8/6/10 – The “Do You Want To Dance” Cat Fight
Posted: August 6th, 2010 | Author: Matt The Cat | Filed under: Rock n' Roll | Tags: Friday Night Cat Fight, Matt The Cat, Podcast, Rock & Roll | 15 Comments »Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast
“Do You Want To Dance”
Put on your dancin’ shoes for this week’s Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast over the classic rock n’ roll tune, “Do You Want To Dance.” This week, all six of the versions in competition made the pop charts. Of course, some did much better than others, but they all cracked the Hot 100. So I really think we have an even playing ground. Bobby Freeman wrote the tune and scored its biggest hit to date with his 1958 original. The Beach Boys came close to Freeman chart-wise as did Bette Midler (the song that really launched her career). Del Shannon, The Mamas & The Papas and The Ramones all did their own unique versions of the tune, even if they didn’t chart as high.
So listen to the podcast, dig the tunes and VOTE for the one you DIG THE MOST!
Loading ...
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Stephanie Romanski, Matt The Cat. Matt The Cat said: All 6 charting versions of "Do You Want To Dance" (Freeman to The Ramones) compete for your vote on this week's… http://fb.me/G4uNRzlX […]
Bette Midler and The Mamas & The Papas were both very romantic versions, but I have to vote for Bobby Freeman’s original version. The Ramones version was really enjoyable also. Once again Thank You Matt for sharing your personal time and music expertise with us.
I liked the classic Mamas & Papas version and found the Beach Boys to be over produced. But none of them stood up to the original – go Bobby Freeman…
I voted for Del Shannon, although I also liked Bobby Freeman’s and the M’s & P’s versions. This song can be a romantic dance in the dark, or a rocker for an all-night party. Thanks again, MTC, for taking the time to keep the FNCF tradition going from the real XM days.
Do You Want To Dance ? Not really but my vote will go to the over produced Beach Boys and the reason i did not put down a comment on last weeks Cat Fight because of the negative vibes put out there by T.C. and it blew me away that a guy like Matt that beautiful Cat does this for us and he nit picks with that statement of his is just not right. Remember Matt is not payed for this and if you people don’t like it just don’t listen and put down Matt as well as everyone else that enjoys this little nugget called the Friday Night Cat Fight whether its two tunes or seven tunes it still Matt trying his best to entertain us and every one knows that home runs are not hit every at bat so to T. C. come back and give your self a chance to just enjoy what Matt does for all of us Beautiful People !! Yum Yum P.S. T.C. i like people who comment on the comment page even if i totally disagree so keep on commenting !!
Had to go with the Beach Boys thanks to Matt the Cats informing that (RIP) Dennis was the lead singer. Without that – was a toss up between the BB’s and the great original. But I would have to say the extra special John Lennon version was just marvelous!!!
Nobody can do it like the original, Bobby Freeman
Bobby Freeman did it well, but I but the bongo thing going on there always bugged me a bit. Del took the song into the garage, the Boys took it to the beach, Mamas & Papas took it out back for a smoke, Bette took it into the bushes and had her way with it and the Ramones slapped it around and did a few lines with it.
In the end, Del’s da man.
Re: last week’s negative comment by a certain party….it’s clearly not an opinion held by the majority of us. Perhaps that person was having an off day. I suggest an enema.
Well stated timevac3, although my take would be that Del needs a new keyboard, the Beach Boys need to stop playing with the volume button, the Mamas and Papas need to get off drugs, Bette needs to get out of the elevator and the Ramones…well they need a few bongos and they would have gotten my vote, without them it was Bobby Freeman all the way. Cool version, creepy bongo sound and yes it made me want to dance.
Great renditions of the song. When it first came out I bought Bobby Freeman’s record but later added the Beach Boys’ and Del Shannon’s to the collection, loved them all. The Mamas and Papa’s version does not do it for me. Ramones do a good job and Bette is very seductive. So my pick is, when I am asked “Do I want to dance”, I’ll fast dance to the Beach Boys and slow dance to Bette but in the end, surf’s up for the Beach Boys.
Even though I voted for Bobby Freeman’s version because he authored and recorded the song. I saw the Beach Boys perform live back in 2008 at Wilkes Community College
in Wilkesboro, NC on the Doc & Merle Watson Stage. Mike Love & Bruce Johnston are the only ones still left in the group. They did “Do You Wanna Dance?”
and I was pleasantly surprised how they stayed with the original licks as possible.
Even though Brian Wilson did a fantastic
job with his “wall of sound” (Phil Spector)
with the many instruments that he used in the background is still unsurpassed in my opinion.
Matt: What happened to Johnny Rivers?
Hi Robert,
Johnny Rivers didn’t make the charts with his version. This week, I only played the six “charting” versions of “Do You Want To Dance.”
Soulfully,
MTC
Sorry I’m late to the party as usual this summer. For my money, Bobby nailed the lead vocal and the writing, of course, but I like a little more production myself, so I voted for the Beach Boys and Brian’s Phil-Spector-Wall-O-Sound tribute arrangement. I never knew or forgot it was Dennis on lead there, though I shoulda realized it had to be either Dennis or Al ’cause that sure isn’t Brian, Mike, or Carl on lead, and I figure Barbara Ann guest lead Dean Torrence was busy that night.
And Yum Yum, peace out, ’cause it’s all cool. Nobody makes everybody happy, and maybe TC himself just had a bad day. Sometimes we all hit that Submit button without realizing how something will come across. He got cat-fight mauled pretty badly himself.
I liked the Beach Boys’ version, but I had to go with the Bobby Freeman original. The fast pacing and simple production give Freeman’s version a lot of energy, or maybe they stay out of the way of Freeman’s energy. Of the three slower versions (including John Lennon’s), my favorite is the one by the Mamas and the Papas, which pretty much drops the “dance” euphemism. Another great collection of songs — great work as always.