Song Clearance Sheet
2 sources citedHe’s the Greatest Dancer
Disco1970s114BPM
UnconfirmedKey
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers), no formal dispute found — an extensively sampled record (Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”). Rodgers’ own self-critical admission of “misrepresenting” the group, and the documented tension over a lyric line, are presented factually.
Sampled 80+ times
Quick Facts
Released1979
AlbumWe Are Family
GenreDisco, Funk, R&B
LabelCotillion Records
ProducerNile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards
Recorded atPower Station, New York City
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — Cotillion; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Extensively sampled (Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”), with 80+ documented uses per WhoSampled; closes this batch’s Rodgers/Edwards thread.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Same album, “We Are Family” (this batch)
Same songwriters; both peaked May 1979 (this batch)
Same songwriters/producers, Rodgers & Edwards (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers
A documented creative tension (not litigation)Rodgers has recalled the Sister Sledge members being furious at being asked to sing a specific suggestive line, feeling it made them sound inappropriate; they suggested a more modest alternative, but Rodgers and Edwards refused to change it, insisting they understood the disco world better since the group had never even been to a disco. A documented, honest account — not litigation.
Rodgers’ own self-critical admissionRodgers has described his and Edwards’ approach as simply telling the group to “sing this,” and has admitted to “misrepresenting” Sister Sledge in the songwriting, since he and Edwards hadn’t even met the group before the recording sessions began. Presented in his own words. No lyrics reproduced.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Extensive sample legacy and a shared chart month
Directly sampled by Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” with 80+ documented sample uses per WhoSampled. This song and “I Want Your Love” (this batch) both peaked on the American charts in the same month, May 1979.
WhoSampled · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
80+
Times sampled
Sampled on Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itWill Smith
Who to Contact
GDn
Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers (Cotillion)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 21)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass