🎼 Dance Away – Single: Apr. 1979

Released as the second single from Manifesto, “Dance Away” marked Roxy Music’s elegant return to the UK charts after a four‑year studio hiatus. Its sleek, romantic melancholy and polished production captured the band’s shift into a more refined pop aesthetic, becoming one of their most enduring and commercially successful songs.

Issued in the UK on 13 April 1979, the single paired a shorter, radio‑friendly edit of “Dance Away” with the B‑side “Cry, Cry, Cry.” It quickly became a major hit, peaking at No. 2 and spending 14 weeks on the UK Singles Chart — the longest chart residency of any Roxy Music single.

There was no 12" released in the UK, but there was one available in Canada featuring an Extended Version running at 6:33.

Also Trash 2 was released on the B-side in Canada, Japan and the US.

🔘 The Story

Originally written by Bryan Ferry for his 1977 solo album In Your Mind, “Dance Away” was shelved twice before finally being completed for Manifesto. The song’s shimmering arrangement, wistful lyricism, and smooth rhythmic pulse reflected the band’s evolution toward a more sophisticated, soft‑rock‑inflected sound.

The single version differed from the album mix, offering a tighter, more streamlined edit that emphasized Ferry’s vocal and the track’s rhythmic clarity. This mix became the definitive version, replacing the album version on later pressings and compilations.

Critics praised the track’s commercial appeal, with Cashbox highlighting Andy Mackay’s saxophone lines, Phil Manzanera’s guitar textures, and the entrancing percussive feel. Its success helped reestablish Roxy Music as a major chart force, setting the stage for their early‑1980s renaissance.

Internationally, the single reached No. 1 in Ireland and charted in the United States, where it became a minor hit on both the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts.

🔘 Personnel

• Bryan Ferry – vocals, keyboards, songwriter

• Andy Mackay – oboe, saxophone

• Phil Manzanera – electric guitar

• Alan Spenner – bass

• Richard Tee – piano

• Rick Marotta – drums

• Steve Ferrone – percussion, claves

• Luther Vandross – vocals

• Roxy Music – producers

• Strawberry Mastering – mastering

• Phonodisc Ltd. – pressing

• Delga Press Ltd. – printing

🔘 Key Highlights

• Second single from Manifesto

• Peaked at No. 2 in the UK

• 14‑week UK chart run — longest of any Roxy Music single

• Became the 9th biggest‑selling UK single of 1979

Label: Polydor / EG

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Purple Injection Labels

Released: 13 April 1979 (UK)

A: Dance Away – 3:45

B: Cry, Cry, Cry – 2:54

🔘 UK Variants

• Polydor / EG – POSP 44 – 7", 45 RPM, Single, Purple Injection Labels (1979)

• Polydor – 2001 872 – 7", 45 RPM, Single, French Pressing (UK‑sold) (1979)

• Polydor / EG – POSP 44 – 7", 45 RPM, Single, Silver Injection Labels (1979)

• Polydor – 2001 872 – 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, French Pressing (1979)

• Polydor / EG – POSP 44 – 7", 45 RPM, Single, Large Centre, Silver Injection Labels (1979)

• Polydor – POSP 44 – 7", 45 RPM, Single (1979)

🔘 UK Chart Performance

• No. 2, 14 weeks on the UK Singles Chart

First Chart Date:

28/04/1979

CHART RUN

14 weeks — 28/04/1979 to 28/07/1979

41 28/04/1979

34 05/05/1979

20 12/05/1979

7 19/05/1979

2 26/05/1979 peak

2 02/06/1979 peak

2 09/06/1979 peak

3 16/06/1979

3 23/06/1979

6 30/06/1979

10 07/07/1979

29 14/07/1979

41 21/07/1979

59 28/07/1979

Last Chart Date:

28/07/1979

Total Weeks:

14

Peak Position:

No. 2 (3 weeks)

🔘 International Variants (selective)

• Canada — ATCO Records – DDK 7504 — 12", 33⅓ RPM, Single — 1979

 A: Dance Away (Extended Version) – 6:33

 B: Trash 2 – 3:09

• US — ATCO Records – 7100 — 7", 45 RPM, Single, Richmond Pressing — 1979

 A: Dance Away – 3:45

 B: Trash 2 – 3:09

• Canada — ATCO Records – ATCO 7100 — 7", 45 RPM, Single — 1979

 A: Dance Away – 3:45

 B: Trash 2 – 3:09

• Japan — Polydor – DPQ 6131 — 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo — May 1979

 A: Dance Away – 3:44

 B: Trash 2 – 3:08

🔘 International Chart Performance

• Ireland: No. 1 (1 week)

• US Billboard Hot 100: No. 44

• US Adult Contemporary: No. 38

🔘 Context & Notes

• Originally intended for two Bryan Ferry solo albums

• Single mix replaced album version on later releases

• Extended 6:29 version appears on The Thrill of It All

• One of Roxy Music’s most commercially successful singles

🔘 Discography

Trash — 1979

Dance Away — 1979

Angel Eyes — 1979

🔘 Related Material

Additional material connected to this entry is listed in the tag index at the foot of the page.

🔘 Glam Flashback

A shimmering, late‑night heartbreak anthem that glided across dancefloors and airwaves, sealing Roxy Music’s return to chart‑topping elegance.

#ReleaseChronicle #RoxyMusic #DanceAway #1979

🔘 Sources

Discogs, 45cat, Wikipedia, Billboard, BBC Charts.

🔘 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.