How the Carpenters' 1970s Christmas Song Became an Ageless Hit - WSJ

About the song: 

“Touch Me When We’re Dancing” is a song written by Terry Skinner, J.L. Wallace, and Ken Bell. It was originally recorded by American country singer Johnny Duncan in 1979, but it became a bigger hit when it was covered by The Carpenters in 1981. The Carpenters’ version of the song was released as the second single from their album Made in America. It reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is about a couple who are in love and enjoy dancing together. The lyrics describe the feeling of closeness and intimacy that comes from dancing with someone you love. The song has a soft, romantic melody and features Karen Carpenter’s beautiful vocals. “Touch Me When We’re Dancing” is a classic love song that continues to be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Here are some additional details about the song:

  • The song was written in the key of A major and has a tempo of 120 beats per minute.
  • The song’s instrumentation includes piano, drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar.
  • The song was produced by Richard Carpenter.
  • The song’s music video features The Carpenters performing the song in a variety of settings, including a dance club, a beach, and a forest.
  • The song has been covered by many artists, including Dolly Parton, Olivia Newton-John, and Kenny Rogers.

“Touch Me When We’re Dancing” is a beautiful and romantic song that is sure to put a smile on your face. If you’re looking for a song to dance to with your loved one, this is the perfect choice.

Video 

Lyrics: Touch Me When We’re Dancing

Play us a song we can slow dance on
We want to hold each other
Play us a groove so we hardly move
Just let our hearts beat together
Oh, baby, ’cause it feel so good
When we’re close like this
Whisper in my ear and let me steal a kiss[Chorus:]
Come on and touch me
When we’re dancing
You know you’ve got that loving touch
Touch me when we’re dancing
I want to feel you when I’m falling in loveTonight’s the night and it feels so right
My heart is saying it to me
You’re the one I’ve waited for so long
So let your love flow through me
Oh, baby, ’cause it feels so good
Just to be this close
You’ve got me up so high
I could fly coast to coast[Repeat Chorus]

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Dolly Parton turned a simple handmade coat into one of the most powerful songs of her life because to her, it was never really about the fabric. “Coat of Many Colors” sprang directly from Dolly’s growing-up years in East Tennessee. Her mother, Avie Lee, pieced the jacket together by sewing colorful rags the family already owned. Cash was mighty tight, so there was no running down to the store for brand-new clothes. Instead, Avie Lee took what was on hand and stitched together something warm for her little girl to wear. While the needle flew, she shared the Bible story of Joseph and his coat of many colors, turning an ordinary piece of clothing into something special in Dolly’s eyes. Proudly wearing that coat to school, Dolly felt rich, but the other kids saw it differently. They laughed at the patches and teased her for having so little. Years down the road, Dolly penned those childhood memories into “Coat of Many Colors.” Released in 1971, the tune became a shining example of why her songwriting touched so many souls. She never tried to hide hard times or dress up her youth to look prettier than it was. She simply laid the sting of teasing side-by-side with the deep love that stitched the coat together, letting that honest truth speak for itself. The song eventually grew far beyond that original vinyl record. Its spirit inspired the 2015 television movie Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, followed by Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love the very next year. Those films opened a window into Dolly’s mountain home, introducing folks to the hardworking parents and siblings who shaped her long before the bright lights found her. By then, Dolly had worn glittering stage gowns worth more than her family could ever have dreamed. Yet the garment folks remember best remains that humble little coat stitched by a mother’s loving hands when buying something new simply wasn’t in the cards. That is why the memory stayed alive. The scraps faded away, but the lesson underneath never did.