"Dance Band on the Titanic" is a song written and performed by

Harry Chapin Harry Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award- ...

. The song was included on the album of the same name in 1977. Released as a single, the song became a hit on the Australian Charts. It has been included on numerous posthumous compilation albums.

Background

When describing the song, Chapin says that the

entertainment industry Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...

acts like the ''Titanic'''s actual band; creating diversions so no one focuses on the

iceberg An iceberg is a piece of fresh water ice more than long that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water. Smaller chunks of floating glacially derived ice are called "growlers" or "bergy bits". Much of an i ...

. ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' said that the song "incorporates bits of music hall, jazz and boogie-woogie, all underlying a bizarre tale of a famous sinking, icebergs and all."

Chart performance

Other uses

*It was included on the ''Lies and Legends'' cast recording in 1984.

References

{{authority control 1977 songs Harry Chapin songs Songs written by Harry Chapin Songs about the RMS Titanic