He's the Greatest Dancer
Encyclopedia
"He's the Greatest Dancer" is a disco
song written by Bernard Edwards
and Nile Rodgers
and recorded by Sister Sledge
for their 1979 breakout album We Are Family (1979).
"He's the Greatest Dancer" was sampled by Will Smith
in his 1998 number one hit single Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
.
In 2000 DJ Tony Touch
recorded a version of the song, entitled I Wonder Why? (He's The Greatest DJ) with lyrics sung by Keisha Spivey and Pam Long of R&B girl group Total
.
The song was recorded and released by Dannii Minogue
in 2007 and was an international Top 40 hit.
Nile Rodgers has speculated that this may have been the first occurrence of the now-widespread phenomenon of brands being mentioned in songs.
The music features excellent guitar playing by Rodgers supported by Edward's bass line, Tony Thompson's percussion, Raymond Jones' backing keyboards and orchestration by Gene Orloff's Chic Strings.
as the lead single. When Atlantic Records
wanted a more overtly disco song Edwards and Rodgers gave Sister Sledge "He's the Greatest Dancer" originally intended for Chic
.
Nile Rodgers recalled Sister Sledge being "furious" at being asked to sing the lyric "My crème de la crème please take me home" - "to them that [line] made them seem like loose women" - and suggested a lyric adjustment to "My crème de la crème, please don't go home." Rodgers says he and Edwards refused to change the lyric "because we knew the world that we were writing about obviously more than [Sister Sledge] did because they had never even been in a disco...He ain't going to go home because [he is] the greatest dancer...he's gonna stay there longer than you".
Nile Rodgers later described his and Edwards' approach with Sister Sledge as one of "sing this", and admitted to "misrepresenting" them because Rodgers and Edwards hadn't met Sister Sledge before the sessions.
"He's the Greatest Dancer" was released as the lead single from We Are Family at the end of 1978 crossing over from the clubs - its 12" version was shared by the "We Are Family" and "Lost in Music" tracks" - to R&B radio giving Sister Sledge a number one hit on both Billboard's Dance and R&B charts in March 1979. "He's the Greatest Dancer" reached number nine on the Hot 100 in May; it might have risen higher but that same month Atlantic Records prompted by the overwhelming club response to "We Are Family" sent the last-named track to radio.
"He's the Greatest Dancer" was also a hit in Australia (#22), the Netherlands (#18) and the UK (#6).
of the Sister Sledge
song performed by Australia
n singer Dannii Minogue
. In November 2006, Minogue performed the song on BBC One
's Children in Need
telethon. Later that month a studio version of the song, remixed by Fugitive, appeared on the dance compilation
Clubland 10. The track was recorded as the charity single for that years Children In Need
, but was dropped when Minogue pulled out of Strictly come dancing to do X factor. The single was replaced in favour of a cover of Downtown by former Spice Girl Emma Bunton
. In December 2006, the track was released to dance club
s in the United Kingdom
. It was commercially released in Australia by Central Station Records on April 14, 2007.
In Australia
, "He's the Greatest Dancer" entered the singles chart
on April 29, 2007 at number thirty-seven, and remained on the chart for two weeks. The track was more successful in Spain
, where it reached number nine fourteen weeks after its debut.
Australian CD single
(CSRCD50532; Released )
Official remixes
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
song written by Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
and Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
and recorded by Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge is an American musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1972 and consisting of four sisters: Kim Sledge Debbie Sledge , Joni Sledge , and Kathy Sledge . They are granddaughters of the former opera singer Viola Williams. The sisters used to perform under the name of "Mrs...
for their 1979 breakout album We Are Family (1979).
"He's the Greatest Dancer" was sampled by Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
in his 1998 number one hit single Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a single by Will Smith from his album Big Willie Style. Released in early 1998 and co-written by Nas, it was Smith's first hit produced by Poke & Tone, who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the...
.
In 2000 DJ Tony Touch
Tony Touch
Tony Touch is an American hip hop break dancer, rapper, DJ, producer and actor of Puerto Rican descent.Tony Touch began as a B-boy during the rap music renaissance era of the early 1980s...
recorded a version of the song, entitled I Wonder Why? (He's The Greatest DJ) with lyrics sung by Keisha Spivey and Pam Long of R&B girl group Total
Total (band)
Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
.
The song was recorded and released by Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue
Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
in 2007 and was an international Top 40 hit.
Lyrics and Music
The lyrics were written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers and contain outstanding lines and rhymes such as:Nile Rodgers has speculated that this may have been the first occurrence of the now-widespread phenomenon of brands being mentioned in songs.
The music features excellent guitar playing by Rodgers supported by Edward's bass line, Tony Thompson's percussion, Raymond Jones' backing keyboards and orchestration by Gene Orloff's Chic Strings.
Sister Sledge
Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers who produced the We Are Family album for Sister Sledge originally formulated all its songs with the group in mind envisioning the title cutWe Are Family (song)
"We Are Family" is a 1979 dance hit song by Sister Sledge, composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Rodgers and Edwards offered the song to Atlantic Records; although the record label initially declined, the track was released as a single from the album of the same name and quickly began to...
as the lead single. When Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
wanted a more overtly disco song Edwards and Rodgers gave Sister Sledge "He's the Greatest Dancer" originally intended for Chic
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
.
Nile Rodgers recalled Sister Sledge being "furious" at being asked to sing the lyric "My crème de la crème please take me home" - "to them that [line] made them seem like loose women" - and suggested a lyric adjustment to "My crème de la crème, please don't go home." Rodgers says he and Edwards refused to change the lyric "because we knew the world that we were writing about obviously more than [Sister Sledge] did because they had never even been in a disco...He ain't going to go home because [he is] the greatest dancer...he's gonna stay there longer than you".
Nile Rodgers later described his and Edwards' approach with Sister Sledge as one of "sing this", and admitted to "misrepresenting" them because Rodgers and Edwards hadn't met Sister Sledge before the sessions.
"He's the Greatest Dancer" was released as the lead single from We Are Family at the end of 1978 crossing over from the clubs - its 12" version was shared by the "We Are Family" and "Lost in Music" tracks" - to R&B radio giving Sister Sledge a number one hit on both Billboard's Dance and R&B charts in March 1979. "He's the Greatest Dancer" reached number nine on the Hot 100 in May; it might have risen higher but that same month Atlantic Records prompted by the overwhelming club response to "We Are Family" sent the last-named track to radio.
"He's the Greatest Dancer" was also a hit in Australia (#22), the Netherlands (#18) and the UK (#6).
Dannii Minogue version
"He's the Greatest Dancer" is a cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge is an American musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1972 and consisting of four sisters: Kim Sledge Debbie Sledge , Joni Sledge , and Kathy Sledge . They are granddaughters of the former opera singer Viola Williams. The sisters used to perform under the name of "Mrs...
song performed by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n singer Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue
Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
. In November 2006, Minogue performed the song on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
telethon. Later that month a studio version of the song, remixed by Fugitive, appeared on the dance compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Clubland 10. The track was recorded as the charity single for that years Children In Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
, but was dropped when Minogue pulled out of Strictly come dancing to do X factor. The single was replaced in favour of a cover of Downtown by former Spice Girl Emma Bunton
Emma Bunton
Emma Lee Bunton is an English pop singer/songwriter and TV and radio presenter. She was a member of the 1990s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member. In 2010, she joined the judging panel on ITV's Dancing on Ice...
. In December 2006, the track was released to dance club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was commercially released in Australia by Central Station Records on April 14, 2007.
Chart performance
"He's the Greatest Dancer" reached number one on the UK Upfront Club Chart in December 2006 and became Minogue's eleventh club number one in the country. The track also reached number one on the Commercial Pop Chart.In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, "He's the Greatest Dancer" entered the singles chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
on April 29, 2007 at number thirty-seven, and remained on the chart for two weeks. The track was more successful in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where it reached number nine fourteen weeks after its debut.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "He's the Greatest Dancer".Australian CD single
(CSRCD50532; Released )
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (LMC edit) - 3:05
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (LMC extended) - 5:55
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (Chris LakeChris LakeChris Lake is a Scottish House music DJ/producer who lives in West London. Lake first became recognized for his bootleg remixes of The Prodigy's "Climbatize", Leftfield's "Phat Planet", and Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams". which he did under the alias "Cristophe D'Abuc". His 2006 track with vocals from...
remix) - 6:29 - "He's the Greatest Dancer" (ShapeshiftersShapeshifters (band)The Shapeshifters are Simon Marlin and Max Reich, a house music production duo based in London, England. They have a recording contract with Defected Records, and were previously signed to Positiva...
remix) - 5:41 - "He's the Greatest Dancer" (Kenny Hayes Dub Addiction remix) - 5:49
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (Riffs & Rays mix) - 8:19
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (Sebastien Leger Electro Vocal mix) - 8:51
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (Fugitive Club mix) - 5:20
Official remixes
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" (Sebastien Leger Electro Dub mix)
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
37 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 9 |