Blast from the Past: The Song is Also a Dance

You know 'em, you love 'em. Songs that have their own dance. Not all were what you'd call dance crazes, but most were. Some are flat-out embarrassing. One was included in last week's "Novelty Hits" installment, but simply couldn't be left off here. Most can be done by most anyone, some are a little trickier. Get your dancin' shoes on, and join me!

1. Walk the Dinosaur by Was (Not Was) (1989) - This one breaks down the steps for you, in case you want to dance along. It went to #7 on the pop chart.
2. Stand by R.E.M. (1988) - Strictly speaking, not a dance. But the dance in the video was emulated on dance floors anyway. One of R.E.M.'s peppier numbers, it hit #6.
 

3. Vogue by Madonna (1990) - This song did not inspire the dance, but it sure dragged it into the mainstream. It went to #1, naturally.
4. The Hustle by Van McCoy (1975) - The quintessential 1970s song and dance. It's kind of light weight, but boy is it dripping with nostalgia.  Also #1.



5. The Electric Boogie by Marcia Griffiths (1989) - Cheese, to be sure, but nowhere near as cheesy as the next one. The dance was called "The Electric Slide," not "Boogie," and the song itself went to only #51.
6. Macarena by Los Del Rio (1992) - This is the one I mentioned that was featured last week. #1 for an absurd 14 weeks, this one is embarrassment for anyone who might sing a verse and be overheard. But since I featured this last time, this time, I'm using the video that teaches the dance.



7. Velcro Fly by ZZ Top (1986) - Not a huge hit, though it got a lot of airplay on MTV. And the dance was choreographed by Paula Abdul, before she was nationally famous. Only hit #35.
8. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyoncé (2008) - I almost didn't feature this one, since I thought it was too recent. But guess what? It's six years old. Solidly in the past, and one of the most copied dances in that past six years too. Also a #1 tune.
 

And now that you're danced out, it's time to start a new week. Happy Monday!