"Slow Dancing" is a track on Lindsey Buckingham's second solo album, Go Insane. Despite receiving power rotation on MTV, "Slow Dancing" failed to make the Billboard Hot 100, although it did reach number 6 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, an extension to the Hot 100.[2] 34 years after its release, "Slow Dancing" was performed live for the first time.[3]
| "Slow Dancing" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Lindsey Buckingham | ||||
| from the album Go Insane | ||||
| B-side | "D.W. Suite" | |||
| Released | November 9, 1984[1] | |||
| Genre | Rock, New wave | |||
| Length | 4:05 | |||
| Label | Reprise/ Warner Music Group | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Lindsey Buckingham | |||
| Producer(s) | Lindsey Buckingham, Gordon Fordyce | |||
| Lindsey Buckingham US singles chronology | ||||
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| Lindsey Buckingham UK singles chronology | ||||
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"Slow Dancing" possesses a 4/4 dance beat with a heavy reliance on computer sounds, particularly the 8 bit Fairlight CMI. Buckingham said in a 2018 interview with Stereogum that "Slow Dancing" explores the idea of striving for human connection through romantic aspirations.[3] Early in the song's development, Buckingham had the idea of concluding "Slow Dancing" with a classical-inspired 3/4 waltz, and this concept was ultimately kept in the final version of the song.[4]
Critical reception
editSeveral months before "Slow Dancing" was released as a single, the Los Angeles Times earmarked the song as Go Insane's "best shot at the charts".[5] Rolling Stone commented that "Slow Dancing's "whipcrack backbeat kicks "Slow Dancing" out of the living room and onto the dance floor where it belongs."[6]
Music video
editSimilar to "Go Insane", the video for "Slow Dancing" was shot in England and the video's special effects were done by David Yardley.[7] Buckingham thought that the filming for "Slow Dancing" was more elaborate than music video for "Trouble", particularly in regards to the number of shots, rhythm of the editing, and the use of effects.[3] The video for "Slow Dancing" was released to MTV on November 17, 1984.[2] In 1985, "Slow Dancing" was nominated for three awards at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards: Most Experimental Video, Best Special Effects in a Video, and Best Editing in a Video, although it did not win any of these categories.[8]
Accolades
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | MTV Award[8] | Best Special Effects in a Video | Nominated |
| Best Editing in a Video | Nominated | ||
| Most Experimental Video | Nominated |
Personnel
edit- Lindsey Buckingham – all instruments, vocals
Chart performance
edit| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[2] | 6 |
References
edit- ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 48.
- ^ a b c "Billboard - Volume 96, Number 47" (PDF). Billboard. November 24, 1984. pp. 32, 63. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c Lapatine, Scott (December 10, 2018). "Lindsey Buckingham Reveals Stories Behind His Solo Songs And Whether He'll Ever Rejoin Fleetwood Mac". Stereogum. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor (September 30, 2021). "Episode 212 – Lindsey Buckingham". Sodajerker (Podcast). Event occurs at 37:00. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ McKenna, Kristine (August 16, 1984). "Los Angeles Times, Go Insane". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ Connelly, Christopher (August 30, 1984). "Lindsey Buckingham's Tuneful Triumph". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard - Volume 96, Number 47" (PDF). Billboard. August 24, 1985. pp. 33–34. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ a b "1985". www.mtv.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2000. Retrieved November 21, 2023.