‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ is a song written by Sherman Kelly, originally recorded in 1970 by Kelly's band Boffalongo, and then a hit single by King Harvest in 1972, reaching number 5 in Canada and number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2000, a cover by English band Toploader became a worldwide hit and achieved multi-platinum status in the United Kingdom.
Sherman Kelly wrote the song in 1969. While recovering from a vicious assault by a gang, he "envisioned an alternate reality, the dream of a peaceful and joyful celebration of life." Kelly wrote: “On a trip to St. Croix in 1969, I was the first victim of a vicious St. Croix gang who eventually murdered 8 American tourists. At that time, I suffered multiple facial fractures and wounds and was left for dead. While I was recovering, I wrote ‘Dancin in the Moonlight’ in which I envisioned an alternate reality, the dream of a peaceful and joyful celebration of life.”
Sherman Kelly's brother Wells Kelly introduced the song to the Paris-based band King Harvest in which he was drummer and former Boffalongo member Dave "Doc" Robinson was lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist. King Harvest recorded and released ‘Dancing in the Moonlight,’ featuring a prominent keyboard countermelody, as a single with ‘Lady, Come On Home’ on the B-side in 1972. Steve Cutler, a jazz drummer from New York City (standing on the base of the pole in the cover picture), played drums on the tracks and toured France and the UK with the band. The group disbanded after six months and the single languished for a year until it was bought and released worldwide by Perception Records. In Canada, the song reached number 5 on the weekly charts and number 71 on the year-end chart for 1973. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States during the weeks of February 24 and March 3, 1973.
The song ended up being an enduring hit for the band, and their only song to make much of an impact (‘A Little Bit Like Magic’ made #91 a few months later). Sherman Kelly joined the group on tour after the song hit the charts.
Labels – Perception, A&M
Songwriter – Sherman Kelly
Producer – Jack Robinson
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]We get it on most every night
And when that ol' moon gets so big and bright
It's a supernatural delight
Everybody was dancing in the moonlight
[Verse 2]
Everybody here is out of sight
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose, they keep things light
Everybody was dancing in the moonlight
[Chorus]
Dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
[Verse 3]
We like our fun and we never fight
You can't dance and stay uptight
It's a supernatural delight
Everybody was dancing in the moonlight
[Chorus]
Dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
[Verse 2]
Everybody here is out of sight
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose, they keep things light
Everybody was dancing in the moonlight
[Chorus]
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
[Chorus]
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight (mmm-mmm)
[Chorus]
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
[Chorus]
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight