I Am the Dance Commander I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album

Background and development

I Am the Dance Commander + I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album is the first remix album by Kesha, released by RCA Records on March 18, 2011. The album's release was announced on February 23, 2011, along with the album's title, track listing, and cover. The album's track listing consists of remixed songs and new guest features from Kesha's first album, Animal, and her first extended play (EP), Cannibal. In January 2011, Kesha sent her track "Sleazy" to rapper André 3000, in hopes that he would collaborate with her; they later spoke on the phone and André agreed to appear on the track. The remix of "Animal" by DJ Switch was released online by Entertainment Weekly on February 24, 2011.

According to Kesha, the album's release is intended to be an attempt to spin her "party girl" image, which she explained, "People always think I’m a party girl and that sometimes has a negative connotation but really the party for me is not about being fucked up, [...] It’s about enjoying life and having fun no matter what the circumstances are. I consider myself not a party girl but a dance commander." The song "Fuck Him He's a DJ", is the album's only song not derived from her first two studio albums; the song was previously unavailable for purchase prior to the remix' release. Kesha explained the reason for its inclusion on the album stating, "I love DJs and I love that song, [...] When I do it in my live show I play guitar. It’s been a fan favorite for a long time but no one could buy it anywhere. I thought it was high time to make it available to my fans."

Composition

I Am the Dance Commander + I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album is an electronic album that draws influence from the dance-pop genre. "The Sleazy Remix" features rapper André 3000, who raps over the song's "bouncy thump" beat talking about a young child dealing with his deadbeat father, "We start out so cute in our baby pictures/ That mama shot for our daddy so that he wouldn't forget you/ He forgot anyway, but hey, one day he'll remember/ If not, he's human, I'm human, you human, we'll forgive him." André then transitions into a rap about his relationship with Kesha before she takes over the rest of the song. Switch's remix of "Animal" features "squealing electronic flourishes" similar to his contribution to British rapper M.I.A.'s "Steppin' Up", turning the originally upbeat track into an "eerie, echoey lament".

Touring

On her first headlining tour, Get Sleazy Tour, she played the song "Fuck Him He's a DJ". On her second headlining tour, Warrior Tour, she played a snippet of the Blow Cirkut Remix.

Critical reception

David Jeffries from Allmusic was positive in his review of I Am the Dance Commander + I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album. Jeffries wrote that although the album was made up of previously heard tracks from her first two albums, this remix album was completely different. "Your Love Is My Drug" and "Blow" were highlighted in the review being called the "anchor[s] [to] this generally frenzied collection." Jeffries concluded his review talking about "Fuck Him He's a DJ" writing the track "finds its official home here, strutting and sinning defiantly, reassuring Kesha fans that the kids are all spite."

In the United States, I Am the Dance Commander + I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album entered the Billboard 200 at position thirty-six, selling 14,000 units in its first week of release. In the same week, the album was listed at position thirteen on the Digital Albums chart and at number one on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Albums chart. In Australia, on the issue date titled April 3, 2011, the album entered the charts at position forty-six.

Track listing

Track list as per the I Am the Dance Commander + I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album audio CD.

A clean/censored version of the album is available at Wal Mart; it omits the track "Fuck Him He's a DJ". The album was released in Japan under the title of "Animal + Cannibal: The Remix Album."

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of I Am the Dance Commander + I Command You to Dance: The Remix Album, Dynamite Cop Music/Where Da Kasz at BMI.