We Dance On
Encyclopedia
"We Dance On" is a song
performed
by British hip hop
group N-Dubz
, released as the group's eleventh overall single
and the lead single from their third studio album, Love.Live.Life
. The song was also the second single released from the soundtrack
to the film StreetDance .
duo Bodyrox
. It contains a prominent sample
from the "Canon in D Major" (1919) which was composed
by Johann Pachelbel
. The song was co-written
and co-produced
by the members of N-Dubz and Bodyrox. Additional vocals are provided by British recording artists Luciana
and Nick Clow, both artists have also been credited as being involved in co-writing the song. "We Dance On" was released on 20 May 2010 in Ireland and on 23 May 2010 in the United Kingdom, accompanied by previous N-Dubz single "Strong Again
" as its b-side. The song was written to portray dancing as a metaphor
for working through the trials and tribulations of everyday life. It is a mid-tempo
British hip hop, dance-pop
and R&B
song whose lyrics
evoke a message of resilience, overcoming prejudices and maintaining faith to pursue your dreams. "We Dance On" has been critically acclaimed for its warm, inspirational, diverse and urban pop nature. The accompanying music video
does not feature N-Dubz or Bodyrox in it. Instead, the video takes place in a dance hall
where teenagers and young children star in resemblance of N-Dubz. The song reached the top ten in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the UK R&B Chart
. It is N-Dubz's highest-peaking single in Ireland, second highest-peaking single in the United Kingdom and eighth top ten hit on the UK R&B Chart to-date. N-Dubz performed the song on television programme The Dome
in Stuttgart
, Germany
.
"We Dance On" was released as the official second theme from the film StreetDance 3D
, following "Candy
" by Aggro Santos
featuring Kimberly Wyatt
, and was also the first consecutive single from Love.Live.Life
. The song
is played at the end of the film with The Surge, played by Flawless
, and The Breakpoint, played by Diversity
, dancing out to it. "We Dance On" was co-written
and co-produced
by the members of N-Dubz and Bodyrox. The song features additional vocals and co-writing contributions from British recording artist
Luciana
and her partner Nick Clow. Clow and Luciana have previously collaborated with Bodyrox on a number of Bodyrox's singles, namely "Yeah Yeah
" (2006) and "What Planet You On?
" (2008). "We Dance On" samples
the "Canon in D Major" composed
by Baroque
composer Johann Pachelbel
in 1680 and published
in 1911. The "Canon in D Major" was sampled as the song's string section
and orchestra
l backing to add "classical
spice" to the diverse nature of musical styles
incorporated in "We Dance On". The song was written to capture the euphoria of StreetDance 3D by lyrically
being about overcoming prejudices and pursuing your dreams. While musically, the song was written to incorporate a diverse variety of styles in the same way the film incorporates a diverse variety of dance and musical styles. American singer Luciana
recorded her own version of the song, which can be heard on the movie's official website. "We Dance On" was first released in Ireland on 20 May 2010, via digital download
. A physical CD release
was planned for May 24, 2010 in the United Kingdom. The CD single, however, failed to surface, and instead the single was released as a digital download only on May 23, 2010. A CD single was eventually released in Germany
on May 28.
, dance
and R&B
song
with a dance-orientated beat
. "We Dance On" has a distinctly faster tempo than previous N-Dubz singles. The song opens with the Baroque
-styled string section
sample
which transitions into Dappy saying the N-Dubz trademark line "Na-na-nai". Tulisa
is the most prominent contributor to the vocals in the song, with her verse "Fox on a mission" being said by critics as one of the highlights in the track. "We Dance On" was described by Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror as having "unifying floorfiller" and crowd-pleasing attributes to it. The song's chorus
"I know everything's gonna be alright/Now you're standing here by my side" and chant
s have been likened to the music released by reggae musician Bob Marley
, namely his song "No Woman, No Cry
" (1974). The sampled string section has also been interperated as having influences from The Farm
's "All Together Now
" (1990). "We Dance On" is set in the time signature
of common time with a metronome of 156 beats per minute. It is composed
in the key of D minor
. The song's backing string section follows a chord progression
of D-A-Bm-Fm-G-D-G-A. Lyrically
, "We Dance On" is written in the first person
and contains a theme of resilience. The track was inspired to portray dancing as a metaphor
for working through the trials and tribulations of everyday life. The track refers to overcoming prejudices and maintaining faith to pursue your dreams.
at number nine. It was the second highest new entry for the week behind Eminem
's "Not Afraid
" which debuted at number three. The single became N-Dubz' first top ten hit and highest charting single in Ireland to-date. It went on to spend a total of six weeks on the chart after dropping out the chart's top fifty on 8 July 2010. On 5 June 2010, "We Dance On" debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart
. It in turn became N-Dubz' second highest charting single as solo artists to-date, behind "I Need You
" which debuted at number five in 2009. The single spent two weeks within the top ten after dropping to number eight the following week. It has since spent a total of eight weeks within the top forty and nine weeks within the top seventy-five.
), that has a small part in the movie tries to join their dance crew but he is ignored because they are all watching an older boy street dance. The younger boy sits by himself and eventually gets up and starts street dancing by himself, the members of the dance crew see him and decide to watch him dance instead. The older boy shakes his hands and everyone starts cheering. Scenes from the movie are shown throughout the video, including Britain's Got Talent
winners, Diversity
and George Sampson
and also contestants Flawless.
gave "We Dance On" a four out of five rating. He felt that when N-Dubz teamed up with Bodyrox for their soundtrack
contribution to StreetDance 3D
, they clearly took on board what the film was all about: overcoming prejudices and, the merging of diverse styles of music
and dance. Copsey said, "Much like the film itself, 'We Dance On' features an assortment of different influences that might seem contradictory on paper, but inevitably work out for the best in the end." He noted that the verses about pursuing your dreams like a "fox on a mission" and "the big, Bob Marley
-inspired chorus
- "I know everything's gonna be alright/Now you're standing here by my side" will surely tug at the heartstrings of the song
's listener. Copsey went on to say that the track "leaves you feeling warm, fuzzy and [...] better inside." BBC
s Fraser McAlpine felt that "We Dance On" was capable of bringing it's listener to tears with, "massive churning string section
" from Johann Pachelbel
's "Canon in D Major" and few "everything's gonna be alright" chant
s. McAlpine noted that the string section contains influences from The Farm
's "All Together Now
" (1990). He went on to interpret the song's chants as being inspired by Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry
" (1974). Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror gave "We Dance On" three out of five stars in his review of the single
. He highlighted Tula "Tulisa" Contostavlos
' contribution in the song, saying: "Often forced to take a back seat while her male counterparts lead, N-Dubz' front lady Tulisa comes out front for this". Martin went on to described the song as a "crowd-pleasing and unifying floor filler with a hint of classical
spice."
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
performed
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
by British hip hop
British hip hop
British hip hop is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban music...
group N-Dubz
N-Dubz
N-Dubz are a British hip hop group from Camden Town, London. The group consists of members Dappy, Tulisa Contostavlos and Fazer.N-Dubz were previously signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the World Records...
, released as the group's eleventh overall single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and the lead single from their third studio album, Love.Live.Life
Love.Live.Life
Love.Live.Life is the third studio album by British hip hop group N-Dubz, released on 29 November 2010, as a collaboration by All Around the World and Island Records.-Background:...
. The song was also the second single released from the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the film StreetDance .
Background
The song features English house musicHouse music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
duo Bodyrox
Bodyrox
Bodyrox is an Electro house music duo consisting of Jon Pearn and Nick Bridges.-Career History:"Yeah Yeah", Bodyrox's first commercial single was released in November 2006, featuring vocals by Luciana. The song was very successful, with high levels of play in clubs, radio, and music TV channels...
. It contains a prominent sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
from the "Canon in D Major" (1919) which was composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
by Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher, who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most...
. The song was co-written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and co-produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by the members of N-Dubz and Bodyrox. Additional vocals are provided by British recording artists Luciana
Luciana
Luciana may also refer to:People with the given name Luciana:* Luciana Abreu, Portuguese singer and actress* Luciana Caporaso, British singer* Luciana Gimenez, Brazilian fashion model and TV show hostess of Lebanese origin...
and Nick Clow, both artists have also been credited as being involved in co-writing the song. "We Dance On" was released on 20 May 2010 in Ireland and on 23 May 2010 in the United Kingdom, accompanied by previous N-Dubz single "Strong Again
Strong Again
"Strong Again" is a song by English hip hop trio, N-Dubz. It is the sixth single from their debut album Uncle B and was produced by Kano and Fraser T Smith. The song was featured on the album advert before it was confirmed to be a single. This song features on the UK compilation album Now That's...
" as its b-side. The song was written to portray dancing as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for working through the trials and tribulations of everyday life. It is a mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
British hip hop, dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song whose lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
evoke a message of resilience, overcoming prejudices and maintaining faith to pursue your dreams. "We Dance On" has been critically acclaimed for its warm, inspirational, diverse and urban pop nature. The accompanying music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
does not feature N-Dubz or Bodyrox in it. Instead, the video takes place in a dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
where teenagers and young children star in resemblance of N-Dubz. The song reached the top ten in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the UK R&B Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
. It is N-Dubz's highest-peaking single in Ireland, second highest-peaking single in the United Kingdom and eighth top ten hit on the UK R&B Chart to-date. N-Dubz performed the song on television programme The Dome
The Dome (television program)
The Dome is a German television program and music event, produced and broadcast by RTL 2. Roughly every three months, a new show is recorded in an event hall in different cities in Germany and Austria. In each episode, several national, but also international bands and musicians perform their...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Composition
StreetDance 3D
StreetDance 3D is a British dance film which was released on 21 May 2010. The film was released in RealD 3D, XpanD 3D, and Dolby 3D with Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini directing it. Britain's Got Talent stars George Sampson, Diversity and Flawless made their debut appearances to the big screen...
, following "Candy
Candy (Aggro Santos song)
"Candy" is the debut single by Brazilian-London based rapper Aggro Santos. The song was produced by Quiz & LaRossi and co-written by Aggro Santos, Josef Larossi, Andreas Romdhane, Viktoria Hansen, while also featuring former Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt...
" by Aggro Santos
Aggro Santos
Yuri "Aggro" Santos is a Brazilian-born English rapper from Balham, London.-Background:Santos was born in Sao Paulo and raised in London. He decided to become a musician after buying the Carlos Santana album 'Supernatural' when he was eight...
featuring Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Kaye Wyatt is an American showgirl, singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress and choreographer. She is best known as a former member of the American pop/R&B girl group and dance ensemble, the Pussycat Dolls. She joined the Pussycat Dolls in 2003...
, and was also the first consecutive single from Love.Live.Life
Love.Live.Life
Love.Live.Life is the third studio album by British hip hop group N-Dubz, released on 29 November 2010, as a collaboration by All Around the World and Island Records.-Background:...
. The song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
is played at the end of the film with The Surge, played by Flawless
Flawless (dance group)
Flawless are a UK based Street dance group.They appeared on the 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent and got to the final of the competition, they appeared alongside fellow Street Dance team Diversity who went on to win the competition. They later appeared in the 2010 film StreetDance 3D. They...
, and The Breakpoint, played by Diversity
Diversity (dance troupe)
Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...
, dancing out to it. "We Dance On" was co-written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and co-produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by the members of N-Dubz and Bodyrox. The song features additional vocals and co-writing contributions from British recording artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Luciana
Luciana
Luciana may also refer to:People with the given name Luciana:* Luciana Abreu, Portuguese singer and actress* Luciana Caporaso, British singer* Luciana Gimenez, Brazilian fashion model and TV show hostess of Lebanese origin...
and her partner Nick Clow. Clow and Luciana have previously collaborated with Bodyrox on a number of Bodyrox's singles, namely "Yeah Yeah
Yeah Yeah
"Yeah Yeah" is a song by Bodyrox, written as a collaboration between Nathan Thomas, Nick Bridges, John Pern and Luciana. It was popularised in clubs by the D. Ramirez remix, which became the backing for the radio edit, featuring Luciana...
" (2006) and "What Planet You On?
What Planet You On?
What Planet You On? is a 2008 single by Bodyrox the name for English DJs Jon Pearn and Nick Bridges. The single features vocals and also a video performance from singer Luciana Caporaso. The single was released in the UK on 7 January 2008.-Other uses:...
" (2008). "We Dance On" samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
the "Canon in D Major" composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
by Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
composer Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher, who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most...
in 1680 and published
Publication
To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...
in 1911. The "Canon in D Major" was sampled as the song's string section
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l backing to add "classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
spice" to the diverse nature of musical styles
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
incorporated in "We Dance On". The song was written to capture the euphoria of StreetDance 3D by lyrically
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
being about overcoming prejudices and pursuing your dreams. While musically, the song was written to incorporate a diverse variety of styles in the same way the film incorporates a diverse variety of dance and musical styles. American singer Luciana
Luciana
Luciana may also refer to:People with the given name Luciana:* Luciana Abreu, Portuguese singer and actress* Luciana Caporaso, British singer* Luciana Gimenez, Brazilian fashion model and TV show hostess of Lebanese origin...
recorded her own version of the song, which can be heard on the movie's official website. "We Dance On" was first released in Ireland on 20 May 2010, via digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
. A physical CD release
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
was planned for May 24, 2010 in the United Kingdom. The CD single, however, failed to surface, and instead the single was released as a digital download only on May 23, 2010. A CD single was eventually released in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on May 28.
Composition
Musically, "We Dance On" is an uptempo British hip hopBritish hip hop
British hip hop is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban music...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
with a dance-orientated beat
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. "We Dance On" has a distinctly faster tempo than previous N-Dubz singles. The song opens with the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
-styled string section
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
which transitions into Dappy saying the N-Dubz trademark line "Na-na-nai". Tulisa
Tulisa Contostavlos
Tula Paulinea "Tulisa" Contostavlos is an English singer-songwriter and actress of Greek and Irish descent. She is best known for being a member of the Camden-based hip hop group N-Dubz, with her cousin Dappy and their friend Fazer...
is the most prominent contributor to the vocals in the song, with her verse "Fox on a mission" being said by critics as one of the highlights in the track. "We Dance On" was described by Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror as having "unifying floorfiller" and crowd-pleasing attributes to it. The song's chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
"I know everything's gonna be alright/Now you're standing here by my side" and chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
s have been likened to the music released by reggae musician Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, namely his song "No Woman, No Cry
No Woman, No Cry
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The song first became known in 1974 through the studio album Natty Dread. The live version from the 1975 album Live! is perhaps best known — it was this version which was released on the greatest hits compilation Legend. The original...
" (1974). The sampled string section has also been interperated as having influences from The Farm
The Farm (band)
The Farm were a British band from Liverpool, popular through the early 1990s. Their album Spartacus reached the top position on the UK Albums Chart when it was released in March, 1991.-History:They formed in early 1983....
's "All Together Now
All Together Now (The Farm song)
"All Together Now" is a song by Liverpudlian pop band The Farm from their album Spartacus, and is said to link many of the band's favourite themes, socialism, brotherhood and football....
" (1990). "We Dance On" is set in the time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of common time with a metronome of 156 beats per minute. It is composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
in the key of D minor
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
. The song's backing string section follows a chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
of D-A-Bm-Fm-G-D-G-A. Lyrically
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
, "We Dance On" is written in the first person
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
and contains a theme of resilience. The track was inspired to portray dancing as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for working through the trials and tribulations of everyday life. The track refers to overcoming prejudices and maintaining faith to pursue your dreams.
Chart performance
"We Dance On" debuted on 27 May 2010 on the Irish Singles ChartIrish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
at number nine. It was the second highest new entry for the week behind Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
's "Not Afraid
Not Afraid
Not to be confused with Eminem's Not AfraidNot Afraid is the debut studio album by Christian pop rock singer Stephanie Smith. It was released on May 27, 2008 through Gotee Records...
" which debuted at number three. The single became N-Dubz' first top ten hit and highest charting single in Ireland to-date. It went on to spend a total of six weeks on the chart after dropping out the chart's top fifty on 8 July 2010. On 5 June 2010, "We Dance On" debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It in turn became N-Dubz' second highest charting single as solo artists to-date, behind "I Need You
I Need You (N-Dubz song)
"I Need You" is a song performed, written and produced by MOBO Award-winning English hip hop trio, N-Dubz. The song was written by all the group members: Dappy, Fazer and Tulisa. Dappy and Fazer have been noted as the track's producers...
" which debuted at number five in 2009. The single spent two weeks within the top ten after dropping to number eight the following week. It has since spent a total of eight weeks within the top forty and nine weeks within the top seventy-five.
Music video
The video takes place in a dance hall, there are teenagers and young children that resemble N-Dubz, the actual group do not have a physical appearance in the video. A young boy, (Akai OseiAkai Osei
Akai Milan Osei is a British street dancer. He won the TV show Got to Dance in 2010. It is reported that he was inspired by Michael Jackson, Diversity, Flawless and Chris Brown.Osei was born in Lambeth....
), that has a small part in the movie tries to join their dance crew but he is ignored because they are all watching an older boy street dance. The younger boy sits by himself and eventually gets up and starts street dancing by himself, the members of the dance crew see him and decide to watch him dance instead. The older boy shakes his hands and everyone starts cheering. Scenes from the movie are shown throughout the video, including Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
winners, Diversity
Diversity (dance troupe)
Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...
and George Sampson
George Sampson
George Jennifer Sampson is a street dancer and actor from Warrington, England. He won the second series of Britain's Got Talent on 31 May 2008 at the age of 14.-2007 series:...
and also contestants Flawless.
Cover
The cover for the single is a cartoon portrait of a section from a street alley with dirt bins, litter, graffiti all visible in a brick wall background. Centred in the portrait is the N-Dubz logo directly beneath it in small yellow graffiti font is the word 'featuring' above the name 'Bodyrox' which is in a larger red font. Centred near the bottom in large yellow graffiti font is the title 'We Dance On' and at the very bottom left in small print font is the wording 'Taken from the hit movie Street Dance 3D'.Critical reception
Robert Copsey of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
gave "We Dance On" a four out of five rating. He felt that when N-Dubz teamed up with Bodyrox for their soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
contribution to StreetDance 3D
StreetDance 3D
StreetDance 3D is a British dance film which was released on 21 May 2010. The film was released in RealD 3D, XpanD 3D, and Dolby 3D with Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini directing it. Britain's Got Talent stars George Sampson, Diversity and Flawless made their debut appearances to the big screen...
, they clearly took on board what the film was all about: overcoming prejudices and, the merging of diverse styles of music
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
and dance. Copsey said, "Much like the film itself, 'We Dance On' features an assortment of different influences that might seem contradictory on paper, but inevitably work out for the best in the end." He noted that the verses about pursuing your dreams like a "fox on a mission" and "the big, Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
-inspired chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
- "I know everything's gonna be alright/Now you're standing here by my side" will surely tug at the heartstrings of the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
's listener. Copsey went on to say that the track "leaves you feeling warm, fuzzy and [...] better inside." BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
s Fraser McAlpine felt that "We Dance On" was capable of bringing it's listener to tears with, "massive churning string section
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
" from Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher, who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most...
's "Canon in D Major" and few "everything's gonna be alright" chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
s. McAlpine noted that the string section contains influences from The Farm
The Farm (band)
The Farm were a British band from Liverpool, popular through the early 1990s. Their album Spartacus reached the top position on the UK Albums Chart when it was released in March, 1991.-History:They formed in early 1983....
's "All Together Now
All Together Now (The Farm song)
"All Together Now" is a song by Liverpudlian pop band The Farm from their album Spartacus, and is said to link many of the band's favourite themes, socialism, brotherhood and football....
" (1990). He went on to interpret the song's chants as being inspired by Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry
No Woman, No Cry
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The song first became known in 1974 through the studio album Natty Dread. The live version from the 1975 album Live! is perhaps best known — it was this version which was released on the greatest hits compilation Legend. The original...
" (1974). Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror gave "We Dance On" three out of five stars in his review of the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. He highlighted Tula "Tulisa" Contostavlos
Tulisa Contostavlos
Tula Paulinea "Tulisa" Contostavlos is an English singer-songwriter and actress of Greek and Irish descent. She is best known for being a member of the Camden-based hip hop group N-Dubz, with her cousin Dappy and their friend Fazer...
' contribution in the song, saying: "Often forced to take a back seat while her male counterparts lead, N-Dubz' front lady Tulisa comes out front for this". Martin went on to described the song as a "crowd-pleasing and unifying floor filler with a hint of classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
spice."
Track listing
- Digital Download / German CD Single
- "We Dance On" – 3:06
- "Strong Again" (Dino Contostavlos, Tulisa Contostavlos, Richard Rawson, Fraser T. SmithFraser T. SmithFraser T. Smith is an English record producer, songwriter, mix engineer and guitarist....
, Kieran Rogers) – 3:14
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
20 May 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
All Around the World |
| 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... |
23 May 2010 | ||
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
28 May 2010 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |