"Dance Little Jean" is the title of a song written by Jimmy Ibbotson and recorded by American country music group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country-folk-rock band that has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California in 1966. The group's membership has had at least a dozen changes over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded...

. It was released in 1983 as the second single from the album Let's Go

Let's Go (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album)

Let's Go is the 1983 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This album marks the return of Nitty Gritty to the band name and Jim Ibbotson to the band. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is notable for having many charting albums and singles. This album reached 26 on the US Country charts. Two singles from...

. The song reached #9 on the Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Hot Country Singles & Tracks

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

chart.

Background and writing

Jimmy Ibbotson wrote the song hoping the charm and romance of the story would convince his ex-wife that they should get back together. Little Jean was named for his real life daughter who would always dance when he played guitar. When he played it for his ex-wife for the first time, Little Jean danced, but his ex-wife's response was not what he had hoped for. She told him he would be able to afford child support now, because that song would be a hit.

Content

The song is about a musician disillusioned about marriage, whose heart is softened but a little girl dancing to his band at her parents wedding reception.

Chart performance

Chart (1983)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	9
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	39