"Shadow Dancing" is a disco song performed by English singer-songwriter Andy Gibb that reached number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. Albhy Galuten(who also produced this song) arranged the song with Barry Gibb. While Andy Gibb would have three more Top 10 hits in the U.S., this would be his final chart-topping hit in America. The song became a platinum record.
Song development
The song was written by Andy and his brothers (Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb) in Los Angeles, while the trio of brothers were working on the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. "And one night," Andy would recall, "while we were relaxing, we sat down and we had to start getting tracks together for the album" (also titled Shadow Dancing, which would eventually hit #7 on the U.S. album charts). "So we literally sat down and in ten minutes, we had a group going, (singing) the chorus part. As it says underneath the song, we all wrote it, the four of us."
Release
According to Billboard's Book Of Number One Hits, Gibb became the first solo artist in the history of the U.S. pop charts to have his first three singles hit the number-one spot. It remained in the top spot for seven straight weeks from 17 June to 29 July 1978. On 5 August it was replaced by The Rolling Stones with their hit "Miss You." Additionally, "Shadow Dancing" was listed by Billboard as being the number one single of 1978. In addition the song peaked at number eleven on the soul chart and sold 2.5 million copies in the United States alone. Its two B-sides "Let It Be Me" appeared on US version and "Too Many Looks In Your Eyes" was from his previous album Flowing Rivers.
In July that year, Gibb performed "Shadow Dancing" at the Jai-Alai Fronton Studios in Miami, when Barry, Robin and Maurice unexpectedly joined him on stage, and sang this song with him. It was the first time that all four brothers performed together in concert.
Personnel
Andy Gibb — lead and background vocals
- Barry Gibb — Background and harmony vocals orchestral arrangement
- John Sambataro — background and harmony vocals
- Joey Murcia — electric guitar
- Tim Renwick — electric guitar
- Ron Zigler — drums
- George Bitzer - Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner clavinet
- Harold Cowart — bass
- Joe Lala — percussion
- Albhy Galuten — orchestral arrangement
- Peter Graves — horns
- Whit Sidener — horns
- Ken Faulk — horns
- Bill Purse — horns
- Neil Bonsanti — horns
- Stan Webb — horns
Charts
Peak positions
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I have photos I took at the Miami Concert when his brothers joined him onstage.
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