Dancing With A Stranger

Album

Never Too Much

Label

Capitol Records

Genre

Disco

Composer(s)

Sam Smith;Jimmy Napes;Mikkel S. Eriksen;or E. Hermansen;Normani Kordei Hamilton

Entered Chart

Jan 26, 2019

Peak Date

Apr 27, 2019

Released

11 January 2019

Recorded

2018 Studio The Stellar House; Venice, California[1]

Catalog #

Capitol

This R&B-influenced pop number finds Sam Smith hooking up with Normani. The collaboration came about totally by chance. The British singer was writing with Stargate and Jimmy Napes in a Los Angeles studio while the former Fifth Harmony member was recording in the next room over. The two decided to join forces. The sultry song is about hooking with someone new on the dance floor in the wake of heartbreak. Sam Smith wrote the track during his 2018 The Thrill of it All tour. "For me it bottles everything I was feeling whilst juggling my personal life and touring," he said. Sam Smith and Normani performed the song live together for the first time during 93.3 FLZ's Jingle Ball 2019 at Amalie Arena on December 1, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. Sam Smith came out as non-binary in 2019. Writing "Dancing With A Stranger" helped trigger Smith's gender transition. Smith explained to Billboard that he had just gone through a breakup and the last thing he wanted to do was write a sad song. The singer had been listening to sexy music that made he feel better, so he wanted to pen a song about going to clubs and kissing people. "The song launched me into a really beautiful space of writing and freedom," he added. "There's a femininity within that song that has ignited a flame within me." This landed the Song of the Year honor at the BMI London Awards 2020. BMI gives the prize each year to the most-performed song in the United States by a UK or European songwriter. Songwriters Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda and Rosco Banlaoi brought legal action against Smith, Normani and their respective teams, claiming "Dancing With A Stranger" copied their 2017 song of the same title.

Hmm, hmm

I don't wanna be alone tonight
It's pretty clear that I'm not over you
I'm still thinking 'bout the things you do
So I don't want to be alone tonight, alone tonight, alone tonight
Can you light the fire?
I need somebody who can take control
I know exactly what I need to do
'Cause I don't wanna be alone tonight, alone tonight, alone tonight

Look what you made me do, I'm with somebody new
Ooh, baby, baby, I'm dancing with a stranger
Look what you made me do, I'm with somebody new
Ooh, baby, baby, I'm dancing with a stranger
Dancing with a stranger

I wasn't even goin' out tonight
But, boy, I need to get you off of my mind
I know exactly what I have to do
I don't wanna be alone tonight, alone tonight, alone tonight

Look what you made me do, I'm with somebody new
Ooh, baby, baby, I'm dancing with a stranger
Look what you made me do, I'm with somebody new
Ooh, baby, baby, I'm dancing with a stranger
Dancing with a stranger
Dancing with a stranger
Dancing, yeah, ooh

Look what you made me do (ooh), I'm with somebody new
Ooh, baby, baby, I'm dancing with a stranger
Look what you made me do, I'm with somebody new
Ooh, baby, baby, I'm dancing with a stranger
I'm dancing, I'm dancing (ooh)
I'm dancing, I'm dancing (dancing with a stranger)
I'm dancing, I'm dancing (dancing with a stranger)
I'm dancing, I'm dancing (dancing with a stranger)