Dance The Night Away by Van Halen

Album: Van Halen II (1979)

Charted: 15

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Songfacts®:

The lightest and most radio-friendly song on the Van Halen II album, Warner Brothers Records insisted "Dance The Night Away" be released as the first single. The band didn't think it represented their sound and did not want it released first, but they didn't have the clout to overrule their record company.
The original title was "Dance, Lolita, Dance."
Van Halen picked up a lot of new fans after this song got some airplay. Many listeners who heard them for the first time were pleasantly surprised when they bought the album, and rushed out to buy the first Van Halen album as well. That first album, which sold about a million copies in America the first year it was released, eventually sold 10 million.
Van Halen's tour for the Van Halen II album was the first one they headlined. It was delayed when David Lee Roth hurt his foot performing a jump at the photo shoot for the album.

Comments: 9

Susan from LouisvilleThe song was explained by DLR in the first concert of their 2007 tour in Charlotte NC. He said that a girl had been having sex in a car in the parking lot of the small venue they were playing and she walked back inside with her pants on backwards. She began to dance in front of the band and that led to him write Dance the Night Away.
Chris from Beaver Falls, PaMay the good "lord" meaning "god", be with you on every road you are on, saying may god be with you always and everywhere, the song "Forever Young" sung by Rod Stewart says. And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you are far from home, meaning everywhere you are and always. And in the Garden of Eden, everyone was naked and not ashamed, and God said to be fruitful and multiply. The relationships between the sexes, of course men and women, is what keeps all of us, any of us, with God, and God with us. The relationships between the sexes keep all of us, forever young. Sex, and dancing also. Dancing is rather suggestive, definately romantic, fun, pleasurable, enjoyable. Dancing with the stars. A man and a woman plan, and practise, and rehearse, and dream, and hope to "Dance the night away" in front of an audience, and on national TV. And as Van Halen says also, the way to be young, to be alive, a live wire, to be "high" not on drugs per se, however to have God with you, to have sunshine and happiness surround you, is to dance dance dance. If you don't dance, you feel old, tired, worn out etc. not as vibrant as you could be. So until you dance your old enough to dance the night away, be forever young, and reach higher personally and spiritual to your dancing partner and to God. People say that life is struggles, problems, not easy to pay bills. This song teaches all of us how to have more style and ease, fun, be youthful, not to be feel old and stressed, nervous, worried etc. Think of previous generations. The roaring 20's, the big band era, the 50's, the disco years. Dancing, dancing parties, dinner and dancing clubs and parties, the discotec. Song and dance. Music and dance.
Mike from Luvshuck, PaRuss from virginia may be right...
Austin from Bristow, VaPerfect song to listen to on New Year's Eve. Love Van Halen.
Russ from Richmond, VaLolita was the stripper but the title didn't have commercial appeal. The title changed but the lyrics didn't. This was a song based on scoring a sexy stripper. Take a second look...
Matthew from Tampa, Fl"style and ease!" That makes a lot more sense than "Stalinese."
Tom from St. Louis, MoThis song is great, heard it live!
Susan from Scarsdale, Mtlove van halen
John from Greeneville, TnOne of the only times in VH's career that a guitar solo was omitted. Too much time was spent trying to construct the guitar solo and it never worked out. According to Eddie, the solo for "DTNA" originally was nearly exact to "Jump". Guitar players, try that one out and you'll see why it was omitted.

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