3 One-Hit Wonders That Were Intentionally Made for Dancing

Sometimes you just have to shake your sillies out and groove your giggles out. And when you have a fever to dance, sometimes the best prescription is a few one-hit wonders to put a smile on your face and get your feet-a-flying. After all, some of the best one-hit wonders were literally made for getting down on the dance floor.

Videos by American Songwriter

Here below, we wanted to explore three such songs. A trio of tracks that were written intentionally to get you to move your groove thang. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders that were intentionally made for dancing.

[RELATED: 3 One-Hit Wonders from the 1970s Fans Can’t Stop Singing to]

“Bust a Move” by Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin’ (1989)

With a title like “Bust a Move,” you know what’s coming. Dancing, dancing and more dancing. To some, the ability to dance and wow an audience is more than a talent, it’s a necessity. And on this 1989 track from Young MC and his 1989 LP Stone Cold Rhymin’, that seems to be the case. He wows with entertaining, catchy lyricism. And then he gives you your assignment: Dance to the rhythm and impress those of us watching. The entire music video is a dance party. And on the tune, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, Young MC raps,

This here’s a jam for all the fellas
Tryin’ to do what those ladies tell us
Get shot down ’cause you’re overzealous
Play hard to get, females get jealous
Ok, smarty, go to a party
Girls are scantily clad and showin’ body
A chick walks by you wish you could sex her
But you’re standin’ on the wall like you was Poindexter

Next day’s function, high class luncheon
Food is served and you’re stone cold munchin’
Music comes on, people start to dance
But then you ate so much you nearly split your pants
A girl starts walkin’, guys start gawkin’
Sits down next to you and starts talkin’
Says she wanna dance ’cause she likes the groove
So come on, fatso, and just bust a move

“The Hustle” by Van McCoy from Disco Baby (1975)

From its opening words, this song implores you to dance. In fact, the only lyrics are DO IT and DO THE HUSTLE! This song makes it clear there is one mission here and that’s to dance the appropriate dance. The hustle. While electric guitars are strummed and everything from flutes to trumpets play on, we see in the song’s music video below dozens of people movin’ what their mamas gave them. All the while, the directions come in from above,

Do it!
Do it!
Do it!

Do the Hustle!
Do the Hustle!

Do the Hustle!
Do the Hustle!

“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats from Rhythm of Youth (1982)

This song literally prioritizes dancing over even things like friendship or personal stability. The idea, it would seem, is to take control of how you want to live your life. To be safe in and with yourself (along with any other like-minded folks). And the metaphor the Canadian-born band Men Without Hats uses for this lifestyle is dancing. Dancing safely. “The Safety Dance!” And while this remains one of the oddest one-hit wonders in in history, it’s catchy and terrific nevertheless. On the song, lead vocalist Ivan Doroschuk sings,

We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
‘Cause your friends don’t dance and if they don’t dance
Well, they’re no friends of mine

Say, we can go where we want to
A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind

(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)