-extreme-lifestyle/|title=A survivor of rock'n'roll's extreme lifestyle|last=Osterberg|first=Christopher|website=The Budapest Times|quote="Dancing with Myself" defined him as a member of the glam rock contingent made popular by music videos in that decade.|date=29 June 2022|access-date=20 September 2022}} disco-punk,{{Cite news |last=Volmers |first=Eric |date=August 3, 2024 |title=Review: Billy Idol's punk-lite hits still resonate with audiences 40 years later |url=https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/music/review-billy-idols-punk-lite-hits-still-resonate-with-audiences-40-years-later |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240819023653/https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/music/review-billy-idols-punk-lite-hits-still-resonate-with-audiences-40-years-later |archive-date=2024-08-19 |access-date=2025-04-26 |work=Calgary Herald |language=en-CA}} post-punk and pop-punk.{{Cite web |last=Edward |first=Thomas |date=March 28, 2025 |title=Billy Idol's top 10 songs, ranked |url=https://www.goldradio.com/features/song-lists/billy-idol-best-songs-ranked/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=Gold Radio}} The song's lyrics, commonly misinterpreted as a metaphor for masturbation, were inspired by an experience Generation X had while touring Japan in mid-1979. Frontman Billy Idol and bassist Tony James were struck by the sight of the young crowd in a Tokyo discotheque dancing with their own reflections in mirrored walls rather than with one another.Billy Idol explaining the song's origin, Billy Idol Unplugged (2001), (1.11. mins).

The song was written and first recorded by Generation X during demo sessions in mid-1979 at Olympic Studios in West London . This demo-recording was first officially released on the album K.M.D.-Sweet Revenge (1998).{{cite book |title=Dancing with Myself |first=Billy |last=Idol |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2014}} After that band had split later in that year, Idol and James re-branded the act as Gen X, and in production sessions with Keith Forsey for a new long-player at AIR Studios in London in mid-1980, the song was re-recorded for commercial release as a single. The guitar parts of the song were a mix of the playing of three guitarists with distinctively differing styles, viz. Steve New playing the lead, Steve Jones playing rhythm, with another layer being added by Danny Kustow.Interview with Tony James, April 2002, for the Generation X Anthology (2003).

First released in October 1980 as a preview of the new band's forthcoming long-player Kiss Me Deadly (1981), "Dancing with Myself" was a retail failure, reaching only number 62 in the UK Singles Chart in a 2-week chart run, then number 60 in its 4-week reappearance in early 1981.

The 1981 LP version runs 3:46 and is nearly the same as the 3:30 7" version, differing only in the last 30 seconds.

In 1981, Idol, now a solo artist after Gen X had broken up, had Forsey remix the song, reducing the prominence of the guitars & bass and removing the tambourine. This was released on the Gen X (a.k.a. 4) EP, with the 7" edition containing a 3:20 version and the 12" edition containing a 6:05 Extended Version.

Launching Idol's career in the U.S. market in 1981, the 3:20 version was released on 7" vinyl (credited to "Billy Idol and Gen X"), and the extended version was released on a promo-only 12".Chrysalis CHS 2488 (retail & promo 7"s) / CHS-27-PDJ (promo 12") The extended version was also edited down to a 4:51 Long Version, which was commercially released on Idol's Don't Stop 12" EP, which was a dance club hit.

In 1983, the song was reissued commercially and bombed again, not charting at all in the UK, and only reaching #102 in the U.S. on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart. For this reissue, the U.S. got the 3:20 single version on 7" only, and the UK/EU market got a 7" containing the Long Version and a 12" containing the Extended Version.

The 3:20 version later appeared on Idol's 11 of the Best compilation, and the Extended Version appeared as the "Uptown Mix" on the Vital Idol compilation.

For the 1981 United States single release, a music video for use on the newly launched MTV was made, directed by Tobe Hooper, with Idol in a scenario drawn from the 1971 cinema film The Omega Man, playing a lone figure in a post-apocalyptic cityscape besieged upon a skyscraper rooftop by partying mutant street-waifs.

1. "Dancing with Myself" (3:30)
2. "Ugly Rash" (4:30)

1. "Dancing with Myself" (4:06)
2. "Loopy Dub" (5:08)
3. "Ugly Dub" (3:05)

1. "Dancing with Myself"
2. "Untouchables"
3. "Rock On"
4. "King Rocker" (produced by Ian Hunter)

1. "Dancing with Myself" (3:19) [Labelled as "Billy Idol featuring Generation X"]
2. "Happy People" (4:23)

1. "Dancing with Myself" (3:19) [Labelled as "Billy Idol featuring Generation X"]
2. "Love Calling (Dub)" (5:33)

1. "Dancing with Myself" (6:05) [Labelled as "Billy Idol featuring Generation X"]
2. "Love Calling (Dub)" (5:33)
3. "White Wedding" (8:20)
4. "Hot in the City" (5:20)

• "White Wedding" is the 12" Shotgun mix,{{clarify|date=April 2022}} but not labelled as such.

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Generation X (Billy Idol)|title=Dancing with Myself|award=Platinum|source=radioscope|type=single|relyear=1981|certyear=2024|access-date=December 18, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Dancing with Myself

| cover = Dancing with Myself by Maren Morris.png

| type = single

| artist = Maren Morris

| released = {{Start date|2024|02|15|df=y}}

| genre = Alt-pop

| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=11}}

| label = Columbia

| writer = {{hlist|Billy Idol|Tony James}}

| producer = Gabe Simon

| chronology = Maren Morris

| prev_title = 42

| prev_year = 2023

| title = Dancing with Myself

| year = 2024

| next_title = Cut

| next_year = 2024

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|BYfm-1mElFo|"Dancing with Myself"}}}}

}}

In 2024, the song was re-arranged and covered by American singer and songwriter Maren Morris.{{cite web|url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/maren-morris-billy-idol-dancing-with-myself-cover-1234968833/|title= Maren Morris Reimagines Billy Idol's 'Dancing With Myself' for Singles Awareness Day|date= 15 February 2024|publisher=Rolling Stone|accessdate=15 August 2024}} The cover was released as a single on 15 February 2024, under Columbia Records, in a partnership with the mobile app Visible for their "Singles Awareness Day" campaign. It marks Morris first release since her collaboration with DJ an electronic artist Diplo, "42" in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Maren Morris Shares Reimagined Cover Of Billy Idol's 'Dancing With Myself' |url=https://www.rttnews.com/3425367/maren-morris-shares-reimagined-cover-of-billy-idol-s-dancing-with-myself.aspx?refresh=1 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=RTTNews |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=Maren Morris Covers Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" - |url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2024/02/15/news/maren-morris-covers-billy-idols-dancing-with-myself/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=mxdwn Music |language=en-US}}{{Citation |title=Dancing with Myself by Maren Morris on Apple Music |date=2024-02-15 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/dancing-with-myself/1730022804?i=1730023010 |access-date=2025-01-09 |language=en-US}}

According to critics, Morris version features banjos, strummed acoustic guitars which are complemented by Morris' signature smoky vocals on the track produced by Gabe Simon.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=Maren Morris puts new spin on "Dancing with Myself" for Singles Awareness Day |url=https://consequence.net/2024/02/maren-morris-dancing-with-myself-billy-idol-cover/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Consequence |language=en}} Morris said about the cover origin: "I partnered with Visible because I loved the theme of their messaging, which is independence and ownership," she added, "For me right now, I'm really leaning into my sort of singleness and it's daunting but exciting."{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=Maren Morris says she doesn't 'have anything to prove anymore.' Now, she's embracing 'singleness' and a new era of independence. |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/maren-morris-interview-billy-idol-cover-120131252.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}} She also explained further why she chose Idol's song to cover: "i decided to cover one of my longtime favorite songs by Billy Idol because it's always been a beautifully melancholic anthem for me, It also captures where I am at right now; a little blue but a lot relieved. Dancing through my feelings and shaking off the expired layers that no longer strengthen me."{{Cite web |title=Maren Morris Shares Cathartic Cover of Billy Idol's 'Dancing with Myself': 'I Truly Gave Zero F---s' |url=https://people.com/maren-morris-shares-cathartic-cover-of-billy-idol-dancing-with-myself-8583076 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=People.com |language=en}}

Morris version received mostly positive reviews by music critics. Gil Kaufman for Billboard praised Morris' delivery, stating that the singer "sounds perfectly fine on her own".{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2024-02-15 |title=Maren Morris Drops Sultry, Banjo-Spiked Cover of Billy Idol’s ‘Dancing With Myself’ |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/maren-morris-cover-billy-idol-dancing-with-myself-listen-1235608502/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}} Scott Bernstein for JamBase dubbed the cover as a "fresh spin" of Idol's song.{{Cite web |title=Maren Morris Reimagines Billy Idol’s ‘Dancing With Myself’ For 1st New Music Of 2024 |url=https://www.jambase.com/article/maren-morris-dancing-with-myself |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=JamBase |language=en-US}} In a more mixed review Tom Breihan for Stereogum said that Morris cover doesn't "seem likely to incite much dancing" describing it as "significantly less rambunctious and more serene" in comparison to the original.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=Maren Morris Covers Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself": Listen |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2251970/maren-morris-dancing-with-myself-billy-idol-cover/music/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}

An official music video directed by Mehdi Zollo, sponsored by Visible was released alongside the single.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYfm-1mElFo |title=Maren Morris - Dancing with Myself (Official Video) |date=2024-02-15 |last=MarenMorrisVEVO |access-date=2025-01-09 |via=YouTube}} The video was shot in East Nashville at Grimey's Records, and shows Morris dancing through the record store, sporting a leather trenchcoat, white tank top, jeans, and sunglasses. The music video pays homage to the 2000 film High Fidelity.

{{In popular culture|section|date=March 2023}}

• Swedish rock-reggae band Dag Vag released a Swedish version of the song called "Dansar med mig själv" on their fourth LP 7 lyckliga elefanter in 1982.
• Belgian rock band De Kreuners released a Dutch version of the song called "Ik dans wel met mezelf" in 1982.{{Cite web |date=2012-12-04 |title=De Kreuners krijgen Lifetime Achievement Award op MIA's |trans-title=De Kreuners receive Lifetime Achievement Award at MIAs |url=https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/de-kreuners-krijgen-lifetime-achievement-award-op-mia-s~b015035a/?utm_campaign=shared_earned&utm_medium=social&utm_source=copylink |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=De Morgen |language=nl}}
• Used in Can’t Buy Me Love (1987 film).{{cite web |title=Can't Buy Me Love (1987) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092718/soundtrack/ |publisher=IMDb |access-date=13 August 2022}}
• A cover version by Blink-182 was featured on the compilation album Before You Were Punk{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/before-you-were-punk-1997-mw0000596228|title="Before You Were Punk [1997] - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic |access-date=17 June 2020 |publisher=AllMusic}} and on Taylor Steele's Loose Change film soundtrack.
• A cover version by the Donnas was used in Mean Girls (2004) soundtrack,{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377092/soundtrack |title=Mean Girls (2004) Soundtracks |access-date=20 August 2019 |publisher=IMDb}} as well as the episode "God U." from the 2023 series Gen V.
• It was featured in the 2006 animated comedy Flushed Away.
• Australian rock band The Superjesus released a cover of the song in December 2023. The song later appeared on their self-titled 4th studio album released in March 2025.

{{Reflist}}

{{Billy Idol}}{{Maren Morris}}{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dancing With Myself}}

Category:1980 songs

Category:1980 singles

Category:1981 debut singles

Category:Generation X (band) songs

Category:Billy Idol songs

Category:Chrysalis Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Keith Forsey

Category:Songs about dancing

Category:Songs written by Billy Idol

Category:Songs written by Tony James (musician)

Category:Maren Morris songs

Category:2024 singles