Dancing with Myself (song)

*This article is about the song. You may be looking for Idol's memoir under the same title.*

"****Dancing with Myself****"
"Mony Mony"

"**Dancing with Myself**" is a song by English rock punk band Gen X, first released in October 1980 as the lead single and track from their third studio album, *Kiss Me Deadly*. After the split of the group, Billy Idol traveled to New York City to pursue his career as a solo artist. He re-recorded the song, released through BMG Chrysalis in March 1981 in the United States. The song also served as the lead single and fourth track from Idol's debut record, *Don't Stop*, and was included in the 1983 reissue of his debut eponymous studio album as the eleventh and final track.

## Background

Regarding the inspiration behind the song, Idol told *Rolling Stone* that he went to a discotheque in 1978 in Japan, and saw them "dancing to their own reflections in the mirror and not really with each other." For the lyrical meaning, he remarked, "I think a lot of people think it's about masturbation but it really was about these disenfranchised youth dancing and that was their world, really." He conceded, "But I mean, there's a masturbatory element to it, too. There's a masturbatory element in those kids dancing with their own reflections. It's not too much further to sexual masturbation. The song really is about these people being in a disenfranchised world where they're left bereft dancing with their own reflections. These kids were almost disaffected from each other and with their own reflections."

On Guitar Center Sessions, he shared, "With 'Dancing With Myself' I was trying to put back in punk energy, but streamline the music at the same time and make it great to dance to and slightly more sexual - some of the things that punk precluded because it was a sort of gang kind of music. I wanted to put a sexual feeling into it, and that's when I started doing with songs like 'Dancing With Myself.'"

It appeared in the films *Flushed Away* (2006) and *Mean Girls* (2004).

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

On the floors of Tokyo-o

Or down in London town to go, go

A-with the record selection and the mirror's reflection

I'm a-dancing with myself

Oh, when there's no one else in sight

A-in the crowded lonely night

Well, I wait so long for my love vibration

And I'm dancing with myself

[Chorus]

Oh, oh, dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself

When there's nothing to lose, and there's nothing to prove

And I'm dancing with myself, oh, oh, uh-oh

[Verse 2]

If I looked all over the world

And there's every type of girl

But your empty eyes

Seem to pass me by

Leave me dancing with myself

So let's sink another drink

'Cause it'll give me time to think

If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance

And I'll be dancing with myself

[Chorus]

Oh, oh, dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself

When there's nothing to lose, and there's nothing to prove

And I'm dancing with myself, oh, oh, uh-oh

[Bridge]

Oh, oh, uh-oh, oh

Oh, oh, uh-oh

Oh, uh-uh, oh, ow!

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 3]

Well, if I looked all over the world

And there's every type of girl

But your empty eyes

Seem to pass me by

Leave me dancing with myself

So let's sink another drink

'Cause it'll give me time to think

If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance

And I'll be dancing with myself

[Chorus 2]

Oh, oh, dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself

If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance

If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance

If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance

Oohhhhhaaaawwww!!

Oh, oh, uh-oh

Oh, oh, uh-oh

Oh, oh, uh-oh

Oh, oh, uh-oh

[Outro]

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Oh, it's all wet

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) And I'll sweat

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) And I'll sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat

Oh!

Dancing with myself, oh!

Ow!

[Repeat and fade]

## Audio

### YouTube

Billy Idol "Dancing With Myself" Guitar Center Sessions on DIRECTV
## Credits

**Personnel**

* Billy Idol — songwriting, vocals, keyboards, programming, arranger
* Tony James — songwriting
* Keith Forsey — producer

**Technical**

* Air Studios, New York, United States

## References

1. ↑ Grow, Kory (October 16, 2014). "Billy Idol on Drinking With the Stones and Seeing Jesus in the Sex Pistols". *Rolling Stone*.
2. ↑ "Billy Idol discusses hearing "Dancing With Myself" on Guitar Center Sessions on DIRECTV". *YouTube*. December 1, 2014.
3. ↑ "Dancing with Myself Movies." *Lyrics.com*.