Dance Hall Days
1982 single by Wang Chung
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Dance Hall Days" is a song by the English new wave band Wang Chung. It was originally released as a single in 1982 when the band was called Huang Chung, then it was re-recorded and released a year later in 1983 for their second studio album, Points on the Curve (1984). It was the band's only single to enter the top 40 in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 21. In the United States, it reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80.
- "Why Do You Laugh?" (1982)
- "There Is a Nation" (1984)
- October 1982 (original)
- 30 December 1983 (re-recorded)[1]
| "Dance Hall Days" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by Wang Chung | ||||
| from the album Points on the Curve | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released |
| |||
| Studio | Abbey Road (London) (re-recorded version) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producers |
| |||
| Wang Chung singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"Dance Hall Days" | ||||
Music videos
Two different music videos were made to promote the single. The first version of the video, directed by Derek Jarman,[4] is a collection of home movies[5] with the majority of the archive footage consisting of a stage show with swimmers and fountains, and other World War II-era material. The footage is courtesy of the director's father, who was one of the first people to use a colour home movie camera.[citation needed] The toddler in the home movie footage is the director himself as a child.[6] The home movies are interspersed amid footage of Jack, Nick, and Darren, lip-synching and playing the violin. The band are also dressed up as characters from The Wizard of Oz at the end of the video, with Jack Hues as the Tin Man, Nick Feldman as the Scarecrow, and Darren Costin as the Cowardly Lion.
The second version of the video is a fantasy concept set in the 1940s, the heyday of dance halls. The video begins in black and white, with Jack Hues stopping in front of a closed-down hall, setting down the suitcase he carries, and picking up a flyer. The scene shifts to colour, featuring the band performing in the packed hall with the backing of a big band as couples dance. Later, a disco ball descends to the floor and breaks open, allowing a mirror-covered dancer to emerge. The video ends in black and white, with Hues walking past the hall and down the street; he leaves his suitcase behind, but it sprouts legs and hurries off after him.
The second video was nominated for Best New Artist at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, losing to "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics.[7]
Track listings
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dance Hall Days" | 3:58 |
| 2. | "There Is a Nation" | 3:37 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dance Hall Days (remix)" | 8:02 |
| 2. | "There Is a Nation" | 3:37 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dance Hall Days (orchestral version)" | 4:22 |
| 2. | "Dance Hall Days (Daniele Baldelli & DJ Rocca vocal remix)" | 5:27 |
| 3. | "Dance Hall Days (Kim and Buran disco mix)" | 6:13 |
| 4. | "Dance Hall Days (Psychemagik remix)" | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Dance Hall Days (orcapella)" | 4:05 |
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[35] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[36] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[37] 2004 release |
Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||