Won't Somebody Dance with Me
{{Short description|1973 single by Lynsey de Paul}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Lynsey de Paul
| album =
| B-side = So Good to You
| released = {{Start date|1973|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Europop
| length = {{Duration|3:31}}
| label = MAM Records
| writer = Lynsey de Paul
| producer = Lynsey de Paul
| prev_title = All Night
| prev_year = 1973
| next_title = Ooh I Do
| next_year = 1974
}}
"Won't Somebody Dance with Me" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul in 1973,{{Cite web |title=Lynsey de Paul - Won't Somebody Dance With Me |url=https://www.discogs.com/Lynsey-De-Paul-Wont-Somebody-Dance-With-Me/release/966354 |access-date=27 December 2017 |website=Discogs|year=1973 }} which was awarded an Ivor Novello Award in 1974.{{Cite magazine |date=1 June 1974 |title=Billboard |magazine=Billboard |page=41}} Her original version of the ballad made the top 20 of the UK, Irish and Dutch charts, and the song was featured in Michael Winner's remake of the film The Big Sleep, The Muppet Show, and the 1970s version of the New Mickey Mouse Club (performed on that show by Lisa Whelchel).
History
This autobiographical song, inspired by an event from de Paul's teenage years, included some spoken dialogue by a male voice; on the original single it was by the BBC Radio 1 DJ Ed Stewart.{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Jane |date=3 October 2014 |title=Lynsey de Paul won the Ivor Novello Award and a string of celeb lovers | Obituaries |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/obituaries/518055/Lynsey-de-Paul-Ivor-Novello-Award-and-celebrity-lovers |access-date=2016-10-08 |website=Express.co.uk}} It was her last single released on the MAM Records label. The recording was produced by de Paul and the strings were arranged by Christopher Gunning. It received positive reviews from the music press with favourable reviews from the likes of John PeelSounds, Singles reviews by John Peel, 6 October 1973 and British music critic Ian MacDonald of the NME writing "a perfect pop record and a certain smash hit".{{Cite magazine |last=MacDonald |first=Ian |date=20 October 1973 |title=Singles Reviewed This Week by Ian MacDonald |magazine=NME |page=25}} US music industry magazines also praised the song, with Cash Box magazine listing it under its "Pick for the Week" section and stating "Her tender vocal, when coupled with a perfectly fitting string section, gives this one greater hit potential than any disk she has had released since her tremendous "Sugar Me" a year ago".{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1973/Cash-Box-1973-12-15.pdf|title=Cash Box|date=15 December 1973|page=22|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=23 June 2023}} "Record World" gave the release a recommendation in its "Spins and Sales" listing.{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/73/RW-1973-12-15.pdf|title=Record World|date=15 December 1973|page=14|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=23 June 2023}}
The single reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1973, where it spent seven weeks on the chart,{{Cite book |last=Roberts |first=David |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |year=2006 |isbn=1-904994-10-5 |edition=19th |location=London |page=145}} number 9 on the Irish Singles Chart,{{Cite web |date=1962-10-01 |title=The Irish Charts - All There Is to Know |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie |access-date=2017-07-08 |website=Irishcharts.ie}} number 4 on the Israeli chart, number 17 on the Netherlands singles chart,{{Cite web |title=Lynsey de Paul : Won't Somebody Dance With Me |url=https://www.top40.nl/lynsey-de-paul/lynsey-de-paul-won-t-somebody-dance-with-me-10084 |access-date=27 December 2017 |website=Top40.nl}} and number 3 on the Radio Northsea International Top 30.{{Cite web |title=Radio Northsea International Top 30 - 1973 |url=https://www.internetradiocafe.nl/hitnoteringen/hitlijsten/radio-northsea-international/radio-northsea-international-top-30-1973-r941/ |access-date=9 May 2018 |website=Internetradiocafe.nl}} It also spent two weeks on the Swedish "Tio I topp" charts, peaking at number 20.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nostalgilistan.se/lynsey-de-paul-14316/wont-somebody-dance-with-me-50999|title=Won'T Somebody Dance With Me av Lynsey De Paul|website=NostalgiListan.se|access-date=1 February 2025}} The song was re-released as the B-side to "Sugar Me" on the MAM record label in 1977,{{Cite web |title=Lynsey de Paul - Sugar Me |url=https://www.discogs.com/Lynsey-De-Paul-Sugar-Me/master/820744 |access-date=12 November 2018 |website=Discogs|year=1977 }} presumably to tie in with de Paul's "Rock Bottom" which was her entry for that year's Eurovision Song Contest and was in the UK Singles Chart at the same time.
Chart performance
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1973)
! Peak |
|---|
| Israel
| style="text-align:center;"|4 |
| Ireland
| style="text-align:center;"|9 |
| Netherlands
| style="text-align:center;"|17 |
| UK
| style="text-align:center;"|14 |
Other recordings
An alternative recording of the song by de Paul was featured as the second track on the album The Wicked Die Young. It was compiled by the film director Nicolas Winding Refn and chosen as one of songs that inspired his horror film The Neon Demon. Rob Wacey reviewed the album for AllMusic and rated the track as one of the highlights of the album.{{Cite web |last=Rob Wacey |date=2017-04-14 |title=Nicolas Winding Refn Presents: The Wicked Die Young - Nicolas Winding Refn | Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/nicolas-winding-refn-presents-the-wicked-die-young-mw0003028871 |access-date=2017-07-08 |publisher=AllMusic}} De Paul also re-recorded the song for her 1994 CD album, Just a Little Time. This version reflected maturity and featured additional text about waiting for love and destiny,{{Cite web |title=515 Lynsey de Paul Won't Somebody Dance With Me Lyrics |url=https://www.gugalyrics.com/lyrics-265026/515-lynsey-de-paul-won%5C't-somebody-dance-with-me.html |access-date=27 December 2017 |website=Gugalyrics.com}} with strings being replaced by a saxophone.{{Cite web |title=Lynsey de Paul - Just a Little Time |url=https://www.discogs.com/Lynsey-De-Paul-Just-A-Little-Time/release/1763679 |access-date=27 December 2017 |website=Discogs.com|year=1999 }}
The track has been covered by Bruce Johnston, Petula Clark, Alan Tew Orchestra, Sounds Orchestral, Peter North (aka Piet Noordijk), Jeannie, Denis King, Lena Zavaroni, Tina Charles (singer) and S. Sebber.{{Cite web |last=Leif Barbre |title=String Man |url=http://www.string-man.com/string-man/stringman.php |access-date=2017-07-08 |publisher=String Man}} A French version ("Je voudrais tant danser") with lyrics by Charles Level{{Cite book |title=Je Voudrais Tant Danser |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/658640442 |via=WorldCat |oclc=658640442 |access-date=30 November 2022}} was recorded by Martine Tourreil featuring male vocals by Sacha Distel.{{Cite web |title=Martine Tourreil - Je voudrais Tant Danser / Un Piano sous Mes Doigts |url=https://www.discogs.com/Martine-Tourreil-Je-voudrais-Tant-Danser-Un-Piano-sous-Mes-Doigts/release/6731247 |access-date=21 March 2019 |website=Discogs|year=1977 }} Tourreil performed the song with Distel on his television show on 12 November 1977.{{Cite web|url=http://amis-de-sacha-distel.over-blog.com/article-88589424.html|title=Numéro Un Sacha Distel du 12 novembre 1977|website=Amis-de-sacha-distel.over-blog.com|access-date=23 June 2023}}{{Cite web |date=5 September 2013 |title=Télé française années 70: Numéro Un : Sacha Distel, 12/11/1977 |url=http://tele70france.blogspot.com/2013/09/numero-un-sacha-distel-12111977.html|website=Tele70france.blogspot.com}} A Danish version "Hvem danser en dans med mig" was released by Maria Stenz with Jesper Klein in 1974 and reached number 8 in the official Danish hit list chart.{{Cite web |title=Hvem Danser En Dans Mit Vig |url=http://danskehitlister.dk/?song_id=1072 |access-date=2016-10-08 |website=Danskehitlister.dk}} A comedic version with different lyrics was released by George Jones and Tommy Thomas on their 1982 album, Up Ulster.{{Cite web |title=George Jones (16) & Tommy Thomas - Up Ulster |url=https://www.discogs.com/George-Jones-16-Tommy-Thomas-Up-Ulster/release/12654781 |access-date=16 October 2018 |website=Discogs.com|year=1982 }}
References
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