After performing with some groups in high school, including the Romancers then the West Coast Vocaleers, Bobby Freeman wrote a few songs and recorded them as demos. In his batch was a song called “Do You Want to Dance,” which caught the ear of record executive Mortimer Palitz, who signed him to Jubilee Records.
Once released in 1958, under a subsidiary of Jubilee, Josie Records, “Do You Want to Dance” became an instant hit for Freeman, who was still 17 at the time. The single went to No. 5 on the pop chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart.
Freeman went on to release several more charting hits, and hit the charts again with “Shimmy Shimmy” in 1960 and later on with “C’mon and Swim” in 1964, which was co-written and produced by Sly Stone, who also played guitar and organ on the track.
Videos by American Songwriter
In the early ’60s, it was Freeman’s first hit that continued captivating artists and led to dozens of covers, as “Do You Wanna Dance,” within the decade alone. Bobby Vee was the first to cover it in 1961, and Cliff Richard and The Shadows turned it into a No. 2 hit in the UK a year later. Del Shannon also gave it a go in 1964, along with a other artists, including the Mamas and the Papas in 1966.
By the 70s, were covers of “Do You Wanna Dance” by T. Rex, Bette Midler, Kim Carnes, and more.
Here’s a look behind three more distinct renditions of Freeman’s classic from the mid-1960s through the late ’70s by the Beach Boys, John Lennon, and the Ramones.
The Beach Boys (1965)
Several years after the release of “Do You Want to Dance,” it was on the Beach Boys radar and they who snatched it up and recorded it most faithfully, adding more depth of harmony. Produced, arranged, and conducted by Brian Wilson, brother Dennis Wilson sings lead vocals with everyone else overdubbed in. Released on their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!, their version went to No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the highest charting Beach Boys song featuring Dennis on lead vocals.
John Lennon (1975)
In 1974, John Lennon recorded “Do You Wanna Dance” for his 1975 album Rock ‘N’ Roll. Lennon’s more Caribbean-beat version features May Pank on backing vocals and bassist and graphic artist Klaus Voorman, who had a long association with the Beatles—even designing their Grammy-winning Revolver album cover—and was briefly in Manfred Mann as well as the Plastic Ono Band.
Together with his band, Lennon’s rendition of “Do You Wanna Dance” was the most altered from the original, with its heavier reggae rhythms.
“‘Do You Wanna Dance?’ is the only one that I messed around with a bit more,” said Lennon. “I tried to make it reggae. This one makes you feel happy, but I don’t know if it makes you want to dance, and that’s the problem. It’s definitely different from the original.”
The Ramones (1977)
Influenced by early doo-wop, rock and roll, surf rock, and pop, the Ramones were adept at incorporating each into their punk sound, in their original songs and in their covers including Joe Jones’ “California Sun,” which became a hit for the Rivieras in 1963 and the Searchers’ ‘Needles and Pins” to working up their wall of sound with producer Phil Spector on their 1980 album End of the Century.
On the Ramones’ 1977 album Rocket to Russia, the band also covered “Do You Wanna Dance,” which remains the best punk interpretation of Freeman’s classic hit.
The Ramones also perform “Do You Wanna Dance” in the 1979 film Rock ‘n’ Roll High School.
Photo: Gilles Petard/Redferns
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.