| "Dancerama" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Sigue Sigue Sputnik | ||||
| from the album Dress for Excess | ||||
| B-side | "Barbarandroid" | |||
| Released | 13 March 1989 [1] | |||
| Recorded | 1988 | |||
| Genre | Synth-pop | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Neal Whitmore | |||
| Sigue Sigue Sputnik singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Dancerama" is a song by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik released in March 1989 as the second single from their second album Dress for Excess . It peaked at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart. [2]
"Dancerama" was originally recorded in 1986. This early rough version was only released as the B-side to the 7-inch single "Sex Bomb Boogie" that was only released in Germany. [3] This version then remained rare until it was included on the 2020 expanded re-release of Flaunt It . [4]
Several different versions of the song were released as singles. The 7-inch release features a remix of "Dancerama" by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. [5] The B-side "Barbarandroid" was also remixed by Taylor; however, this is not credited on the single. Three 12-inch singles were released. The first features, alongside the two 7-inch tracks, an extended version of "Dancerama". [6] The second 12-inch release features the same 12" extended version, but it is subtitled 'Kashmir Remix'. It also has a remix of "Dancerama" that prominently features a saxophone, subtitled 'Saxy Remix'. Both of these versions were remixed by Neal X and Tony James at Abbey Road Studios on 1 February 1989. [7] The final 12-inch release is a picture disc which contains five tracks, of which the final one is a hidden untitled track, lasting less than a minute. The first track is an introduction lasting two minutes and the second is the 7-inch remix of "Dancerama". The third is another remix of the track by Stephen W. Tayler, titled 'Album Mix Extended', and the fourth track is "Barbarandroid". [8] A CD single was also released that features the 7-inch remix, the 12-inch extended and the 'Album Mix Extended' versions. "Barbarandroid" was not included on the release, although it is incorrectly listed on the insert. [9]
Described by James as "cartoon manga like", two versions of the cover artwork were released. Both were conceived by James and designed and created by the Bill Smith Studio. The 7-inch single, CD single and the first 12-inch single feature the subtitle '[Or is it love!]' on the cover with a cartoon of two characters kissing. [6] However, the cover of the second 12-inch release features the subtitle '[Or is it sex?]', with the explicit image (partially censored) of these two characters having sex. [7]
The inspiration for the music video was the 1962 sci-fi featurette La Jetée and was suggested by Janet Street-Porter, who at the time was going out with Tony James. It was filmed in Paris by Mark LeBon. [10] [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Number One |   [12] |
Reviewing for Record Mirror , Tim Nicholson wrote "The Sputnik Corporation seems to be going into liquidation if this criminally limp excuse for a bit of plastic is anything to go by. Barry Blue may have got away with it 15 years ago, but Tony James really should know better. Perhaps if they sacked Dogville (ugly and tone deaf – I'm impressed), they might finally find what they've been looking for". [13] The reviewer for the Huddersfield Daily Examiner wrote "I hate to admit it, but I don't find this throbbing love song – laced with a luscious layer of guitar-topping – half as nauseating as I hoped it would be". [14] Reviewed in the Cambridge Evening News , the song was described as "by their own pitifully low standards, a neat and catchy song moving at a gentle, but effective pace". [15]
7": Parlophone / SSS 5
12": Parlophone / 12 SSS 5
12": Parlophone / 12 SSSX 5
12": Parlophone / 12 SSSPD 5
CD: Parlophone / CD SSS 5
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [16] | 23 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [2] | 50 |
Anthony Eric James is an English pop musician and record producer, who was the bassist for the 1970s–1980s bands Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik and the Sisters of Mercy.
"The Future" is a song from American musician Prince's 1989 Batman soundtrack, and the final single released from the album. The single was not the album version, but a remixed version by S'Express' Mark Moore and William Orbit. "The Future" was released as a single only in Europe. The standard European 7-inch single was backed with the album version of "Electric Chair", but on the maxi-single, "Electric Chair" was also remixed by Moore and Orbit. Moore and Orbit's remix of "The Future" is house-inspired, whereas Prince's original is minimalistic. Moore and Orbit substituted a muted, pulsating beat in place of the original elements of Prince's song. Moore and Orbit also removed Prince's original bassline, synthline, and snippets of sampled dialogue. This would be the last time Orbit would work with Prince for several years. In most countries, neither "The Future" nor its B-side were a hit on the pop or dance floors. The single peaked at #9 in the Dutch charts.
"Useless" is a song by English electronic music group Depeche Mode, released on 20 October 1997 as the fourth and final single from their ninth studio album, Ultra (1997). It was released with "Home" as a double A-side in the United States due to "Useless" getting airplay on US radio stations before "Home" was announced. "Useless" features a bass contribution performed by bassist Doug Wimbish, known for his session work and as a member of Living Color.
"Just" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, included on their second album, The Bends (1995). It was released as a single on 21 August 1995 and reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.
Martin Degville is the lead vocalist and co-songwriter of the British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, which had a worldwide hit single in 1986 with "Love Missile F1-11" and six other EMI single releases. Sigue Sigue Sputnik was formed with ex-Generation X bassist Tony James.
Flaunt It is the debut studio album by British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released on 28 July 1986 by Parlophone. The album featured remixes of their hit singles "Love Missile F1-11" and "21st Century Boy" and peaked at number 10 on the UK Albums Chart.
"Heart" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). It was released as the album's fourth and final single on 21 March 1988 by Parlophone. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in April 1988, becoming the duo's fourth and final chart-topper to date in the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by Jack Bond and filmed in Yugoslavia. The group had initially written the song for Madonna, though they never asked her to record it, instead keeping it for themselves.
"New York, New York" is a song by American electronica musician Moby. The song features guest vocals by Debbie Harry. It was released as the first and only single from his compilation album Go – The Very Best of Moby on October 23, 2006.
"Jealousy" is a song originally written in 1982 by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, recorded for their fourth studio album, Behaviour (1990). It was released on 27 May 1991 as the album's fourth and final single in a slightly remixed form, which appears on both Pet Shop Boys' greatest hits albums. It has also been covered by British band Dubstar, and was performed by Robbie Williams at the Pet Shop Boys' 2006 BBC Radio 2 concert at the Mermaid Theatre, a recording of which was released on the Pet Shop Boys' live album Concrete.
"Love Missile F1-11" is the debut single by the British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in 1986 from their debut studio album Flaunt It. It was the band's biggest hit, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart. The track was produced by Giorgio Moroder, after Prince rejected a request to oversee production, complaining the track was "too violent." The band approached Moroder due to his work on a number of Hollywood film scores, as well as his early Donna Summer records, with the latter inspiring the band's trademark repetitive, synthetic bass sound.
"Pretty Green Eyes" is a song originally written and recorded by Force & Styles featuring Junior. A remixed version appeared on their debut album, All Over the UK (1996), and the song was released as a 12-inch single in 1997. The song achieved mainstream popularity in 2003 when it was covered by Ultrabeat and peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Dress for Excess is the second album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in December 1988 in Brazil and in April 1989 in the UK and US.
"One More Chance" is a song by English electronic music duo Pet Shop Boys, first released as their second single in 1984 and re-recorded for their second album Actually in 1987. The track was originally credited to Neil Tennant and producer Bobby Orlando, before Chris Lowe wrote additional music for the album version.
"21st Century Boy" is a song by the British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in May 1986 and is the second single from their debut studio album Flaunt It. It was the band's second biggest hit, peaking at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Sex Bomb Boogie" is a song by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released as single from their debut album Flaunt It. It was only released as a vinyl single in Germany and as a video-only in the UK.
"Rockit Miss U.S.A" is a song by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released as a single in October 1986 under the pseudonym Sci-Fi Sex Stars. It was released as a double A-sided single with "Teenage Thunder" and peaked at number 121 on the UK Singles Chart.
This is the discography of British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
"Success" is a song by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik released in November 1988 as the lead single from their second album Dress for Excess. It peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Albinoni vs Star Wars" is a song by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik released in May 1989 as the third single from their second album Dress for Excess. It was their last single to chart, peaking at number 75 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Rio Rocks" is a song by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik released in July 1989 as the fourth and final single from their second album Dress for Excess. It was the last single released before the band split and failed to make the UK Singles Chart Top 100, though bubbled under, peaking at number 104.