Dancin' on the Ceiling was a studio album by The Beck Family, an R&B vocal group from Philadelphia. It made the Billboard Soul LPs chart in 1979. It contained the hit song, "Can't Shake the Feeling" which registered on four USA charts and charted in Canada. Another song, "Words and Music" was a popular song for the UK dancefloors.
Background The February 10 issue of Billboard mentioned that The Beck Family were getting ready for the first release on the LeJoint label. The intended release was to be called The Beck Family.Billboard, February 10, 1979 - Page 36 Radio Challenging Pools * continued from page 35 However, when the album was released, it was called Dancin' on the Ceiling.Billboard, March 17, 1979 - Page 98 Billboard's Top Album Picks, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 3/17/79, First Time Around It was released in the UK on London SHE 8534.Music Week, June 23, 1979 - Page 40 ALBUM REVIEWS, BECK FAMILY It was there in the UK that an album track, "Words and Music" became a popular dancefloor song.Soulwalking - the beck familyBoth Sides Now Publications - LEJOINT ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY
Phyllis Hyman was one of the backing vocalists on the album.music-was-my-first-love.com - Phyllis Hyman, The Beck Family, Dancin' On The Ceiling
On the week of May 5, the album was a "breakout" at The Soul Shack in Washington.Cash Box, May 5, 1979 - Page 28 MERCHANDISING, ALBUM BREAKOUTS, Soul Shack Washington
The hit single, "Can't Shake the Feeling" got to no. 43 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart,Billboard, May 19, 1979 - Page 40 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 5/19/79Billboard, May 26, 1979 - Page 69 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 5/26/79 no. 37 on the Cash Box Top 100 Black Contemporary singles chart,Cash Box, May 26, 1979 - Page 38 CASH BOX TOP 100 May 26, 1979Cash Box, June 2, 1979 - Page 42 CASH BOX TOP 100 June 2, 1979 no. 47 on the Record World Black Oriented Singles chart,Record World, May 12, 1979 - Page 56 Record World Black Oriented Singles MAY 12, 1979Record World, May 19, 1979 - Page 82 Record World Black Oriented Singles MAY 19, 1979 and no. 137 on the Record World Singles 101 - 150 chart.Record World, May 5, 1979 - Page 28 Record World Singles 101-150 MAY 5, 1979Record World, May 19, 1979 - Page 31 Record World Singles 101-150 MAY 19, 1979Record World, May 26, 1979 - Record World Singles 101-150 MAY 26, 1979Record World, June 2, 1979 - Page 35 Record World Singles 101-150 JUNE 2, 1979 It also made it to no. 25 on the RPM Weekly Disco Playlist chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 31 No. 3 April 14, 1979 - Page 41 DISCO PLAYLIST
The follow-up single, "Falling in Love Again" was released on LeJoint 5N34005. It was a recommended soul single in Billboards Top Single Picks for August 4, 1979.Billboard, August 4, 1979 - Page 55 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Billboard SPECIAL SURUEY For Week Ending 8/4/79
At the end of 1979, two of the album tracks were being played in Italy.Both Sides Now Publications - LEJOINT ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY Radiocorriere TV, Anno LVI - Numero 20 9/15 Dicembre 1979 - 11 dicembre V CANALE Musica leggera, 22/24 MUSICA LEGGERA IN STEREOFONIA Radiocorriere TV, Anno LVI - Numero 20 9/15 Dicembre 1979 - 14 dicembre V CANALE Musica leggera, 22/24 MUSICA LEGGERA IN STEREOFONIA On December 11, 1979, "Dancin' on the Ceiling" was getting played on Canale 5, on the Musica leggera in stereofonia program in Italy. Radiocorriere TV, Anno LVI - Numero 20 9/15 Dicembre 1979 - 11 dicembre V CANALE Musica leggera, 22/24 MUSICA LEGGERA IN STEREOFONIA On December 14, "Can't Shake the Feeling" was being played on the same program. Radiocorriere TV, Anno LVI - Numero 20 9/15 Dicembre 1979 - 14 dicembre V CANALE Musica leggera, 22/24 MUSICA LEGGERA IN STEREOFONIA
Reviews Billboard It was reviewed in the March 17 issue of Billboard. It had a positive review, with the picks being, "Can't Shake the Feeling", Dancin' on the Ceiling" and "Falling in Love Again". The review said it had pop crossover potential, and it would get r&b and disco airplay.Billboard, March 17, 1979 - Page 98 Billboard's Top Album Picks, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY Fa Week Ending 3/17/79, First Time Around
Cash Box Their album was also reviewed in the March 24, 1979 issue of Cash Box. The review said that the T. Life produced album had potential for chart action and airplay, and R&B, disco and pop interest.Cash Box, March 24, 1979 - Page 22 REVIEWS ALBUM REVIEWS
Music Week It was reviewed in the June 23 issue of Music Week. The reviewer called it was somewhere between pop and r&b. The reviewer also called it light and infectious and that it could pick up airplay.Music Week, June 23, 1979 - Page 40 ALBUM REVIEWS, BECK FAMILY
Chart On the week of May 12, 1979, the album entered the Billboard Soul LPs chart at no. 72.Billboard, May 12, 1979 - Page 41 Billboard Soul LPs, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY for Week Ending 5/12/79 It held that position for another week.Billboard, May 19, 1979 - Page 42 Billboard Soul LPs, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY for Week Ending 5/19/79Joel Whitburn's Top R & B albums, 1965-1998 - Page 12 Beck Family, The
Track listing + Dandin' on the Ceiling No. Track Composer Time Notes A1 "Can't Shake the Feeling" B. Greene; T. Life; G. Sokolow; G. Smith 4:50 A2 "Dancin' On the Ceiling" M. Bailey 3:46 A3 "Words and Music" M. Bailey 5:09 A4 "Nobody But You" J. Fitch; R. Cross; B. Greene; T. Life* 3:25 B1 "Falling in Love Again" T. Life; B. Greene; C. Cotton 4:24 B2 "Can You Feel It" A. Beck; A. Destoutet, 4:36 B3 " Butterflies" B. Greene; B. Dunbar; G.Sokolow 3:35 B4 " Love-A-Thon" K. Lewis 3:11 soulandfunkmusic.com, The Ultimate Soul And Funk Website - The Beck Family Albums Dancin' On The CeilingDiscogs - The Beck Family – Dancin' On The CeilingBoth Sides Now Publications - LeJoint Album Discography
References
External links Discogs - The Beck Family: Dancin' on the Celling album