The Dance (song)

"The Dance"
Single by Garth Brooks
from the album Garth Brooks
B-side	"If Tomorrow Never Comes"
Released	April 30, 1990
Format	CD single, 7" 45 RPM
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	Country
Length	3:37
Label	Capitol Nashville 44629
Writer(s)	Tony Arata
Producer(s)	Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks singles chronology
"Not Counting You" (1990) "The Dance" (1990) "Friends in Low Places" (1990)

"The Dance" is a song written and composed by Tony Arata, and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks as the tenth and final track from his self-titled debut album, from which it was also released as the album's fourth and final single in April 1990. It is considered by many to be Brooks' signature song.^[1] In a 2015 interview with Patrick Kielty of BBC Radio 2, Brooks credits the back to back success of both "The Dance" and its follow up "Friends In Low Places" for his phenomenal success.

Background

At the opening of the music video, Brooks explains that the song is written with a double meaning - both as a love song about the end of a passionate relationship, and a story of someone dying because of something he believes in, after a moment of glory.

• Key: G Major
• Length - 3:42

Music video

The song's music video, directed by John Lloyd Miller,^[2] shows several American icons and examples of people who died for a dream. These include archive footage of the following:

• Lane Frost - World Champion Bull rider, who was killed in 1989 by the bull he rode for a full eight seconds during a rodeo.
• Keith Whitley - Country singer who died in 1989 from alcohol poisoning. The Whitley scenes featured his then-wife Lorrie Morgan.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. - Baptist minister who is best known for his involvement in the American civil rights movement and was assassinated in 1968.
• The crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, shortly before it disintegrated after its launch in 1986.
• John Fitzgerald Kennedy - President of the United States who was assassinated in 1963.
• John Wayne - Film actor best known for his roles in Westerns.

It was awarded Video of the Year at the 1990 ACM Music Awards.^[2]

Release and reception

Released near the beginning of his career, "The Dance" was a big hit single around the world, including the United States, Europe, Ireland, etc., charting inside the British pop Top 40 . In 1990, it was titled both Song of the Year and Video of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. It was awarded the #14 position in the CMT 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music broadcast in 2003 and also the #5 position on the network's The Greatest: 100 Greatest Music Videos special in 2004.

In a 1994 Playboy interview, Brooks said, "unless I am totally surprised, The Dance will be the greatest success as a song we will ever do. I'll go to my grave with The Dance. It'll probably always be my favorite song."^[3]

In 2001, after the death of Dale Earnhardt, Brooks was invited to the NASCAR Awards Ceremony that was honoring Earnhardt to play the song as a tribute.^{[4] [5]} The song has been used as several country stations' last song before changing formats. It was also the second song to be played on UK station Country 1035, the first being another Brooks number.

On 6 February 2014, "The Dance" was performed by Brooks on the final episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC.

Track listing

US 7" promotional single Capitol Nashville NR-44629, 1990

1. "The Dance" - 3:37
2. "The Dance"

US 7" Jukebox single Liberty S7-17441-A, 1990

1. "The Dance" - 3:41
2. "If Tomorrow Never Comes"

UK CD single Capitol CDCLS-735, 1993
Disc 1

1. "The Dance"
2. "Friends in Low Places"
3. "Victim of the Game"
4. "Kickin' & Screamin'

Disc 2

1. "The Dance"
2. "Friends in Low Places"
3. "The River" (Live acoustic version)

Chart positions

Year-end charts

Other cover versions

• Jazz musician Dave Koz recorded it for his 1999 album, The Dance.
• Michael Ball recorded it for his 2000 album This Time It's Personal.
• In 2006, the song was recorded by Westlife and included on their album, The Love Album.
• Mindy McCready recorded it for her 2010 album, I'm Still Here.
• Janelle Arthur during the twelfth season of American Idol.

Rockell version

"The Dance"
Single by Rockell
from the album Instant Pleasure
Released	September 5, 2000
Format	CD, Digital download
Genre	Freestyle, Dance
Length	4:04
Label	Robbins Entertainment
Rockell singles chronology
"When I'm Gone" (1999) "The Dance" (2000) "What U Did 2 Me" (2001)

"The Dance" is the fifth single in the overall discography of American freestyle recording artist Rockell, and a cover version of the chart single performed by Garth Brooks. (See above.) It is the first single she released from her second album, Instant Pleasure. There was no video made for this single.

Track listing

US CD Single

Chart positions

References

1. ↑ Brooks, Garth. "Biography". Garth Brooks Official Website. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 11 July 2014. 
2. 1 2 http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=4485
3. ↑ Playboy Interview: Garth Brooks, by Steve Pond ~ June 1994, PlanetGarth.com
4. ↑ "The Dance - Tribute to Dale Earnhardt". Retrieved 17 February 2015. 
5. ↑ "A Tribute To Dale Earnhardt Discussion, 2014". Racing Forums. Retrieved 17 February 2015. 
6. ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 1274." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 21, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
7. ↑ http://books.google.ca/books?id=-BEEAAAAMBAJ&lr=&rview=1
8. ↑ http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement
9. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19940417/41/
10. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/garth%20brooks/
11. ↑ "Garth Brooks – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Garth Brooks.
12. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1990". RPM. December 22, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013. 
13. ↑ "Best of 1990: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013. 

External links

• "The Dance" Lyrics
• CMT's 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music
• CMT's The Greatest: 100 Greatest Music Videos