"Rhythm Is a Dancer" is a song by German Eurodance group Snap!, released in March 1992 by Arista and Logic as the second single from their second studio album, The Madman's Return (1992).
It was an international success, topping the charts in France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
tubes, a book which analyses the French pop charts, "This discotheque song alternates female singing in the chorus with fluid, set black male raps in the verses.
[5] "Rhythm Is a Dancer" contains the hook/riff sample from the 1984 song "Automan" by Newcleus, written in the key of A minor with a tempo of 124 beats per minute[7] in common time.
[9] Ken Capobianco from The Boston Globe complimented Thea Austin's "colorful" voice, adding that "everything gels" on the "intoxicating" track.
"[12] Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly said the dance-floor anthem "became the stuff sweet Club MTV dreams were made of.
[14] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "Two years ago, "The Power" dominated radio both here and abroad.
"[15] James Arena, writer of Stars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers wrote, "From its distinctively electrifying opening chords to its powerful rolling beats, unusually poetic lyrical depth and robust vocals, "Rhythm Is a Dancer" (...) is one of the most recognizable success stories of the '90s.
[17] Alan Jones from Music Week felt it is "their most commercial offering" since their debut single, adding that "it's also their most credible dance groove, and is sure to race into the Top 10.
"[18] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update noted the "Giorgio Moroder-ish buzzing synth".
[19] Eric McClary from Reno Gazette-Journal complimented it as "the quintessential rave track, with its fast, sharp-edged industrial beat.
"[20] Tim Southwell from Smash Hits praised it, commenting, "Snap have gone back to their club roots here with a wonderfully infectious and simple dance shimmer which features Spanish guitars and a wispy choir vibe".
to reach number one in the United Kingdom, the single remained six weeks at the top position in 1992, from 2 August to 13 September.
Additionally, the single also peaked at the number-one position in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Zimbabwe, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100 and the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada.
BBC Radio 1 DJs Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates theorized it was based on download performance, due to its inclusion in a television advertisement for Drench water.
The accompanying music video for "Rhythm Is a Dancer" was directed by British director Howard Greenhalgh and premiered in July 1992.
[25] It was filmed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, and shows singer Thea Austin, and rapper Durron Butler (Turbo B) playing a bass guitar in the rocket garden, which is filled with smoke.
[28] In the 2017 book, Stars of 90's Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers by James Arena, singer Thea Austin said about the song, "I believe 'Rhythm Is a Dancer' resonates so powerfully because it is spiritually and creatively blessed.
"Rhythm Is a Dancer", which itself sampled the beat from a 1984-song called "Automan" by American electro, synth and old-school hip hop band Newcleus,[112] has been covered by numerous artists including German singer Key Biscayne (aka Lian Ross) in 1992, Italian radio host Leone di Lernia who recorded a parody of the song in Italian,[113] Max Deejay who recorded an instrumental cover in 1997, System Drivers in 2002, The Superb, a Brazilian rock act produced by Chilean DJ Sokio[114] in 2005, Israeli-Italian artist Sagi Rei for his 2005 album Emotional Songs, Chic Flowerz featuring Muriel Fowler in 2006.
[116] German House DJ Damon Paul covered "Rhythm Is a Dancer" [117] featuring Simone Mangiapane, on his album of the same name in 2014, under the Sounds United label.