The Safety Dance
Encyclopedia
"The Safety Dance" was the title of a song written and recorded by Canadian
New Wave
band Men Without Hats
; and to date, it remains their biggest hit. It was released in March 1982 as the second single from the band's first full-length album, Rhythm of Youth
. The song was written by Ivan Doroschuk after he had been kicked out of a club for pogoing.
to 1980s New Wave music
in clubs when Disco
was dying and New Wave was up and coming. New Wave dancing, especially pogoing, was different from Disco dancing, because it was done individually instead of with partners and involved holding the torso rigid and thrashing about. To uninformed bystanders this could look dangerous, especially if pogoers accidentally bounced into one another (the more deliberately violent evolution of pogoing is slam dancing). The bouncers did not like pogoing so they would tell pogoers to stop or be kicked out of the club. Thus, the song is a protest and a call for freedom of expression. It has been claimed that the meaning of the song can be found in similarities between "Safety Dance" and "Safe to dance". Other lyrics in the song include references to the way pogoing looked to bouncers, especially "And you can act real rude and totally removed/And I can act like an imbecile".
Doroschuk disagrees with two common interpretations of the song. Firstly, he believes it is not a call for safe sex. Doroschuk says that is reading too much into the lyrics. Secondly, he claims that it is not an anti-nuclear protest despite the nuclear imagery at the end of the video. Doroschuk says that he considers Men Without Hats "a punk
band with one hit song
" and that as such they were "anti-everything".
for the song, directed by Tim Pope
, is notable for its English folk revival
imagery, notably Morris men
, Mummers
, Punch and Judy
and a Maypole
. It was filmed in the village of West Kington
, near Bath, in southwest England. Ivan Doroschuk
is the only member of the band to actually perform in the video. Doroschuk, and others in the video, can be seen repeatedly forming an "S" sign by jerking both arms upward into a stiff pose, one arm in an upward curve and the other in a downward curve, apparently referencing the first letter in 'safety'. The Morris Dance
side in the video was Chippenham Town Morris from Wiltshire
, performing Three Musketeers. The dwarf actor is Mike Edmonds
.
on March 16, 1982 and in the United Kingdom
in September 1983, the song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100
chart and number one on Cash Box, as well as number one on the Billboard Dance Chart. In the United Kingdom the song also proved successful, reaching number six. It was actually released three times before sparking an interest on radio play. The song is the only major international hit for the group. Their follow-up album, Folk of the 80s (Part III)
, reached no higher than #127 on the U.S. Billboard 200
album chart.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Men Without Hats
Men Without Hats
Men Without Hats is a Canadian New Wave group from Montreal, Quebec. Their music was characterized by the distinctive baritone voice of their lead singer Ivan Doroschuk as well as their elaborate use of synthesizers and electronic processing...
; and to date, it remains their biggest hit. It was released in March 1982 as the second single from the band's first full-length album, Rhythm of Youth
Rhythm of Youth
Rhythm of Youth is the debut album of Canadian synth-pop group Men Without Hats, released in 1982. The album propelled them to fame with its second single, "The Safety Dance".The U.S...
. The song was written by Ivan Doroschuk after he had been kicked out of a club for pogoing.
Meaning of song
The writer/performer, Ivan Doroschuk, has explained that "The Safety Dance" is a protest against bouncers stopping dancers pogoingPogo (dance)
The pogo is a dance in which the dancers jump up and down, while remaining in the same location; the dance takes its name from its resemblance to the use of a pogo stick, especially in a common version of the dance, where an individual keeps their torso stiff, their arms rigid, and their legs close...
to 1980s New Wave music
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
in clubs when Disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
was dying and New Wave was up and coming. New Wave dancing, especially pogoing, was different from Disco dancing, because it was done individually instead of with partners and involved holding the torso rigid and thrashing about. To uninformed bystanders this could look dangerous, especially if pogoers accidentally bounced into one another (the more deliberately violent evolution of pogoing is slam dancing). The bouncers did not like pogoing so they would tell pogoers to stop or be kicked out of the club. Thus, the song is a protest and a call for freedom of expression. It has been claimed that the meaning of the song can be found in similarities between "Safety Dance" and "Safe to dance". Other lyrics in the song include references to the way pogoing looked to bouncers, especially "And you can act real rude and totally removed/And I can act like an imbecile".
Doroschuk disagrees with two common interpretations of the song. Firstly, he believes it is not a call for safe sex. Doroschuk says that is reading too much into the lyrics. Secondly, he claims that it is not an anti-nuclear protest despite the nuclear imagery at the end of the video. Doroschuk says that he considers Men Without Hats "a punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band with one hit song
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
" and that as such they were "anti-everything".
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song, directed by Tim Pope
Tim Pope
Timothy Michael Pope is a film director most famous for his music videos, having directed feature films, and for a brief pop career.-Early life and career:...
, is notable for its English folk revival
British folk revival
The British folk revival incorporates a number of movements for the collection, preservation and performance of traditional music in the United Kingdom and related territories and countries, which had origins as early as the 18th century...
imagery, notably Morris men
Morris dance
Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
, Mummers
Mummers Play
Mummers Plays are seasonal folk plays performed by troupes of actors known as mummers or guisers , originally from England , but later in other parts of the world...
, Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional, popular puppet show featuring the characters of Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Punch and one other character...
and a Maypole
Maypole
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, particularly on May Day, or Pentecost although in some countries it is instead erected at Midsummer...
. It was filmed in the village of West Kington
West Kington
West Kington is a village in Nettleton civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The village is close to the county boundary with Gloucestershire and southeast of the Gloucestershire market town of Chipping Sodbury....
, near Bath, in southwest England. Ivan Doroschuk
Ivan Doroschuk
Ivan Doroschuk, is an American-born Canadian musician of Ukrainian origin. He is the lead vocalist and founding member of Men Without Hats. Doroschuk was born on October 9, 1961 in the U.S. state of Illinois and at a young age he and his family moved to Canada, settling in the city of Montreal,...
is the only member of the band to actually perform in the video. Doroschuk, and others in the video, can be seen repeatedly forming an "S" sign by jerking both arms upward into a stiff pose, one arm in an upward curve and the other in a downward curve, apparently referencing the first letter in 'safety'. The Morris Dance
Morris dance
Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
side in the video was Chippenham Town Morris from Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, performing Three Musketeers. The dwarf actor is Mike Edmonds
Mike Edmonds
Mike Edmonds is an English actor with dwarfism, well-known for his role as Little Ron in the children's television show Maid Marian and Her Merry Men.Edmonds can also be seen dancing in the Men Without Hats music video "The Safety Dance"....
.
Chart success
Released in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on March 16, 1982 and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in September 1983, the song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and number one on Cash Box, as well as number one on the Billboard Dance Chart. In the United Kingdom the song also proved successful, reaching number six. It was actually released three times before sparking an interest on radio play. The song is the only major international hit for the group. Their follow-up album, Folk of the 80s (Part III)
Folk of the 80s (Part III)
Folk of the 80s is the second studio album by Canadian synth-pop group Men Without Hats, released in 1984. The album reached #127 on the U.S...
, reached no higher than #127 on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart.
Peak positions
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 11 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 23 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 4 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 20 |