This story is about two singers who made a charity single. How they created a stunning video in the London Docklands late at night. How they can embarrass themselves in under three minutes for charity and how it came to fruition. This week the Beat Marches On to 7th September 1985.
The origins of this story begin with a news report by the BBC on October 23rd, 1984. I know it sounds weird that a song about dancing is inspired by something in the news, but this is how the waves are set in motion. People in the UK who remember the 80s may remember this but for the younger generation this date was the first time the famine in Ethiopia was brought to the nation’s attention. Among the millions watching this heart-breaking news report was a lead singer of an Irish Punk Band. He became one of the most charitable people after watching the report. His name is Bob Geldof.
After watching the news report Geldof became inspired to raise money to help the people of Ethiopia and started the charity Band Aid. A Christmas single came quickly that year going straight to number one and becoming the biggest-selling single ever until 1997.
After the Christmas single Geldof thought he could do more. So, he organised one of the biggest concerts of the 1980s: Live Aid. Two venues, hundreds of different acts all to raise money for famine in Africa. The first Wembley Stadium, London. The second RFK Stadium, Philadelphia. The organisers wanted to do a duet between the two stadiums, but who?
This is where Jagger and Bowie come into the fray. Live Aid wanted them to do the duet between the stadiums. So, now they decided on the who and where but which song? Both artists had plenty of songs in their repertoire to perform.
The song they decided on was a cover. Dancing in the Street was originally recorded in 1964 by the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas. It was perfect. Live Aid didn’t just want to help children in Africa they wanted to help children all over the world. So, they did a song that checked a lot of world locations. Why not add a few more too? (They announced a few at the start and a few in the bridge with other songs-titles of world locations)
Unfortunately, they couldn’t do the duet across the two stadiums. Technology had only come so far in 1985 and there was a half-second- 4-second delay between the two venues depending on different reports and neither of the performers wanted to demean themselves and mime while on stage. Now with them unable to perform the song on stage and everything else decided they had to think of something else.
What was there to do? Everything was set in motion only for technology to let them down. In the end, they decided to put out the song as a single with profits going to charity. The duo went to Abbey Road studios to record the song and four hours later they had a rough mix.
After recording the single Bowie and Jagger went to the London Docklands to record the video. Bowie bought in “Ashes to Ashes” director David Mallett to direct the video. What happened next will become equally the best and worst thing to happen to the artists. The video invented Dad dancing. It has since become something ridiculed since its release. Parodied on YouTube and Family Guy saying that happened, the video had people talking.
Debuted after the legendary Queen performance at Live Aid the video was viewed by the world and after the video ended Bowie hit the stage. The video was played again at the event later. The song was released as a single on 12th August 1985 a month after the video was seen at Live Aid raising money for Band Aid. The song reached number one in the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Spain, and Canada. It reached the top 10 in the American Billboard Hot 100. Dancing in the Street was a bona fide hit.
The video did spark up some rumours about the two at the time. Were they more than friends? The way the two acted in the video seemed they were certainly enjoying each other’s company. The cover of the single didn’t help either. A still picture from the video where the two appear to be shouting in their faces with their foreheads touching. It doesn’t sound like they are intimate but when you see the picture you realise that questions could certainly arise. But frankly, who cares? Let’s just put it down to two men having fun.
As the 35 years have passed since Jagger and Bowie recorded the song it gained a reputation of being cheesy. Although it was for a great cause the single was subject to ridicule and parody because of the video. Who knows it could be the inspiration for the Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera song “Moves Like Jagger” or is this the beginning of the embarrassing Dad dancing term? Whatever the answers are that night at the docklands changed what we thought of the two artists. And to think that people are still talking about this after so many years since it was recorded has proved it has passed the test of time.
They eventually did get to perform the song together in 1986, for the Princes Trust 10th anniversary concert Bowie and Jagger hit the stage together and finally managed to perform the song.
The Beat Marches on is a music blog written by Jimmy Whitehead. Jimmy has been blogging for six years specialising in Sports (especially American Football).
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