# "Dancing In The Dark" is still the best **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 21, 2022, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886 "2022-12-21T07:45:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/1 "2022-12-21T07:45:23Z")
Just watched Bruce’s original video and my heart just aches for lost youth and times long gone. What a great song! Bruce never looked better. The lyrics are great, the music is rockin’ and perfect and when Bruce sings, “Hey. Baby…” and pulls the then unknown Courtney Cox out of the audience, oh my! The look of disbelief on her face followed by her ever so slightly self conscious dance made my heart leap back then and still does. I’m 76, an old fogey. I just checked and I was 38 when the song came out in 1984. I thought it was much earlier then that. But I’m still dancing in the dark. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/129kuDCQtHs/maxresdefault.jpg "Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In the Dark (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129kuDCQtHs) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/2 "2022-12-21T12:09:42Z")
Damn he looks like a kid. But yeah, great song. I was 25 when that came out, and at the height of at least some of my powers. How far we’ve come since, and how much downhill vs up. But it’s been a hell of a ride. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/3 "2022-12-21T12:14:31Z")
Have you seen this clip? It’s pretty awesome! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xrLv0tAqxh0/maxresdefault.jpg "Incredible Guy Brings Judges To Tears With "Dancing In The Dark" | The Voice of Norway 2022 🇳🇴") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrLv0tAqxh0) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/4 "2022-12-21T12:22:39Z")
I’m not a big fan of Bruce’s voice. Courtney Cox looked great, though. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/5 "2022-12-21T13:24:35Z")
I’ve loved Springsteen since I was 10 years old and my parents started played \*Born in the U.S.A. on a daily rotation on our home stereo. That said, I’ve never really cared for “Dancing in the Dark”. It’s the synths. They don’t belong in a Springsteen song. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/6 "2022-12-21T15:18:39Z")
That video was directed by Brian De Palma, of all people. I love the riff to that track immensely. It’s the only really synth-heavy song on the album, but it’s a glorious hook. There were a few high-NRG 12" remixes made for dance clubs by Arthur Baker, one with vocals and added backing singers, and an instrumental version. You can still find them online; those have dated pretty badly but they’re still a hoot. I was also first introduced to the amazing voice of Glasgow’s Amy MacDonald when she covered the song. She’s also covered “Born To Run” in concert but I feel she went back to that well one too many times, as it’s not nearly as good. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tS_fK5YiRNM/hqdefault.jpg "Amy MacDonald - Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen) Live@Pinkpop 2009") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS_fK5YiRNM) And Sam Fender has also covered the track in concert in a pretty damn good version. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TmHJDfzewJY/maxresdefault.jpg "Sam Fender - Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover) - Live at Paradiso 2021") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmHJDfzewJY) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/7 "2022-12-21T20:20:37Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Have you seen this clip? > > It’s pretty awesome! It is indeed. No great surprise that he won the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/8 "2022-12-21T20:46:34Z")
It’s always struck me a little strange that Brian De Palma planted Courteney Cox in the audience, but an unwitting Bruce somehow picked her. The video could’ve gone a very different way! > **[The story behind Courteney Cox’s big break in an iconic Bruce Springsteen...](https://www.smoothradio.com/features/courteney-cox-bruce-springsteen-music-video/)** > > It’s been nearly 40 years since ‘Dancing In The Dark’ came out. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/9 "2022-12-21T22:00:02Z")
Springsteen knew that he was to pick Courteney Cox, he just didn’t know that she was an actress. She has stated that she was one of many that he could have picked but the video makes that seem unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/10 "2022-12-21T23:08:02Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Bruce sings, “Hey. Baby…” and pulls the then unknown Courtney Cox out of the audience, oh my! The look of disbelief on her face … her face immediately goes from “Isn’t this fun?” to “Oh, _shit,_ he means _me._ I’m going to have to get up in front of people!” Almost like she’s actually an actress, not a random fan… I heard that when they were casting Friends, someone said “Courtney who?” "She was the girl from _Dancing in the Dark."_ “Oh, good!” (No one remembered _Misfits of Science,_ I guess) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/11 "2022-12-22T00:57:05Z")
Well, I guess I get to do the “I was today years old” when I found out that was Courtney Cox in the video. Not that I’m _that_ familiar with the video, but I know it, and I really like The Boss’s music. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/12 "2022-12-22T01:06:15Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I heard that when they were casting Friends, someone said “Courtney who?” > "She was the girl from _Dancing in the Dark."_ > “Oh, good!” > > (No one remembered _Misfits of Science,_ I guess) My memory is that she was somewhat known back then. From what I remember, she’s the only actress I knew off-hand from that cast. She was is in Ace Ventura and Family Ties and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/13 "2022-12-22T01:29:57Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > It’s always struck me a little strange that Brian De Palma planted Courteney Cox in the audience, but an unwitting Bruce somehow picked her. There’s no way in hell that was random. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/14 "2022-12-22T08:55:20Z")
My favourite fact about this music video is that Alfonso Ribiero based his Carlton dance on Courteney Cox’s moves. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zS1cLOIxsQ8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-A4ACgAOKAgwIABABGGUgTChFMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBADc8YomT47vwGuxk1Du-xCx759A "The Carlton Dance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS1cLOIxsQ8) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/15 "2022-12-22T08:58:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > She was is in Ace Ventura and Family Ties and stuff. _Masters Of The Universe_ was a big deal movie to be in, even if it was considered a bit of a lame one. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/16 "2022-12-22T12:59:45Z")
Of course ‘Dancing in the Dark’ is a great song. But I find that this one by Bruce moves me to tears: [Racing In The Street - Philadelphia (Best Version) - 9/9/16 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQc_HLYh_NI) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/17 "2022-12-22T13:04:36Z")
I knew Courtney from Family Ties. She was Alex’s girlfriend in a later season. > [@pulykamell](#): > > Well, I guess I get to do the “I was today years old” when I found out that was Courtney Cox in the video. … They used it as a throw away joke in Cougar Town, I think that is how I learned it. > [@pulykamell](#): > > My memory is that she was somewhat known back then. From what I remember, she’s the only actress I knew off-hand from that cast. I recognize Aniston from of all things [Leprechaun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprechaun_(film)). Not that I knew her by name. I knew Lisa Kudrow as Ursula from Mad About You. I was a big fan of that show it first few years. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/18 "2022-12-22T21:31:26Z")
I knew of Jennifer Aniston from [the comedy sketch show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Edge_(TV_series)) she did with Wayne Knight and Julie Brown. ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/19 "2022-12-22T23:52:51Z")
This doesn’t seem to be all that well known, but there was an earlier video concept (directed by a friend of Bruce’s Jeff Stein, who also did Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” and Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, among others) of just Bruce dancing on an all-black stage. The below rehearsal footage was shot, Bruce hated it and the whole idea was scrapped (a wise decision, methinks). Jon Landau went to his friend De Palma to ask if he had any ideas and the video we now know as the official one was made instead. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vh8NQo1p5sA/hqdefault.jpg "Bruce Springsteen "Dancing in the Dark" Studio Video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh8NQo1p5sA) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886/20 "2022-12-22T23:59:43Z")
> [@journeyman\_southpaw](#): > > (directed by a friend of Bruce’s Jeff Stein, who also did Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” and Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, among others) And the Who movie _The Kids are Alright_! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-in-the-dark-is-still-the-best/976886.md?page=2)