Dancing in Heaven (Orbital Be-Bop)

This dance-pop track set in motion a series of events that resulted in some of the biggest hits of the '80s. Q-Feel was led by the British duo of Martin Page and Brian Fairweather, who were making a kind of rhythmic, funky electronic music that was just coming into vogue. This song was too progressive for mass appeal, but it was picked up by the influential Los Angeles radio station KROQ, which got the attention of music industry executives in the area. Some of the more forward-thinking execs recognized this as the sound of the future, and tried to enlist the services of Page and Fairweather. Gary Gersh, who was an A&R man at EMI America, put them to work writing, performing and producing songs for Kim Carnes and Earth, Wind & Fire. They also played on the song "Ghostbusters." When Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin needed someone else to compose music for two lyrics he had written, he enlisted Page to it, as he liked the sound of "Dancing In Heaven." Those two lyrics, with music supplied by Page, both became #1 hits: "These Dreams" by Heart and "We Built This City" by Starship.

Q-Feel was named after the force a pilot feels on the joystick when flying a jet plane - Martin Page's father worked in the aerospace industry and suggested the name. The music video used an aviation theme, with the musicians and dancers dressed like airline employees.

This song was the result of a confluence of technology that was changing the musical landscape, as new drum machines and synthesizers were put into service. Martin Page wrote most of the song on a cheap Casio keyboard, and made a demo on a 4-track tape machine he had a home. Along with Brian Fairweather, he crafted the song, giving it a futuristic feel. The "Orbital Be-Bop" line was chosen because it fit musically and had the quirky sound they were looking for.