Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)

Album

Just a Boy

Label

Chrysalis Records

Genre

Soft Rock

Duration

5:00

Composer(s)

Dave Courtne; Leo Sayer

Entered Chart

Feb 22, 1975

Peak Date

May 3, 1975

Released

Unknown

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Warner Bros. 8043

B-Side

In My Life

This is certainly the most famous song about a hungry hobo who has to dance for his dinner. He insists he can't dance, but the hosts have a hard-and-fast rule: before you can eat, you gotta dance like Fred Astaire. It has a happy ending: Sayer gives it a go and learns that he can dance after all. He even goes back for seconds. Sayer wrote this song with David Courtney. In 1973, the pair teamed up to write most of the songs on The Who frontman Roger Daltrey's debut solo album, Daltrey. That same year, they made Sayer's first solo album, which contained "The Show Must Go On," a hit just about everywhere but America. The Just A Boy album followed in 1974 with the first single, "One Man Band," the first Sayer song to get much attention in America. "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" was his next single, and a breakthrough hit. Sayer split with Courtney soon after, and in 1977 landed two #1 hits in America: "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" and "When I Need You."

I was travelin' down the road, feelin' hungry and cold
I saw a sign sayin' food and drinks for everyone
So naturally I thought I would take me a look inside
I saw so much food, there was water comin' from my eye

Yeah, there was ham and there was turkey, there was caviar
And long tall glasses, with wine up to y'all
And then somebody grabbed me, threw me outta my chair
Said, "Before you can eat, you gotta dance like Fred Astaire"

You know I can't dance, you know I can't dance
You know I can't dance, you know I can't dance
I can't dance

I am a man of the road, a hobo by name
I don't seek entertainment, just poultry and game
But if it's all the same to you
Then yes, I will try my hand
If you were as hungry as me then I'm sure you would understand

Hmm
Now, wait a minute


Of course I can dance, of course I can dance
I'm sure I can dance, I'm sure I can dance
I can dance

I can dance
I really hit the floor
Ah! Feels good
Look at me dancin'

I did a two-step, quick-step and a bossa nova
A little Victor Silvester, and a Rudy Valentino
You should a seen me movin, right across the floor
Hand me down my tuxedo, next week I'm comin' back for more

I can dance
Oh, yes! I can dance
Look at me dancin', the floor's movin'
I feel good, I can dance
I can dance
I can dance
I can dance
I can dance
I can dance