Dancing

Written by: 
J. Martyn
4 Nov 1977

Oh darling, it's going to be late when I get back home
Can't wait 'til I get back home, you don't want me
Reeling and rocking night all around town
Walking and talking night all around town
Just rolling and rocking night all around town
Let another man take you home
Let another man take you home

Oh darling, I wanted to leave but I had to stay
Boys would have laughed if I'd run away, I've been
Roaming and reeling and rocking night all round town
Been walking and talking night all round town
Been rolling and rocking night all round town
Let the morning bring me home
Let the morning bring me home

Well they say it's all right, we go out all night
Well they say it's all right, we go out all night
I tell you there's been no romancing
There's been no fancy pantsing
I've been dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing

Oh darling, I want you to try to understand
If you're leading the life of a music man, you've got to
Walk around and reel around and rock around all around town
Walk around and talk around all around town
Go rolling and rocking night all around town
'Til the morning takes you home
'Til the morning takes you home

Oh darling, it's going to be late when I get back home
Can't wait 'til I get back home, you don't want me
Reeling and rocking night all around town
Walking and talking night all around town
Going rolling and rocking night all around town
Don't let the other man take you home
Don't let another man take you home

Well they say it's all right, to go out all night
Well they say it's all right, to go out all night
I tell you there's been no romancing
There's been no fancy pantsing
Just been life enhancing, take a chance in
Dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing

Jamaican

Bass player Dave Pegg was asked about working with John by the Guitar World website, November 2020. He remembered the sessions well.
You also played with the late John Martyn. Did he ever give you any direction about the bass?
"There's one song, Dancing, which was released as a single. It has that classic C, Am, F, G sequence, and it was produced by Chris Blackwell, who used to run Island Records. It was recorded at Island's studios in Portobello Road in London."
"There were lots of West Indian bass players around, but John wanted us to sound Jamaican even though we were weren't Jamaican. We did our best. I love reggae, but he really hated what I played over that chord sequence. I played with Jimmy Cliff, too, the first time he came over here – I was in his backing band. That was great fun."

First release: