SONGWRITER’S ANATOMY CLASS: “Dancing Barefoot”
Patti Smith’s song for connecting souls
It’s a title that immediately conjures an image of unashamed movement, be it on a warm sandy beach or in an ornate, voluminous temple. “Dancing Barefoot” has been described as a poetic exploration of love, spirituality, and the freedom of expression. At its core, the song erupts from a raw and unfiltered place, liberated from societal norms and expectations while honoring one’s search for transcendence and divine experience. Patti Smith said it was inspired by her relationship with late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who she called her “soulmate and creative partner.”
Smith also dedicated the song to Jeanne Hébuterne, the French painter and art model for painter Amedeo Modigliani, both of whom had short but impassioned lives.
Smith first released the song in May 1979, and it’s one of her touchstones as a songwriter. Earlier live versions of the song were stiff and jagged, but under the production wand of Todd Rundgren the song blossomed with perfect melodic mystique. It’s been covered by many artists, but it was the U2 version that first caught my ear. Bono chose not to change genders in the lyrics, which opens the song to a God interpretation.
The atmospheric chords blend into a garage-punk-tango, echoing spy movie soundtracks, surf rock, and British Invasion psychedelica.
The constant shift of major/minor chords in the verse keeps a guitarist on their toes. This is my live acoustic cover, which I learned after a fan requested it, and it’s stayed with me ever since
The song connects audiences with something deep and authentic.
The line “I spin so ceaselessly” points to the whirling dervishes in Sufi Muslim and ancient Hebrew traditions—in the Book of Samuel, King David danced a dervish with such fervor that his clothing flew off, witnessed by servants and subjects. David’s wife scolded him for dancing like no one was looking, but he didn’t care because he was “dancing for the Lord.”
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