Chart Performance: Pop (#5); 1976
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Not only were husband-and-wife John and Johanna Hall real-life dancing partners, they were a songwriting team as well. So when John Hall’s group Orleans needed material to record, the couple’s compositions offered a handy source. Rock fans in possession of Janis Joplin’s Pearl album were already aware of the couple’s work through Half Moon, and Orleans, the group Hall helped found in 1972, included its version on the self-titled debut album. 1974’s II featured two great Hall & Hall tunes, Let There Be Music and Dance With Me, yet, the label didn’t believe in Orleans and dropped them. Asylum Records made no such mistake. For Orleans’ first release for Asylum, Let There Be Music was the lead-off track and name of the album. In May, 1975 the single hit #55. Orleans then stepped its way to #6 with another song ignored by its former label, Dance With Me. The next John/Johanna tune – Still The One – was so popular that the ABC television network used it for its theme song.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2023 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Chuck Plotkin
Lyrics Written by:
- Johanna Hall
- John Hall
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).
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