What Mick Jagger Thought of the Video He and David Bowie Made For ‘Dancing in the Street’
One of the most iconic moments from Mick Jagger’s and David Bowie’s 1980s careers is the video for their song “Dancing in the Street.” In 2011, Peter Griffin mocked the video in an episode of Family Guy. In 2016, Jagger discussed how he felt about Bowie’s music and the somewhat infamous video.
How Mick Jagger and David Bowie got along in the 1980s
In a 2016 Rolling Stone article, Jagger discussed his friendship with Bowie, who had recently died. He said they saw each other as competitors, but that competition never overwhelmed them. “We were very close in the ’80s in New York,” he recalled. “We’d hang out a lot and go out to dance clubs. We were very influenced by the New York downtown scene back then.
“That’s why ‘Let’s Dance‘ is my favorite song of his — it reminds me of those times, and it has such a great groove,” Jagger revealed. “He had a chameleon-like ability to take on any genre, always with a unique take, musically and lyrically.”
What Mick Jagger thought after he and David Bowie completed their version of ‘Dancing in the Street’
Jagger also revealed what he thought of the “Dancing in the Street” video. “My favorite memory was the time we did ‘Dancing in the Street’ together,” he said. “We had to record the song and film the video all in one day. We walked straight from the studio onto the set of the video. At the end of the day, we were saying, ‘See, it can be done! Why are [we] spending years in the studio?'”
While Jagger enjoys the video, he has some regrets about his professional relationship with Bowie. “We enjoyed camping it up,” he recalled. “The video is hilarious to watch. It was the only time we really collaborated on anything, which is really stupid when you think about it.”
The way the world reacted to their version of ‘Dancing in the Street’
Jagger wasn’t the only one who enjoyed “Dancing in the Street.” Listeners seemed to enjoy it as well. The duet reached No. 7 on Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 14 weeks. It’s Jagger’s only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist.
The Official Charts Company reports “Dancing in the Street” was a success in the United Kingdom as well. The song reached No. 1 in the U.K., staying on the chart for 15 weeks. It remains Jagger’s only No. 1 hit in his native U.K. without The Rolling Stones.
The song had a place in pop culture long afterward, as evidenced when Peter Griffin mocked it in an episode of Family Guy called “Foreign Affairs.” The entirety of the video appears in the episode. “Dancing in the Street” remains an interesting collaboration between two rock ‘n’ roll icons — and it holds a special place in Jagger’s memories.
