I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin'

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"I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin'"
Single by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
B-side "I Tried"
ReleasedJuly 25, 1968
RecordedJune 1, 1968, June 3, 1968, June 28, 1968 & July 2, 1968
Studio Hitsville USA, Detroit, RCA Victor's Music Center of the World, Hollywood
Genre R&B
Length2:38
Label Gordy
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Deke Richards
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas singles chronology
"I Promise to Wait My Love"
(1968)		"I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin'"
(1968)		"Sweet Darlin'"
(1968)

"I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin'" is a 1968 psychedelic soul single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas (credited as Martha Reeves & the Vandellas).

Contents

Background

It's notable for featuring background vocals by the Andantes (who had been in a succession of Vandellas singles since "My Baby Loves Me") and Syreeta Wright, who had recently signed to the Motown label and was dating Motown artist Stevie Wonder, at the time. The song talked about how one woman's musician boyfriend leaving her with questions about how he was running off without giving the woman a hint of what he was exactly doing. Reeves would later say that the reason why the chorus was sung by Wright and not by Reeves was because she and the Vandellas had a touring schedule that did not allowed her to re-record the chorus, which had been changed with different music. The original recording circulates among collectors, but Reeves can be heard singing the new chorus with Wright and the Andantes in the end of the song, on the mix that was finally released.

Chart performance

The song nearly returned the group to the top 40 on the Billboard singles chart peaking at number 42 and reaching number 24 on the R&B singles chart. [1]

Credits

Beatmasters version

"Hey DJ/I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing"
Single by the Beatmasters featuring Betty Boo
from the album Anywayawanna
A-side "Ska Train"
Released1989
Length3:13
Label Rhythm King
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) The Beatmasters
The Beatmasters singles chronology
"Who's in the House"
(1989)		"Hey DJ/I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing" / "Ska Train"
(1989)		"Warm Love"
(1989)
Betty Boo singles chronology
"Hey DJ/I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing" / "Ska Train"
(1989)		"Doin' the Do"
(1990)

British electronic music group the Beatmasters produced a cover of the song with vocals from British singer Betty Boo, titled "Hey DJ/I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing" (also formatted as "Hey DJ/I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)"). This version contains additional writing from Beatmasters members Paul Carter, Manda Glanfield, and Richard Walmsley, as well as from Boo herself. [2] It was released as the fourth single from the Beatmasters' debut album, Anywayawanna , in 1989, as a double A-side with "Ska Train".

In the United Kingdom, the Beatmasters' version peaked at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart. [3] It also reached No. 10 in New Zealand, [4] No. 14 in the Netherlands, [5] and No. 17 in Ireland. [6] In the United States, it reached No. 8 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart and No. 13 on the Billboard 12-inch Singles Sales chart. [7] [8]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1989–1991)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [9] 88
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [10] 35
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [11] 25
Ireland (IRMA) [6] 17
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [5] 16
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [12] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [4] 10
UK Singles (OCC) [3] 7
US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [7] 8
US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [8] 13
West Germany (GfK) [13] 93

Year-end charts

Chart (1989)Position
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [14] 100
UK Singles (OCC) [15] 73

References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 378.
  2. ↑ Hey DJ/I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing / Ska Train (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Rhythm King. 1989. LEFT 34.
  3. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "The Beatmasters feat. Betty Boo – Hey DJ - I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing) / Ska Train". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  6. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hey DJ". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Betty Boo Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Betty Boo Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  9. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  10. ↑ "The Beatmasters feat. Betty Boo – Hey DJ - I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing) / Ska Train" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media . Vol. 6, no. 36. September 9, 1989. p. V.
  12. ↑ "The Beatmasters feat. Betty Boo – Hey DJ - I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing) / Ska Train" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Beatmasters feat. Betty Boo – Hey DJ - I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing) / Ska Train" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1989" (in Dutch). MegaCharts . Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Year End Singles". Record Mirror . January 27, 1990. p. 44.
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