The song was their third Billboard Hot 100 number-one and their sixth number-one in Canada. It ended up the year as the #31 song of the year on the Hot 100. It also hit number four in Ireland. In Australia, where the brothers spent a number of years in their youth, it managed only to nick the top 20.
"You Should Be Dancing" is known today as the first chart-topper in which Barry Gibb uses his now-trademark falsetto (he had previously used it on the top-10 "Nights on Broadway" and on "Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)"). The song was prominently featured in the movie Saturday Night Fever and appears on its soundtrack album.
Live performances of "You Should Be Dancing" during the 1979 Spirits Having Flown tour featured the Bee Gees' younger sibling, Andy Gibb, on backing vocals.
This song and the scene from the movie containing the song were seen and heard in the film Short Circuit.
The Boston Celtics also play this song when they are about to win a basketball game accompanied by the ever popular "Dancing Gino" video from the television show American Bandstand.
You Should Be Dancing
Bee Gees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goes right on till the dawn
My woman takes me higher
My woman keeps me warm
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
You should be dancing, yeah
She's juicy and she's trouble
She gets it to me good
My woman gives me power
Goes right down to my blood
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
You should be dancing, yeah
Dancing, yeah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
You should be dancing, yeah
Dancing, yeah
My baby moves at midnight
Goes right on till the dawn, yeah
My woman takes me higher
My woman keeps me warm
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
You should be dancing, yeah
Dancing, yeah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
What you doin' on your bed on your back? Ah
You should be dancing, yeah
Dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
You should be dancing, yeah
The Bee Gees’ song “You Should Be Dancing” is a dance anthem that encourages listeners to get up and move. The song describes a woman who is a great dancer and loves to dance until dawn, making the singer of the song feel alive and exhilarated. The lyrics also suggest that the singer's woman makes him feel powerful and warm. The song is urging the listener to dance and enjoy life, rather than lying in bed alone. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “you should be dancing” as a direct order to the listener.
The lyrics of the song are simple but effective, creating an image of a lively, energetic woman who is the center of the dance floor. She sets the tone for the party, and everyone loves watching her move. The song’s storyline appears to be centered around the night culture of disco and the thrill that comes with the magic of the night. With its allusions to midnight, the dawn, and bed, the lyrics invite the listener to escape from the daily grind and immerse themselves in the party scene, letting loose and dancing all their troubles away.
Overall, “You Should Be Dancing” is a fun, infectious song that encourages listeners to let themselves go, have fun, and dance like no one is watching. The song captures the essence of the disco era, encouraging people to shake off their worries and dance the night away.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby moves at midnight
My significant other has great dance moves that are most often observed after midnight
Goes right on till the dawn
The dance moves persist until the sun rises
My woman takes me higher
My lover gives me great feelings that are hard to describe
My woman keeps me warm
My lover gives me comfort and protection
What you doin' on your bed, ah
What are you doing laying flat on your bed?
You should be dancing, yeah
You should join in the dance and experience the joy it brings
She's juicy and she's trouble
My lover is full of energy and risky behavior
She gets it to me good
She gives me great pleasure that cannot be understated
My woman gives me power
My lover gives me courage and strength
Goes right down to my blood
The effect of my lover's power is physical and runs through my veins
You should be dancing, yeah
Once again, this is an invitation to join the dance and experience its joy
Dancing, yeah
This serves as a reminder that the power of dance is undeniable and that one should take advantage of it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam J Marano, Robin Hugh Gibb, Maurice Ernest Gibb, Barry Gibb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Stayin Alive
What a fantastic song by the Bee Gee's.