You Should Be Dancing

by

The Bee Gees

Album: Children Of The World      Released: 1976

US Chart: 1     UK Chart: 5

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

A hit in 1976, this regained popularity when it was used in the movie Saturday Night Fever 2 years later. It plays in the famous scene where John Travolta takes over the dance floor.

The dance sequence from the movie was choreographed by Denny Terrio, host of the TV show Dance Fever.

John Travolta prepared for the Saturday Night Fever movie by practicing his dance moves to this. When he was told by the producers that "Night Fever" would be used for the sequence for which he was practicing, Travolta insisted that "You Should Be Dancing" be used instead. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL)

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Comments:

Call me naive, but "what you doin' lyin' on your back" translates to me as being lazy...why are you lying down when you should be up and dancing? It's a lot more polite than saying, "what you doin', sittin' on your fat booty?"
- Karen, Manchester, NH

I always thought that line/verse was: "What ya doin' in your bed at night?" (bass run) "What ya doin' in your bed at night?" (bass run) "You should be dancing, yeah!" "Dancing, yeah!" '-)
- Kaz, Chicago Heights, IL

Pat in Montreal, you really need to listen to the song more closely. It's total wishful thinking on your part to make the outrageous claim that they're singing "what you doing if you live in Quebec". That should definitely make it on one of those misheard lyrics sites. Listen to the words, over and over and over and over and over again, like I just did. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, but it's not possible. Maybe that's what it sounds like to a French Canadian, but not to anyone else.
- Cindy, Tempe, AZ

"You Should Be Dancing" (Bee Gees) was recorded at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada (which is about a 1 hour drive from Montreal. It was included on the "Saturday Night Fever" Soundtrack. Le Studio de Morin Heights was one of the most popular recording studios worldwide during the 1970's-early 1980's with the likes of The Police, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Rush, etc. etc. recording here in the tranquil surroundings of Morin Heights. Now if anyone owns a copy of "You should be dancing" on vinyl then by playing the record at a slower speed, you will realize that the lyrics really say, that, "What you doing if you live in Quebec, You should be dancing ya." Now that's the truth about those lyrics, check it out and you will be amazed. The reason was because they recorded it in Quebec, during the disco era. Why they post these other wrong lyrics I'll never know, so that's it. Pat, Quebec Canada.
- Pat, Montreal, Canada

its what ya doing laying on your back
- joseph cosimano, tampa, FL

Steven Stills, and members of his band, play percusion on this song.
- Paul, Newark, DE

As far as misunderstanding the lyrics goes, is it just me, or does it sound like the Bee Gees are always trying to stuff more syllables in where they don't have enough bars of notes? ;-)
- Scotty, Cheyenne, WY

Actually they wanted Travolta to dance to "Stayin Alive". He insisted on this song. He told the producers that he will instead walk to "Staying Alive". "Night Fever" was not part of the debate..
- Mike, Hueytown , AL

I knew this wasn't correct, as my sister and I were just being silly, but we translated the "What you doin' on your back aah" as "What cha doin' in your mama's dress?" It still sounds like that to me. Crazy, huh?
- Kaethe, St. Louis, MO

"You Should Be Dancing" (Bee Gees) was recorded at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada (which is about a 1 hour drive from Montreal or a 2 hour drive from Ottawa). It was included on the "Saturday Night Fever" Soundtrack. Le Studio de Morin Heights was one of the most popular recording studios worldwide during the 1970's-early 1980's with the likes of The Police, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Rush, etc. etc. recording here in the tranquil surroundings of Morin Heights. Sadly it closed for business a few years ago (but if the walls could only talk!!...)
- Peter, Ottawa, Canada

Before I read the lyrics, I thought it was "But you do it every night" instead of "What you doin' on your back". Why? I'm a moron.
- Leon, Waterbury, CT

The lyrics (What you doin' on your back aah What you doin'on your back aah? You should be dancing, yeah) is in reference to women getting l--d when they should be dancing.
- Nathan, schaumburg, IL

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