Bring On the Dancing Horses explained

Bring On the Dancing Horses
Cover:	bunnymen_dancinghorses.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Echo & the Bunnymen
Album:	Songs to Learn & Sing
B-Side:	"Over Your Shoulder", "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo"
Released:	^[1]
Genre:	Alternative rock post-punk neo-psychedelia dream pop
Length:	3:59 (7") (12")
Label:	Korova
Producer:	Laurie Latham The Bunnymen
Prev Title:	Seven Seas
Prev Year:	1984
Next Title:	The Game
Next Year:	1987

"Bring On the Dancing Horses" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 7 October 1985. It was the only single from their 1985 compilation album Songs to Learn & Sing and was recorded for the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink (1986).^[2] The song reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart^[3] and number 15 on the Irish Singles Chart.^[4]

AllMusic journalist Stewart Mason praised the song's "dreamily catchy chorus" and "nice melody", adding that the layers of synths and Ian McCulloch's overdubbed vocals on the chorus add to the "psychedelic haze of the track".^[5]

Releases

The single was released as a 7" single, a 12" single and a shaped picture disc. On the 7" single and the picture disc the title track is three minutes and 59 seconds long and the B-side is "Over Your Shoulder". The title track was extended by one minute and 38 seconds for the 12-inch single, to five minutes and 37 seconds, and an extra track, "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo", was added to the B-side. The 7" single was also released as a limited edition with an extra disc containing "Villiers Terrace" and "Monkeys" from the August 1979 John Peel session. Laurie Latham produced the title track and the Bunnymen produced the B-sides. The singles were released on Korova in the United Kingdom and on WEA elsewhere.

Track listings

All tracks written by Will Sergeant, Ian McCulloch, Les Pattinson and Pete de Freitas.

7-inch (Korova KOW 43, WEA S248933-7) and picture disc (Korova KOW 43P, WEA 248933–7)

1. "Bring On the Dancing Horses" – 3:59
2. "Over Your Shoulder" – 4:04

12-inch (Korova KOW 43T, WEA 248932–0)

1. "Bring On the Dancing Horses" – 5:37
2. "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo" – 3:35
3. "Over Your Shoulder" – 4:04

Personnel

• Ian McCulloch – vocals, guitar
• Will Sergeant – lead guitar
• Les Pattinson – bass
• Pete de Freitas – drums
• Laurie Latham – producer
• The Bunnymen – producer

Chart positions

Chart (1985-6)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	78
Belgium (Ultratop 50)^[7]	19
Irish Singles Chart	15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[8]	45
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[9]	31
UK Singles Chart	21

Notes and References

1. Web site: Music Week. 20.
2. Web site: November 1985: Echo & the Bunnymen Release SONGS TO LEARN & SING . November 11, 2022 . . June 17, 2023.
3. Book: 2006 . Roberts . David . . 19th . . 1-904994-10-5 .
4. Web site: The Irish Charts – All there is to know . . 2008 . 30 April 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100105231849/http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement . 5 January 2010 . dmy .
5. Web site: Bring on the Dancing Horses by Echo & the Bunnymen . Mason . Stewart . . 17 June 2023.
6. Book: Kent, David . . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book . . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6.
7. Web site: ultratop.be . Dutch. Ultratop. Hung Medien. 12 June 2017.
8. Web site: dutchcharts.nl . Hung Medien. MegaCharts. 12 June 2017.
9. Web site: charts.nz . Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. 12 June 2017.