Bobby Freeman--Do You Want To Dance (1958)

     With rock music approaching 60 years and going through several generations, it's always a joy to not only discover new music, but to find songs that I thought had been original to an artist, just to find out it wasn't at all....
     Back in the early 90's, I went through a renaissance of sorts with Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. There had always been an appreciation for the hits, (I still think 'Don't Worry Baby' was one of the greatest pop songs of the rock era) but knew little else. Immersing myself in the beautiful harmonies and pop genius of Brian, the pure clear tenor of Carl, and the underrated gifts of Dennis, "Do You Want To Dance" became one of my favorites of their early period. It was the highest charting song which Dennis was the lead singer, and it led me back to the original
     Bobby Freeman had been a professional since the age of fourteen in 1955 with a group called The Romancers. Just three years later he wrote and recorded this song, which climbed to #5 on the pop charts and #2 on the R&B. For the next six years he has varying success until the top ten hit, "Do the Swim" which was written and produced by a young (20) Sylvester Stewart aka Sly Stone. It was his last major recording although he continued to write and record well into the 1970's. He still resides in his native San Francisco.