“Dancing in the Street” by Martha & the Vandellas
The best kind of feel-good Motown vibes.
Programming note: It’s Motown Hits Week! This week, I’m writing about five R&B classics that sold millions of copies for the world-famous label. Unlike other themed weeks, these songs are all massive hits and will likely be recognizable to many of you. If you’re new to or unfamiliar with Motown and its rich history, this week’s content is also a great starting point. All killer, no filler … not to mention some of the best vibes around.
Hope you enjoy it!
Hello! 😊👋
Welcome to a new edition of the Best Music of All Time newsletter!
Today’s music pick ends Motown Hits Week on the highest of feel-good notes, courtesy of one of its most treasured acts.
Genre: R&B, Pop
Label: Gordy/Motown
Release Date: July 31, 1964
Vibe: 💃💃💃
Everyone’s got those songs that instantly put a smile on their face, no matter how many times they’ve heard it or what context the opening seconds will make their ears perk up. One of those tunes in my life is the endlessly joyful “Dancing in the Street.” It gets me every single time for reasons that are difficult to explain. I don’t think I’m the only one, however. No matter who’s covered it over the years, it's telling that every subsequent version has tried to keep that same spirit. I’m biased (clearly), but I still think Martha & the Vandellas did it best.
Like other hits covered in this newsletter, “Dancing” was a massive hit that almost wasn’t. Written by Marvin Gaye, Ivy Jo Hunter, and William "Mickey" Stevenson, it was initially going to be a jazzier ballad tailor-made for Gaye’s voice. When that fizzled out, the star offered the song to Kim Weston, who passed on it. When they asked Martha Reeves to try it, she laid down the vocal in a single take despite not being thrilled at its repetitive nature. In the singer’s opinion, that streamlined approach is the key to the song’s success. "The words are very simple: he wanted everybody to dance in the street,” she said. “Everybody to rejoice and have a very good time. It was a hot, #1 hit, and it spread love all over the world. When you play it today, people get up and do what? Dance!”
She’s not lying, either. The song was on the shortlist of oldies that family and friends requested at my wedding reception. I loved it, of course, but what surprised me was how instantaneous the reactions were from attendees, regardless of age. From ages 16 to north of 70, everyone had those joyous Motown vibes coursing through their veins. If that isn’t what experiencing music is all about, I don’t know what is.
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Not at all. But after their hit run, Martha Reeves got herself elected to city council in Detroit- long after Motown had decamped. So who had the last laugh?
Undoubtedly one of Motown's signature tunes- an exuberant call to action that doesn't discriminate against anybody, for we all can dance.
It's rather unfortunate, though, that Martha & The Vandellas themselves were entirely treated as a second-tier act by Motown for most of their stint with the label. They deserved better.