Bobby Freeman | Do You Want To Dance

Do You Want to Dance” is a song written by American singer Bobby Freeman and recorded by him in 1958. It reached number No. 5 on the United States Billboard Top 100 Sides pop chart and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. Cliff Richard and the Shadows‘ version of the song reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom in 1962, despite being a B-side. The Beach Boys‘ version reached No. 12 as “Do You Wanna Dance?” in the United States in 1965, and a 1972 cover by Bette Midler (“Do You Want to Dance?”) reached No. 17.

There is a different song called “Do You Wanna Dance?” was a UK hit for Barry Blue in 1973. San Francisco-born teenager Bobby Freeman had been a member of doo-wop groups the Romancers and the Vocaleers. When asked by a local DJ if he had written any songs, he wrote several and recorded them as solo demos.

These included “Do You Want to Dance”, which was heard by a visiting record label executive, Mortimer Palitz of Jubilee Records. He signed Freeman to the label, and had the original recording overdubbed in New York by session musicians including guitarist Billy Mure.

Released on the Jubilee subsidiary label Josie, “Do You Want to Dance” quickly rose to number 5 on the pop chart and number 2 on the R&B chart in early 1958, when Freeman was still only 17. Contrary to some reports, Jerry Garcia did not play on the record.

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