"Can't Dance" | ||||
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Single by Meghan Trainor | ||||
Released | May 11, 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2018 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:00 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Andrew Wells | |||
Meghan Trainor singles chronology | ||||
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"Can't Dance" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Can't Dance" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 11, 2018, a day after "Let You Be Right". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but did not make the final cut. Lyrically, the pop and dance song sees Trainor asking a shy male to join her on the dance floor.
At a Q&A in March 2018, Trainor revealed that a music video for the song was already filmed, and described it as her favorite music video she had done so far; it would have featured her dancing "a lot" and "amazing looks", although it was ultimately not released. Trainor opened the 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards with a medley of "Can't Dance", "No Excuses" (2018), "Let You Be Right" (2018), "Me Too" (2016) and "All About That Bass" (2014).
Meghan Trainor had been searching for a producer to create her upcoming third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020) with, when she conducted the first session for it with songwriter Jacob Kasher Hindlin. He suggested that they work with then-unknown producer Andrew Wells. Trainor, who was expecting the session to go "really bad or really awesome", ended up writing the song "Let You Be Right" with them, and knew Wells "was the one". [1] Wells produced the song, and ended up collaborating with Trainor on four songs for her second EP, The Love Train (2019), two of which were co-written by Hindlin. [2] [3]
Trainor revealed the song title at a Q&A in March 2018, stating that she did not know if it will be second single or third, but "knew it'd be a single one day". [4] She further teased the song on her Instagram account on May 8, 2018, three days before the official release date. It was released on May 11, 2018, preceded by "Let You Be Right" a day earlier. [5] The artwork was shot at the music video shoot for "Let You Be Right". About her decision to release two singles in the same week, Trainor said "My team and I talked about it, and I just can't wait any longer to share the songs on this album. I wanted to drop two today instead of one." [1] MTV's Madeline Roth praised the release strategy by writing that "dropping dual singles is a smart move — fans decide which song they prefer and the label can run with it — so she appears to be in a sweet spot as she glides into her new era". [6]
Trainor delayed the August 2018-scheduled release of Treat Myself to January 25, 2019, because she wanted to add more songs to it, though it was not released on that date either. [7] She stated in a January 2020 interview that the album will be an attempt to make a pop record that feels relevant in an era when hip-hop reigns, adding that she had written four albums worth of material trying to adapt to new trends in the music industry. When Treat Myself was finally released on January 31, 2020, "Can't Dance" was scrapped from the final cut. [8]
"Can't Dance" is a synth-driven song with a "shuffling" beat that lyrically displays Trainor's confidence in a "steamy" club setting. [9] It features the singer dealing with a shy man who refuses to "let loose", and flirtatiously giving him "step-by-step instructions" about how to dance with her. [6] [10] The song offers a "once in a lifetime" offer to a shy male subject in the club, with Trainor singing "Even if you can't dance, just hold my hips." [11] Idolator's Mike Wass praised the song, preferring it to "Let You Be Right". He added "It evokes the bouncy pop of the ’90s in a way that feels utterly sincere". [12] Writing for Entertainment Tonight Canada, Corey Atad opined that the song brings "new bass-heavy beats" to Trainor's usual retro style, and called it "dance-y". [13] It charted at number 64 on the Rádio Top 100 chart in Slovakia. [14]
At a Q&A in March 2018, Trainor revealed that a music video for the song was already filmed. She described it as her favorite music video she had done so far, it will feature her dancing "a lot" and "amazing looks". [4] The official music video was never released. Trainor opened the 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards with a medley of "Can't Dance", "No Excuses" (2018), "Let You Be Right" (2018), "Me Too" (2016) and "All About That Bass" (2014). [15] She performed "Can't Dance" at the 2019 Los Angeles Pride event. Regarding the performance, she stated "My butt was out and about, and the only audience I would be comfortable showing off my body and my ass for is my LGBTQ community because they accept and love me for who I am". [16]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [17]
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
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Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) [14] | 64 |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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Various | May 11, 2018 | Digital download | Epic | [18] |
"Sober" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her second solo studio album, Revival (2015), included as the fifth track on the record. The song was leaked two days prior the album's release, on October 7, 2015, and was originally scheduled to be released as the album's fifth single following "Kill Em with Kindness". Gomez collaborated with songwriters Chloe Angelides, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and Julia Michaels, along with Norwegian duo Tor Hermansen and Mikkel Eriksen, who handled production under their stage name Stargate. Frequent collaborator Dreamlab handled the vocal production as well as background vocals. Driven to create a unique sound for herself, the singer focused on lyrics that reflected personal experiences, along with referencing influential albums of her youth, specifically Christina Aguilera's fourth studio album Stripped (2002).
"Better When I'm Dancin'" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for the soundtrack to the film The Peanuts Movie, based on the popular comic strip of the same name created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. Trainor co-wrote it with Thaddeus Dixon and co-produced it with her brother, Justin. Epic Records released it on October 14, 2015, as the first and only promotional single from the soundtrack. Backed by an instrumentation of salsa-inspired drums, the tropical song has house influences and optimistic lyrics that were inspired by Trainor's fans.
"Boys Like You" is a song by American singer Who Is Fancy, featuring singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and singer Ariana Grande. Fancy co-wrote it with J.R. Rotem, Jason Gantt, and Bob DiPiero, while the former of the three handled production. Republic Records released the song for digital download and streaming as a single on November 23, 2015. The doo-wop and pop song has a beachy vibe and lyrics about Who Is Fancy, Trainor and Grande attempting to court the men they desire.
"No" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). Ricky Reed produced the song and wrote it with Trainor and Jacob Kasher Hindlin; Epic Records released it as the album's lead single on March 4, 2016. A dance-pop song inspired by 1990s pop music and R&B, "No" has lyrics about sexual consent and empowerment, encouraging women to reject unwanted advances from men.
"Watch Me Do" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). It was released on March 25, 2016, to digital download platforms by Epic Records as the album's first promotional single. Produced by Ricky Reed, he co-wrote the song with Trainor, Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Gamal Lewis. "Watch Me Do" is a hip hop-influenced pop song, with lyrics about female empowerment. The track received mixed reviews from music critics, with some of them appreciating its empowering theme but others being critical of Trainor's rapping skills. It was performed during Trainor's The Untouchable Tour (2016).
"Better" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor featuring American rapper Yo Gotti released as the third and final single from Trainor's second major-label studio album Thank You (2016). Trainor, Gotti, Taylor Parks, Travis Sayles, Eric Frederic, Tommy Brown and Steven Franks wrote the song, and the latter three produced it. Initially released as a promotional single, the track was released on August 29, 2016, as the third single from the album. It was well received by critics who considered it a different direction for Trainor.
"Me Too" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). Trainor wrote the song with Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Jason Derulo, Peter Svensson, and its producer, Ricky Reed. Epic Records released it as the album's second single on May 5, 2016. An electro and R&B song with a minimalistic musical bed of a synth bassline, finger snaps, and popping mouth sounds, "Me Too"'s lyrics concern self-love, as Trainor asserts confidence in her looks.
"I'm a Lady" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, for promotion of the film Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017). Trainor and Martin Renea co-wrote the song, and co-produced it alongside the Monsters and the Strangerz. Epic Records released the song for digital download and streaming as a single on February 24, 2017. Backed by percussion-heavy instrumentation, it is a retro-pop song, with the lyrics discussing loving oneself and empowerment. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who noted its anthemic nature and praised the message.
"No Excuses" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on March 1, 2018, as the lead single from her third major-label studio album, Treat Myself (2020). Trainor co-wrote it with Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Andrew Wells, who produced it as well. The track was announced in February 2018 along with its official single artwork. The pop song, with country and R&B influences, has lyrics against sexism. The song received acclaim from music critics, some of whom noted that it was a return to the sound of Trainor's album Title (2015).
"Let You Be Right" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Let You Be Right" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 10, 2018, along with "Can't Dance". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but did not make it to the final cut. Lyrically, the midtempo throwback disco and pop song sees Trainor trying to reach a compromise with a feuding lover.
Treat Myself is the third major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released it on January 31, 2020, after delaying it for over a year from its originally scheduled release date. Trainor worked with producers including Mike Sabath, Tyler Johnson, Ojivolta, and Andrew Wells. Initially inspired by pop artists and her experiences with panic disorder, Trainor rewrote the album to adapt to changing trends in the music industry and the rising popularity of hip-hop. It features guest appearances by Sabath, Nicki Minaj, Lennon Stella, Sasha Sloan, the Pussycat Dolls, and AJ Mitchell.
"Just Got Paid" is a song by English DJ and record producer Sigala, singer Ella Eyre, and American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from the former of the three's debut studio album, Brighter Days (2018). The song features a guest appearance by rapper French Montana. The performers co-wrote it with Steve Manovski, George Astasio, Jon Shave, Nile Rodgers, and Jason Pebworth, with production from Sigala, Manovski and Joakim Jarl. Ministry of Sound Recordings and B1 Recordings released it on 7 September 2018, as the tenth and final single from the album. The funk and electronic dance music song has a disco vibe, "poppy" vocals and its lyrics deal with living a luxurious lifestyle despite not being wealthy.
The Love Train is the second EP by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was released on February 8, 2019 by Epic Records. All of the material on the EP was produced by Andrew Wells, Chris Gelbuda, Tyler Johnson and Trainor. Critics described the lyrics as romantic as they were inspired by Trainor's marriage to Daryl Sabara.
"All the Ways" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. The song was released on June 21, 2018, as a promotional single for the initial intended release of Trainor's third studio album, Treat Myself, and later only appeared on its Target deluxe edition following the album's 2020 release. The song was serviced to hot adult contemporary radio as the lead single from Trainor's second EP, The Love Train, on February 11, 2019.
"With You" is a song by American DJ Kaskade and singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Kaskade and Trainor co-wrote the track with Robert Gerongco, Samuel Gerongco, Terence Lam, Sarah Aarons, Finn Bjarnson, Richard Beynon, and Thomas Shaw, while Kaskade co-produced it with the latter three. Released as a single on June 14, 2019, through Columbia Records, the song is an electropop track. The lyrics talk about emotional conflict and Trainor's partner sending her mixed signals when she could be using her time better.
"Wave" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, featuring producer Mike Sabath, from her third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020). The track, which was written and produced by the duo, was released on September 27, 2019, as the second single from the album. Backed by panoramic piano and ostentatious background vocals, the electropop and house song lyrically tells the story of the emotional fallout of a failed relationship.
"Nice to Meet Ya" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor featuring Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The third and final single of the former's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), they were released on the same day. It was written by the artists alongside Scott Harris and production duo Ojivolta. Backed by an instrumentation of tingling drums and a hip hop beat, the pop and R&B song has feel-good and characteristically confident lyrics.
"Make You Dance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for her third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020). The song was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells, Anthony Rossomando and Grace Barker, while production was handled by Asa Welch. It was released on July 10, 2020, as the lead single from the album's deluxe version and fourth in general through Epic Records.
"What Makes a Woman" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her sixth studio album Smile. It was released as album's first promotional single on August 20, 2020. It was written by Perry, Sarah Hudson, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, John Ryan, and song's producer Johan Carlsson, with additional production by Elvira Anderfjärd. Perry acknowledged that the song was written to her daughter, Daisy Bloom. It received polarized reviews, with most of critics praising Perry's performance and song's production, with lyrics being mainly panned. The track was given with two visuals: acoustic performance published on the same day as the song, and animated video released as a part of The Smile Video Series on September 1, 2020.
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