Dancing in the Street

The Zoo Crew is spinning the iconic track Dancing in the Street by David Bowie and Mick Jagger, a 1985 charity single recorded for Live Aid. This cover of the 1964 Martha and the Vandellas classic was a rapid-fire production, completed in just 13 hours on June 29, 1985, at Westside Studios in London. Bowie was already there working on the Absolute Beginners soundtrack when Jagger flew in to join him. The duo recorded the song in four hours, with musicians like Steve Nieve from Elvis Costello’s band and drummer Neil Conti from Prefab Sprout. Jagger, in a 2007 Rolling Stone interview, said, “We banged it out in just two takes. It was an interesting exercise in how you can do something without worrying too much.” The video, shot overnight at Millennium Mills in London’s Docklands, was directed by David Mallet, who’d previously worked with Bowie on Ashes to Ashes. It’s known for its campy, exuberant energy, with Jagger’s wild dance moves and Bowie’s playful jazz hands, though some critics, like those on Pushing Ahead of the Dame, called it an “artistic disaster.” Still, it topped the UK charts for four weeks and hit No. 7 in the US, raising significant funds for famine relief.

One quirky story comes from a YouTube prank where the song’s audio was stripped, leaving only fake shuffles and grunts. Bowie himself loved it, according to guitarist Ben Monder, who played on Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. Monder recalled Bowie showing the clip to his band, laughing hysterically. The song also sparked rumors about Bowie and Jagger’s relationship, fueled by a 1970s anecdote where Bowie’s then-wife Angie reportedly found them “in bed together” after a party. Both denied anything romantic, claiming they were just crashed out, but the video’s homoerotic vibe, as noted in a 2015 Video Closet post, kept the gossip alive. On X, fans still celebrate its camp appeal, with @DavidBowieReal in 2020 calling it “possibly the campest duet ever committed to tape.” The duo performed it live only once, at the Prince’s Trust Concert on June 20, 1986, a moment @StonesData on X described as “electrifying.”

David Bowie, born David Robert Jones in 1947 in London, began his career as a teen playing saxophone in local bands. By the mid-1960s, he was releasing singles under the name Davy Jones, switching to Bowie to avoid confusion with the Monkees’ singer. His 1969 hit Space Oddity marked his breakthrough, but it was the 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars that made him a glam rock icon. His chameleon-like reinventions—Ziggy, Aladdin Sane, the Thin White Duke—kept him at music’s cutting edge. Mick Jagger, born Michael Philip Jagger in 1943 in Kent, England, formed The Rolling Stones in 1962 with Keith Richards, Brian Jones, and others. Inspired by American blues and R&B, their raw energy and Jagger’s provocative stage presence made them rock legends. By 1985, Jagger was exploring a solo career, releasing She’s the Boss, while Bowie was riding the pop wave of Let’s Dance.

You can follow Bowie’s legacy on his official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Jagger’s official channels include his website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans connect on sites like Bowie Wonderworld and It’s Only Rock’n Roll for The Rolling Stones. On Facebook, groups like Bowie Kooks and Rolling Stones Fans keep the love alive for Zoo Freaks vibing to this track.