dance! ok, now stop dancing and read this. is mixtape day, so this month i’ve made you a mix of my favorite songs about dancing that you can dance to. ok, resume dancing!

if you’d like to listen to a consecutive playlist, or if the youtube links become dead, click this link to be taken to the playlist on grooveshark.

pull shapes

by the pipettes from the album we are the pipettes

the pipettes: they’re so cute, and fun and phil-spector-with-a-modern-twist. this song is one of the singles from their first album. i saw the pipettes live a couple of years ago and they were super fun, with synchronized dance moves and co-ordinated outfits and even dance moves for the crowd to learn. a new album is apparently being released soon, but there’s no sign of it yet.

i’d rather dance with you

by the kings of convenience from the album riot on an empty street

ah kings of convenience! so lovely. i listened to their first album non stop for a month and fantasized about moving to norway and being more winsome. unfortunately those plans fell apart when i realized i’d never be winsome, anywhere. this track is from their equally excellent second album and despite their quiet ways, is really pretty danceable. and who could resist a cute norwegian hipster boy inviting you to dance?!

dance this mess around

by the b-52′s, from the album the B-52′s

the b-52′s have long held a place in my heart. my very first album was their cosmic thing which opened my tiny mind up to all sorts of greatness. i was about 13 by the time i finally bought this album and hoo boy, the b-52′s album had even greater greatness than cosmic thing!! this song remains on of my favorites of all time. its cool and measured then crazy and always danceable.

dance to the music

by sly and the family stone, from the album dance to the music

now we’re moving into classic dancing territory! i bet you can’t sit still while this song is on, i know i can’t. i have an epic 6hr playlist of soul, funk and disco on my ipod that i work out to (when i work out) because i can’t not be jumping around to its grooves. it makes me so energized and happy. and who can resist the line “al the squares, go home!” yeah!

take your clothes off when you dance

by the mothers of invention, from the album we’re only in it for the money

i know, i know! i just did a zappa mixtape last month, but aww c’mon! this song is excellent, and its on topic. the song, like the album we’re only in it for the money, satirizes the hippie subculture of the 60s.

who cares if you’re so poor you can’t afford

To buy a pair of mod au go-go stretch-elastic pants…

there will come a time when you can even

take your clothes off when you dance

an instrumental version of this song finishes the amazing lumpy gravy album and in that context it’s kind of like goofy closing credits music. i heart it very much!

i hope you liked my mixtape. its always hard to narrow these things down to something less than 30 songs! what are your favorite dancing songs?

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