(Dancing) On A Saturday Night

Album: Greatest Hits (1973)
Charted: 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was written by Barry Blue together with Lynsey de Paul. The previous year the duo had written "Sugar Me," which was a UK #5 hit for de Paul.
  • John Richardson, Peter Arnesen and Alan Williams played as session musicians on this. They later became part of The Rubettes ("Sugar Baby Love").
  • Barry Blue (his real name was the not so alliterative Barry Green) had five UK Top 40 hits, of which this was the first and biggest. Later on he became a producer, notably with Heatwave. At the end of the 1980s Blue made a surprising detour as a dance act, Cry Sisco! Under this name he reached #42 in the UK singles chart in 1989 with "Afro Dizzi Act." In 1996 English singer Dina Carroll had an UK #3 hit with the Barry Blue song "Escaping."

Comments: 4

  • Bobby from Atlanta, GaAmerican group, Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids, covered this Barry Blue/Lynsey de Paul song and made the US top 100 in 1974 and the Swedish top 30. Canadian group, Bond, had a top 20 hit with their cover version in Canada.
  • Bobby from Atlanta, GaLynsey's version of Dancing.. appeared as the B-side to "My Man and Me" as well as on her album "Taste Me Don't Waste Me". She reworked it as a smoochy ballad.
  • Roscoe B from Munich, GermanyA 1989 Les Adams remix of this song also made the lower reaches of the U.K. singles chart.
  • Zabadak from London, EnglandUnusually, this and other BB songs featured bouzoukis.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Francesca Battistelli

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

Who Wrote That Song?

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.