He secured her an album deal with Soul Train Records and work began on her first release. The Whispers returned the favor and appeared on background vocals, baby brother of course provided keyboards and co-wrote two songs. Lucas wrote four additional tunes.
"Simply Carrie" was released in 1977. The one and only 12" single pulled from the album cemented her name in disco history. From it's release, "I Gotta Keep Dancing" was an instant hit, racing to number one on the club charts. The song was penned by her cousin Malcolm Anthony, and cousins Merlin and Wayne Bell also wrote three songs for the album. The album was rounded out with ballads and R&B numbers aimed at making Carrie a MOR artist. The album was a real family affair.
By now Griffey and Lucas had become an "item" and both suffered from negative talk in the L.A. music scene. Undeterred they began work on her sophmore release, 1978's "Street Corner Symphony." The album had Greg on keyboards/arrangements, and even Griffey added his vocal lead on a track, The Whispers added backgrounds and served as co-producers as well. Once again a single 12" was released of the title track, a hommage to 1960's doo wop groups. This album was released on Griffey's own label the newly formed Solar Records (Sound Of Los Angeles Records).
Carrie had set a formula and true to it, she released one album and one 12" single in 1979. By now Griffey's stable of artists included Lakeside, The Whispers, Carrie Lucas, Shalamar, and Dynasty. He was enjoying considerable success with all of them and like the producers of the sixties he would cross-collaborate them. For her album "Carrie Lucas In Danceland" Griffey brought in Jody Watley (Shalamar) for backgrounds, Lakeside (co-producers and backgrounds) and Walter and Wallace Scott (Whispers) for backgrounds. Famed organist Kossi Gardner wrote (and played on) the hit "Dance With You" which propelled the album to the top of the dance charts. By the beginning of the new decade, with the outstanding success of "Dance With You," Carrie was poised for her most successful release yet.
1980's "Portrait Of Carrie" was her finest album and most popular, producing three smash hits. The first 12" was an updated reworking of her first hit, this time around entitled simply "Keep Smilin'." Followed by the cutesy "It's Not What You Got (It's How You Use It)" and then the pro-feminist anthem "Career Girl." This time around Dick shared production duties with Leon Sylvers and Kossi Gardner. Backgrounds were once again courtesy of The Whispers.
Carrie was slowly moving out of the music business and her next release wasn't until 1982. "Still In Love" recorded and released under the banner of Solar Records was now distributed by Elektra/Asylum. The album produced two 12" singles, "Men" and the more successful "Show Me Where You're Coming From." As usual Carrie surrounded herself with friends and family for the undertaking. Leon Sylvers co-produced and Walter and Wallace Scott were their co-producing and singing. As a sidenote the future Sheila E. co-wrote the title track.
Her last full length album was released in 1985. By now Griffey had started a new label under the distribution of MCA Records. The Constellation Records release "Horsin' Around" was her most ambitious ever. It spawned four 12" singles "Charlie," "Horsin' Around," "Summer In The Street" and "Hello Stranger." Her remake of the Barbara Lewis classic, "Hello Stranger" reached number 20 on the R&B charts and like Lewis, who had used The Dells, Carrie used The Whispers to create that smooth sound.
Carrie's last know recording was an appearance on the 1990 soundtrack to "Lambada: Set The Night On Fire." She performs the song "I Like The Rhythm." Carrie, now married to Dick Griffey has instead decided to retire from the music business and concentrate on married life and her beloved horses. Unidisc Records in Canada has released a "Greatest Hits" package that contains most of her 12" mixes in 1999. Perhaps someday she'll come out of retirement and grace the dancefloors once more?.
I Gotta Keep Dancing
Carrie Lucas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please help me pretend, that i don′t see
Just walked in the door
I'm weak in the knees
But i gotta make believe
That i′m hurt-free
I just can't let him know
Music rescue me
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To keep from breaking apart
I gotta keep dancin′
Smiling
To cover up my broken heart
Don′t let the music stop
I've gotta camouflage, my feelings
He′s not here with me
I should've know
That i never should′ve come, to the party
And just listen to the beat
Music can you, take me away
Help me hide my face
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To keep from breaking apart
I gotta keep dancin′
Smiling
To cover up my broken heart
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To keep from breaking apart
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To cover up my broken heart
I gotta keep dancin′
Smiling
To keep from breaking apart
I gotta keep dancin′
Smiling
To cover up my broken heart
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To keep from breaking apart
I gotta keep dancin′
Smiling
To cover up my broken heart
Keep on dancin' Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
Keep on Smiling′ Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
Keep on dancin' Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
Keep on Smiling′ Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To keep from breaking apart
I gotta keep dancin'
Smiling
To cover up my broken heart
Keep on dancin′ Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
The song "I Gotta Keep Dancing" by Carrie Lucas is a disco hit that portrays the story of a woman who is trying to hide her emotional pain through dancing and smiling. The song starts with the singer walking into a party and realizing that her lover is not there. She feels weak in the knees and heartbroken but puts on a brave face and decides to pretend like nothing is wrong by dancing and smiling. The lyrics "I gotta make believe, that I'm hurt-free, I just can't let him know" shows her determination to conceal her pain and not let it show to anyone.
As the song progresses, the woman becomes more aware of her surroundings and feels like she needs to keep the music playing to help hide her feelings. She believes that the music can rescue her and take her away from her heartache. The chorus emphasizes the woman's struggle to keep on dancing and smiling to cover up her broken heart. The repetitive lyrics "I gotta keep dancin' smiling to keep from breaking apart" highlights the importance of putting on a brave face even when things are falling apart.
Overall, the song "I Gotta Keep Dancing" is a display of how people use different coping mechanisms to deal with emotional pain. In this case, the singer uses dancing and smiling to conceal her heartbreak from others. The song encourages the listener to fight through emotional pain and to keep dancing and smiling.
Line by Line Meaning
I began to spin
I started to dance
Please help me pretend, that i don′t see
Please help me pretend that I don't see him
Just walked in the door
He just walked in
I'm weak in the knees
I'm feeling weak and vulnerable
But i gotta make believe
But I have to pretend
That i′m hurt-free
That I'm not hurt
I just can't let him know
I can't let him know that I'm hurting
That my heart is, breaking apart
That my heart is breaking
Music rescue me
Music helps me escape my feelings
I gotta keep dancin'
I have to keep dancing
Smiling
And smiling
To keep from breaking apart
To keep from falling apart
To cover up my broken heart
To hide my broken heart
Don′t let the music stop
Don't let the music stop
I've gotta camouflage, my feelings
I have to hide my feelings
He′s not here with me
He's not here with me
I should've know
I should have known
That i never should′ve come, to the party
That I should never have come to the party
And just listen to the beat
And just listen to the music
Music can you, take me away
Music, can you help me escape?
Help me hide my face
Help me hide my face
Keep on dancin' Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
Keep dancing
Keep on Smiling′ Do Do Do Do Do Do Yeh
Keep smiling
Writer(s): M. Anthony
Contributed by Sophia R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ruben Dario
Como nos emocionamos cuando escuchamos de nuevo estos grandes éxitos de la INOLVIDABLE Y ETERNA ONDA DISCO ..SALUDOS A TODOS LOS DE BUEN GUSTO.JUNTOS SOMOS MILLONES.
Peter Lagroove
This is one of the best disco tunes ever made. It is quintessential disco....the lush orchestration, the arrangement, the percussion, the great little brass inserts, and the classic mixture of heartbreak message with driving dance beat. Top class.
sleek2146
Missing from today
Earl Fredrick
Disco, disco, disco, I just love the times, the music, the energy created by the music. Listening to it now just re-energizes that same good feeling again. Music of today cannot touch the quality of these great timeless sounds. Carrie Lucas is a great part of this.Thanks Carrie.
Nick Preta
Correct I was there during that time and all the beautiful people and to see who was dressing better than others.
Ambrose Joseph
@Nick Preta Great times. Boston had some great places, Landsdowne was awesome.
Miguel Peña
Esta ha sido y será la mejor música de todos los tiempos. no importa que que haya métodos mas avanzados para hacer musica. Esta es la mejor de lo mejor. ojala pudiera yo viviría de nuevo.
Miguel Peña
Francisco Leyva
La mejor música Carrie Lucas la mejor sin duda...
Ruben Dario
Sin lugar a dudas LA ONDA DISCO... ETERNA E INOLVIDABLE.
Alfredo Martinez
sin duda lo tuyo además este tw tiene una FUERZA IMPRESIONANTE! 👍👏