Dance into the Light (song) explained

Dance into the Light
Cover:Dance Into the Light.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Phil Collins
Album:Dance into the Light
B-Side:
  • "Take Me Down"
  • "It's Over"
Released:20 September 1996 [1]
Genre:
Length:4:23
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Somewhere
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:It's in Your Eyes
Next Year:1996

"Dance into the Light" is a song performed by English drummer, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor Phil Collins, released in September 1996 by Atlantic, Virgin and WEA as the first single from his sixth studio album, Dance into the Light (1996). The song was written by Collins, who also co-produced it with Hugh Padgham. It peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, but was a disappointment on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, reaching number 45 on both charts. The song also peaked within the top 10 in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Scotland, while reaching number 29 on the Eurochart Hot 100 in October 1996. The accompanying music video was directed by English musician and music video director Kevin Godley.[2] The track was the only song from Dance into the Light to be featured on his compilation album ...Hits in 1998. B-sides were songs "Take Me Down" and "It's Over".

Critical reception

Swedish Aftonbladet described the song as a "bombastic light-reggae swing", adding it as an "absolute hit".[3] AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine said in his review of the Dance into the Light album, that the song "recalls the snappy punch" of Collins' 1985 song "Sussudio".[4] Larry Flick from Billboard called it a "sunny and uptempo ditty that is awash in Caribbean-style horns and Stax-like pop beats." He felt that Collins "sounds like he is having an absolute blast here. In fact, you can almost hear the grin he must have been wearing in the recording studio shining through the music."[5] Another Billboard editor, Paul Verna, declared it as "peppy".[6]

The Daily Vault's Christopher Thelen wrote that "Dance Into the Light" "with its different rhythm pattern, instantly engages the listener, and is one of the best singles Collins has written in a long time."[7] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly stated that the singer "tries to broaden his palette", and added that "Afro-beat rhythms propel" the song, "which also tosses in politically correct references to South Africa."[8] A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, noting that Collins "returns with an uptempo ballad that bears his unmistakable mark."[9]

Track listing

  1. "Dance into the Light" – 4:23
  2. "Take Me Down" – 3:27
  3. "It's Over" (Home Demo) – 4:22

Charts

Chart (1996–97)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)36
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)31
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 7
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] 3
Czech Republic (IFPI CR)[12] 3
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 29
Germany (Official German Charts)42
Hungary (Mahasz)[14] 4
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[15] 34
Italy (Musica e dischi)[16] 22
Netherlands (Single Top 100)14
Poland (Music & Media)[17] 2
Scotland (OCC)[18] 9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)26
UK Singles (OCC) 9
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 45
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[20] 6
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[21] 35
US Cash Box Top 100[22] 45

Credits

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Phil Collins singles.
  2. Web site: Dance Into The Light (1996) by Phil Collins. IMVDb.com. 18 October 2018.
  3. Aftonbladet. 21 September 1996.
  4. Web site: Phil Collins - Dance into the Light. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. AllMusic. 19 March 2020. Stephen Thomas Erlewine.
  5. Single Reviews. Larry. Flick. Billboard. 21 September 1996. 5 February 2020. 64. Larry Flick.
  6. Paul. Verna. Reviews & Previews: Albums. Billboard. 26 October 1996. 79. 3 December 2022.
  7. Web site: Phil Collins - Dance Into The Light. Christopher. Thelen. The Daily Vault. 22 February 1997. 25 February 2020.
  8. Dance Into the Light. David. Browne. Entertainment Weekly. 1 November 1996. 23 February 2020. David Browne (journalist).
  9. Reviews: Singles. Music Week. 14 September 1995. 26. 5 September 2021.
  10. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1996-12-16 . 2017-04-04.
  11. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1996-12-07 . 2017-04-04.
  12. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 13. 43. 26 October 1996. 19. 25 June 2018.
  13. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 13. 41. 12 October 1996. 16. 25 June 2018.
  14. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 13. 44. 2 November 1996. 18. 25 June 2018.
  15. Íslenski Listinn NR. 192 Vikuna 17.10 - 23.10. '96 . Dagblaðið Vísir . 16 . 18 October 1996 . 7 April 2018 .
  16. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e Dischi. it. May 30, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Phil Collins".
  17. Major Market Airplay: Poland. Music & Media. 13. 41. October 12, 1996. 31. July 23, 2021.
  18. Web site: Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100. officialcharts.com. 3 July 2018.
  19. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 -
  20. Web site: Adult Contemporary songs, 9 November 1996 . 30 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171230230453/http://www.song-database.com/years.php?yr=1996&type=ac&hmvalue=6 . 30 December 2017 . dead .
  21. https://www.billboard.com/artist/phil-collins/chart-history/tfm/
  22. http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/90s_files/199611116.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, 16 November 1996