4 of the Best “Dancing In The Street” Covers Ever

Most might know “Dancing In The Street” from David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s rendition of the tune, along with its accompanying music video. However, the OG song was penned by the incomparable Marvin Gaye, William Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter. The first version of the song made it to no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 when Martha And The Vandellas debuted it. In the years since, the song has popped up on the charts here and there through various renditions. The following four covers are just a few of the very best.

1. David Bowie and Mick Jagger

Well, we’ve already mentioned it. This wouldn’t be a proper list if we didn’t include David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s collaborative version of this song from 1985. The two rock and pop icons covered “Dancing In The Street” in support of Live Aid. They released it as a single with one of the most memorable music videos from the 1980s.

2. The Mamas & The Papas

The Mamas & The Papas were pop music masters back in the 1960s, and their version of “Dancing In The Street” from 1966 is simply gorgeous. Though, what couldn’t this group sing? Cass Elliot is at her finest on this song, and her ability to belt is at the forefront of this cover. The group took a few artistic liberties with the song, but it’s ultimately true to the original. Sadly, this was the last song that The Mamas & The Papas would ever perform live together as a group.

3. Van Halen

This is a pretty unlikely entry on this list, but Van Halen knocked their 1982 cover of “Dancing In The Street” out of the park. They breathed new life into the then-18-year-old song. According to David Lee Roth, there’s an interesting factoid about this cover, too.

“It sounds like more than four people are playing when in actuality there are almost zero overdubs,” said Roth of the song. “That’s why it takes us such a short amount of time to record.”

4. The Carpenters

This version of “Dancing In The Street” doesn’t get as much love as it deserves. Karen and Richard Carpenter were incredible at taking on covers, and their rendition of this classic is equal parts true to the original and wildly different from covers released by their contemporaries. 

Karen sings her heart out as she plays the drums, while Richard goes to town on the electric piano. The bass player wasn’t playing around, either. This is the jazziest version of the song yet.

Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

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