Cover Text

Part I

·       Text

To Dance with My Father Again

Song by Luther Vandross lyric by Richard Marx and Luther Vandross

Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me
And then
Spin me around 'till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved

If I could get another chance
Another walk
Another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
How I'd love love love
To dance with my father again

When I and my mother
Would disagree
To get my way I would run
From her to him
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me
yeah yeah
Then finally make me do
Just what my mama said
Later that night when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he
Would be gone from me

If I could steal one final glance
When final step
One final dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
Cause I'd love love love to
Dance with my father again

Sometimes I'd listen outside her door
And I'd hear how mama would cry for him
I'd pray for her even more than me
I'd pray for her even more than me

I know I'm praying for much to much
But could you send her
The only man she loved
I know you don't do it usually
But Dear Lord
She's dying to dance with my father again

Every night I fall asleep
And this is all I ever dream

·       Historical about this text

Composition and release

Vandross wrote "Dance with my Father", with Marx, based on his personal experience. Considered by Vandross as his "career song",  "Dance with my Father" is a tribute to his father, Luther Vandross, Sr., who died due to complications of diabetes when he was at the age of seven. According to Marx, writing the song was emotional for Vandross because it is "a subject matter [Vandross] hadn't written before”.

On the backdrop of strings and interplay of piano and drums, Vandross recalls fond memories with his late father who used to dance with his mother. Mary Ida, his mother, says, "I was amazed at how well Luther remembered his father, how we used to dance and sing in the house. I was so surprised that at 7 1/2 years of age, he could remember what a happy household we had."Barry Walters of Rolling Stone magazine qualifies the memories invoked in the lyrics as painful and private, adding that when Vandross asks God to return his father, it "turn a potentially maudlin song into a meditative, deeply personal prayer".

At the time of "Dance with my Father"'s release as a single on May 30, 2003, Vandross had been hospitalized due to his suffering from stroke. This timely release of the song gained attention from critics. On his review for the album, David Jeffries of Allmusic wrote that its release "makes the song's references to absent loved ones even more poignant". For Larry Flick of The Advocate, it transformed the song into "a haunting composition rife with subtext".

Versions and appearances

"Dance with My Father" has been released in various cover versions, and has appeared in many albums. Released in 2004, country music singer Kellie Coffey recorded a cover version of the song which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. It was included on her unreleased second studio album, A Little More Me. Lyn Paul recorded the song for inclusion on her 2006 album Late Night.

The song has appeared on various tribute albums to Vandross. For one, Dion, who also lost a father early in 2005, covered the song for the So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross album, which was compiled shortly after Vandross' death. Two years later, it was included on her greatest hits albumMy Love: Ultimate Essential Collection.

In 2009, The X Factor  winner Joe McElderry covered this song in his audition on the sixth series of the show. In the final, he sung the song again and was crowned winner. He sang the song at various gigs and eventually recorded the song in 2011 for his second studio album, Classic. This version premiered onMagic Radio on August 7, 2011. A stripped live performance was used as the music video for McElderry's version. The video premiered on Entertainment Focus on September 13, 2011.

Filipino R&B singer Jay R covered the song in 2010, and is featured as a bonus track for his fifth studio album, Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics.

Part II

Exercise :

1. 1.      When Dancing With My Father singel was realease?
2. 2.      Why writing the song was emotional for Vandross?
3. 3.      When the video premiered on Entertainment Focus?
4. 4.      What which the one of appreciation on album Dancing With My Father Again?

Part III

Multiple Choise :

1.      What is the text of the song tell about?

A.    Story about a love triangel.

B.     The story of a discouraged man.

C.     The story tells about Mother’s love.

D.    The story tells about memories of a child with his father and his mother.

2.      Who created text of the song?

A.    Luther Vandross.

B.     Richard Marx.

C.     Vandross and Marx

D.    Kellie Coffey

3.      Who popularized the song in country music?

A.    Richard Marx

B.     Luther Vandross

C.     Kellie Coffey

D.    Joe McElderry

Part IV

1. Find the sentences of the text it’s true or false (T/F) and mark the right answer!
2. ·         In the text you can found sentence like i'd play a song that would never ever end when i could another chance to dance with my father again. (T/F)
3. ·         In the text you can found sentenceslike my father angry with me when i and my mother would disagree. (T/F)
4. ·         My mother spin me around till i fell a sleep. (T/F)
5. ·         Joe McElderry covered this song in his audition on the sixth series of the show and he sung the song again and was crowned winner. (T/F)
6. ·         Filipino R&B singer Jay R covered the song in 2010, and is featured as a bonus track for his fifteen studio album. (T/F)

Part V

Answer key

Part II :

1.      At the time of "Dance with my Father"'s release as a single on May 30, 2003

2.      "Dance with my Father" is a tribute to his father, Luther Vandross, Sr., who died due to complications of diabetes when he was at the age of seven.

3.      on September 13, 2011.

4.      Released in 2004, country music singer Kellie Coffey recorded a cover version of the song which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts

Part  III :

1. D

2. C

3. C

Part IV :

1. T

2. F

3. F

4. T

5. F

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_with_My_Father_(song)