Sabre Dance

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This article is about the musical piece. For the aerodynamic phenomenon, see Pitch-up.
"Sabre Dance"
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"Sabre Dance"[a] is a movement in the final act of Aram Khachaturian's ballet Gayane (1942), where the dancers display their skill with sabres.[3] It is Khachaturian's best known and most recognizable work worldwide.[4][5]

"Sabre Dance" is considered one of the signature pieces of 20th-century popular music.[6] It was popularized by covers by pop artists,[7] first in the U.S. in 1948 and later elsewhere. Its use in a wide range in films and television over the decades have significantly contributed to its renown.[8] "Sabre Dance" has also been used by a number of figure skaters from at least five countries in their performances.

Background

[edit]

Khachaturian wrote "Sabre Dance", originally called the Dance of the Kurds, after completing the score of Gayane. He did so at the Kirov Theatre's request.[9] He later recounted that it "came into being quite by accident." The director's request for one more dance led the composer to create a contrasting warlike and lyrical piece in just eleven hours, which was then orchestrated, staged, and rehearsed within two days.[10] He wrote in November 1942 that it "immediately impressed" the orchestra, the dancers, and the audience during a full dress rehearsal. Khachaturian initially wanted to end it in a long and gradual diminuendo, but Nina Anisimova and the dancers persuaded him to end it with a gradual crescendo.[9]

Critic Victor Yuzefovich suggests that the Dance of the Polovtsians from Alexander Borodin's Prince Igor served as a prototype for "Sabre Dance" in terms of "emotional frenzy."[11]

Composition

[edit]

It is notable for its employment of percussion instruments, especially the xylophone[12][13] (or tubaphone).[14] Daniel Chetel wrote that it features "very active percussion" with the lead of the xylophone and "dramatic glissandi for the trumpet and trombone."[15] Woodwind auxiliaries include the piccolo, English horn, and bass clarinet. The harp is active throughout, while the celesta plays at the very end.[15]

Its brief middle section in 3
4 includes a prominent cello soli in tenor clef and alto saxophone,[15] and is based on an Armenian folk song.[3][16] According to Tigran Mansurian, it is a synthesis of an Armenian wedding dance tune from Gyumri tied in a saxophone counterpoint "that seems to come straight from America."[17] Specifically, the fragment is a melodic motif from the folk male dance "Kalosi prken" ("The Rim of the Wheel") from the Shirak region.[18][1] Tigranov suggested that "Sabre Dance" embodies the "manly, temperamental, and heroic" essence of Armenian male folk dances.[18]

Critical reception and legacy

[edit]

NPR's Tom Huizenga described it as "one of the catchiest, most familiar—perhaps most maddening—tunes to come out of the 20th century."[19] Steven Poole notes that it has "become a kind of global musical shorthand for cartoonish urgency."[20] Michael Dervan found it "high-tension, catchy and rhythmically insistent".[21]

New York Times critic Harold C. Schonberg wrote in 1968 that it is "enormously popular", noting that the "little whirling piece occupies the same place in [Khachaturian's] output that the C sharp minor Prelude did in Rachmaninoff's."[22] Critics Peter G. Davis and Martin Bernheimer have called it "infamous" and "obnoxious."[23][24] The pianist Sviatoslav Richter expressed disdain for the dance, calling it his most hated piece and "a work that stinks to high heaven".[25]

Khachaturian felt that other melodies in the Gayane ballet were equally deserving of attention: "I would prefer other works of mine to be as popular as the Saber Dance." He added, "People remember the Saber Dance when Khachaturyan is mentioned. This is pleasing but also annoying."[26] He told an American interviewer, "It's like one button on my shirt, and I have many buttons."[27] Asked how he feels about its popularity by visiting American TV representatives in Moscow, Khachaturian jokingly responded: "Serves you right!"[28] A modern take of the piece was performed at Yerevan Cascade to Khachaturian's 110th anniversary in 2013.[29][30][31]

Orchestral recordings

[edit]
The cover of a 1953 vinyl record of "Sabre Dance" by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra[32][33]

After World War II, records of dances from Gayane reached the West and "Sabre Dance" quickly became a sensation and "a popular classical hit."[34] In 1948, "Sabre Dance" was recorded by major orchestras, namely the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Artur Rodziński,[35][36] the New York Philharmonic conducted by Efrem Kurtz,[37] and the Boston Pops Orchestra.[38] The Chicago and New York ones topped the Billboard Best-Selling Records by Classical Artists and ranked among the year's top-selling classical releases.[39] The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's version became the ensemble's first million-selling record.[40]

In 1948, the piece was also recorded by Victor Young's orchestra (Decca Records),[41] Ray Bloch's orchestra (Signature Records), Macklin Marrow's orchestra (MGM), the Angie Bond Trio (Dick Records), and the Harmonickings (Jubilee Records), Macklin Morrow (MGM), Harry Horlick (Crown Recordings).[41]

The piece has since been recorded by a number of orchestras, including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fabien Sevitzky in 1953,[32] the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov (1986),[42] the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stanley Black (1989),[43] the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Lazarev (1994),[44] and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Loris Tjeknavorian (2005).[45]

Instrumental arrangements

[edit]
Oscar Levant helped popularize "Sabre Dance" in the United States between 1947 and 1949.

The piece has been adapted and arranged for individual instruments. Oscar Levant published a piano solo arrangement of the work[46] and released it as a record on Columbia Records.[47] He performed it five times on the radio program Kraft Music Hall between December 1947 and December 1948[46] and played the piece in the 1949 film The Barkleys of Broadway.[48] According to the Current Biography Yearbook, it was Levant's rendition that "received popular attention."[49] Another pianist, David Rose, played it on The Red Skelton Show on NBC.[41]

Also in 1948, the piece was transcribed for violin and piano and recorded by violinist Jascha Heifetz.[50][41] Charles Magnante offered an arrangement for the accordion and Harry James one for trumpet.[41]

American pianist Liberace, who recorded it in 1951,[51] frequently performed it during his television appearances in the 1950s.[55][b] Pianist György Cziffra recorded it in 1956.[57] In 1966 Mikhail Rozhkov and Georgiy Minyayev played it on balalaika and guitar, respectively, on Soviet Central Television.[58] They later performed it in the 1969 film Moskva v notakh.[59] In 1986, flautist James Galway recorded a flute adaptation of "Sabre Dance" along with other works of Khachaturian, performing with the Royal Philharmonic.[60]

Pop covers

[edit]

"There's a rash of sabre dance disks based on the familiar excerpts from Aram Khachaturian's Gay[a]ne Ballet Suite."

 —Billboard, February 1948[61]

United States, 1948

[edit]

In 1948 "Sabre Dance" was recorded by a number of singers and became a jukebox hit in the U.S.,[66] prompting Newsweek to suggest that it could be called the "Khachaturian Year in the United States."[67] It is a "good example of multiple recordings of the same song in the 1940s recording industry."[68] By May 1948, three records—a pop-boogie hit by Freddy Martin,[69] a dance-band version by Woody Herman,[70] and a vocal version by The Andrews Sisters with harmonica backing[71]—made it to Billboard's Most-Played Juke Box Records at No. 8, No. 13, and No. 28, respectively.[72]

Later covers

[edit]

Welsh guitarist Dave Edmunds' band Love Sculpture played a frenzied instrumental[73] version on the BBC Radio programme Top Gear in the 1960s, releasing it in the 1969 album Forms and Feelings.[74] Pete Prown and HP Newquist called it "raucous but untraditional."[75] Motörhead's Lemmy described it as "the fastest thing you've ever heard in your fucking life!"[76] It brought Edmunds fame[74] and reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart,[77] and being charted elsewhere in Western Europe, including Switzerland,[78] the Netherlands,[79] and West Germany.[80] The song went on to be Edmunds' "official guitar showcase piece."[81]

Rock versions were subsequently released by the Dutch band Ekseption (1969),[82][83] the English bands Spontaneous Combustion (1972)[84] and The Boys (1979).[85][86] The Pretenders performed it live at the Marquee Club, London in 1979, which was released in the 2006 reissue of their eponymous debut album.[87][88] The piece was covered by the rock bands U.K. Subs (1988),[89] Toy Dolls (1989),[90] Mekong Delta (1992),[91] Master's Hammer (1995),[92] Cheap Trick (1994),[93] and Skyclad (1996).[94] It is heavily sampled in "Sodom and Gomorrah" by the German heavy metal band Accept, from their 1994 album Death Row.[95]

Vanessa-Mae covered a version by Tolga Kashif in her 2004 album Choreography.[96] The string quartet Bond sampled it in the song "Highly Strung" in their 2004 album Classified.[97][98] Tony Levin offered a progressive rock version in his 2006 album Resonator.[99]

Use on screen

[edit]

"Sabre Dance" has been used in numerous films, animated films, television series, video games, and commercials over the years, often for humorous effects.[100] The piece's popular familiarity has been enhanced by its traditional use as accompaniment by travelling circuses[101] and on television variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971) when novelty acts such as plate spinners appeared.[19][102] Conan O'Brien's late night talk show used it as the theme for the masturbating bear.[103] In the Soviet Union, it saw a prominent use in an episode of animated short Well, Just You Wait! (1973).[104][105]

"Sabre Dance" has featured in numerous films, with notable examples being One, Two, Three (1961),[106][107] Repentance (1987),[108] The Hudsucker Proxy (1994),[109] Kung Fu Hustle (2005).[110] The piece is further imitated in Federico Fellini's 8½ (1963)[111][112] and Amarcord (1973)[113] and Tim Burton's Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985).[114][115]

In the U.S. and Britain, it has been widely used in popular comedy series, including The Benny Hill Show (1985),[116] Full House (1990),[117] The Simpsons (1991), Two and a Half Men (2004),[118] Family Guy ("Peterotica", 2006), SpongeBob SquarePants (2007), and The Big Bang Theory (2009).[119]

The piece was featured in The Amazing Race 28 (2016), when teams travelled to Armenia and had to search the Yerevan Opera Theater for their next clue.[120]

Use in sports

[edit]

The piece has also been used in sports. The National Hockey League (NHL)'s Buffalo Sabres have used the piece as a theme song since the team was established in 1970.[121] After a hiatus, "Sabre Dance" was again made their theme song in 2011.[122][123]

Between 2010 and 2013, "Sabre Dance" was played at Donbas Arena, the venue of the Ukrainian football club Shakhtar in Donetsk, whenever the Armenian player Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored a goal.[124]

"Sabre Dance" was featured in the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony held in Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia on February 7.[125][126][127]

Figure skating

[edit]

"Sabre Dance" has been used by numerous figure skaters, including:

Season(s) Skaters Country Competition Ref
1981–82 Natalia Bestemianova
Andrei Bukin 		Soviet Union 1982 World Figure Skating Championships: free skating [128][129][130]
1986 Suzanne Semanick
Scott Gregory 		United States U.S. Championship [131]
1986–88 Debi Thomas  United States [132][133][134][135]
1994 Scott Hamilton  United States 1994 World Professional Figure Skating Championships [136][137]
1994 Michelle Kwan  United States 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships: short program [138]
1999 Johnny Weir  United States short program [139]
1999–00 Evgeni Plushenko Russia short program [140]
2001–02 Stanislav Morozov
Aliona Savchenko 		Ukraine short program [141]
2001–02 Takahiko Kozuka Japan short program [142]
2004–05 Stanislav Morozov
Tatiana Volosozhar 		 Ukraine free skating [143]
2004–05 Daisuke Takahashi  Japan short program [144][145]
2005–06 Takahito Mura  Japan short program [146]
2006–07 Maximin Coia
Adeline Canac 		France free skating [147]
2007 Ryuju Hino  Japan Skate Asia 2007: short program [148]
2012–13 Yulia Lipnitskaya  Russia short program [149][150]
2014 2014 European Figure Skating Championships exhibition [151]

In politics

[edit]

"Sabre Dance" is featured in a 1975 political ad by the conservative New Zealand National Party campaigning against the Labour Party's pension scheme where it is linked to Soviet-style communism.[152]

References

[edit]
Notes
  1. ^ Armenian: Սուսերով պար, Suserov par; less commonly Սրերով պար, Srerov par[1][2]
    Russian: Танец с саблями, Tanets s sablyami
  2. ^ It was also released in the 2002 album Legendary Liberace: Musical Highlights of the PBS Special.[56]
Citations
  1. ^ a b Stepanyan, Hasmik (1999). "«Կալոսի պռկեն» մեղեդու փոխարկումները Ա. Խաչատրյանի «Գայանե» բալետում [Metamorphoses of melody "Kalosi prken" in Khachatrian's ballet "Gayane"]". Gitakan ashkhatutyunner (in Armenian). 2. Shirak Centre of Armenological Studies of NAS RA: 227. ISSN 1829-4316.
  2. ^ Hakhverdyan, Nune (4 February 2008). "«Վախենում ենք ծիծաղելի թվալ…» ["We are afraid of looking ridiculous..."]". 168.am (in Armenian). Archived from the original on 19 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b "2011–2012 Concerts for Young People: Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978) "Sabre Dance" from Gayane" (PDF). Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2014. The "Sabre Dance" is in the final act. It is where the dancers display their skills with sabres. Its middle section is based on an Armenian folk song ...
  4. ^ Frolova-Walker, Marina (Summer 1998). ""National in Form, Socialist in Content": Musical Nation-Building in the Soviet Republics". Journal of the American Musicological Society. 51 (2). University of California Press on behalf of the American Musicological Society: 362. doi:10.2307/831980. JSTOR 831980. ... Khachaturian's most popular piece, the Sabre Dance ...
  5. ^ Robinson, Harlow (2013). "The Caucasian Connection: National Identity in the Ballets of Aram Khachaturian". In Kanet, Roger E. (ed.). Identities, Nations and Politics After Communism. Routledge. p. 23. ISBN 9781317968665. ...particularly the "Sabre Dance," which became the single most recognized piece of Khachaturian...
  6. ^ Adalian, Rouben Paul (2010). Historical Dictionary of Armenia. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 381. ISBN 978-0-8108-7450-3.
  7. ^ Staines, Joe (2010). The Rough Guide to Classical Music. Penguin. ISBN 9781405383219. Filled with a sparkling array of folk-inspired tunes, its most famous episode, the manic "Sabre Dance", has had a life of its own, even materializing as a pop single.
  8. ^ "Khachaturian: "Sabre Dance" from Gayaneh". University of North Georgia Department of Music. 15 October 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016.
  9. ^ a b Yuzefovich 1985, p. 139.
  10. ^ Aram Khachaturian, "About the ballet Gayaneh," Nedelya (12 October, 1963) in Aram Khachaturian: Articles and Reminiscences, ed. I. E. Popov (Moscow: Soviet Composer, 1980), 132. cited in Kushner, David Z. (October 2018). "Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978): A Retrospective" (PDF). Athens Journal of Humanities and Arts. 5 (4). Athens Institute for Education and Research: 383.
  11. ^ Yuzefovich 1985, p. 144.
  12. ^ Blades, James (1992). Percussion Instruments and Their History. Bold Strummer. p. 341. ISBN 9780933224612. Khachaturian employs the xylophone freely in Dance of Young Maidens and Sabre Dance in his Gayaneh Ballet (1942)...
  13. ^ Longe, Jacqueline L. (2001). How Products are Made: An Illustrated Guide to Product Manufacturing, Volume 6. Gale Group. p. 462. ISBN 9780787636425. Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" from his ballet called "Gayane Suite" has a challenging xylophone part...
  14. ^ Abrashev, Bozhidar; Gadjev, Vladimir; Radevsky, Anton (2000). The illustrated encyclopedia of musical instruments: From all eras and regions of the world. Cologne: Könemann. p. 293. ISBN 978-3-8290-6079-0. A fine example of its use is in Khachaturian's Sabre Dance from Gayane.
  15. ^ a b c Chetel, Daniel (2020). Accessible Orchestral Repertoire: An Annotated Guide for Community and School Orchestras. London: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 73. ISBN 9781442275805.
  16. ^ "Sabre Dance from Gayane". Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. There is a brief moment of contrast at the center, with a quotation of an Armenian folk song.
  17. ^ In the documentary Khachaturian (2003, directed by Peter Rosen), Tigran Mansurian states at around 33:00: "What an interesting synthesis! He's taken a melody from Gyumri, an Armenian wedding dance tune ... and he's tied in a saxophone counterpoint that seems to come straight from America. The relationship between the two seems so organic, so interesting!"
    The film is available online: "Khachaturian: The virtuous Soviet Armenian composer (2003)". EuroArtsChannel on YouTube. July 29, 2017. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ^ a b Tigranov, Georgi Grigorievich [in Russian] (1987). Арам Ильич Хачатурян [Aram Ilyich Khachaturian] (in Russian). Moscow: Muzyka. pp. 56–58.
  19. ^ a b Huizenga, Tom (5 June 2003). "The 'Sabre Dance' Man". NPR. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  20. ^ Poole, Steven (12 June 2003). "Cinematic for the people". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014.
  21. ^ Dervan, Michael (February 23, 2023). "Cellist Leonard Elschenbroich: 'I've been wanting to play Khachaturian all my life'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023.
  22. ^ Schonberg, Harold C. (January 29, 1968). "Music: Khachaturian Leads the Washington National Symphony". The New York Times.
  23. ^ Davis, Peter G. (July 29, 1979). "A Festival of Russian Ballet Scores". The New York Times. ...the familiar material, including the infamous "Sabre Dance,"...
  24. ^ Bernheimer, Martin (July 3, 2009). "New York Philharmonic/Tovey, Avery Fisher Hall". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. The obnoxious "Sabre Dance" rattled brashly, as is its wont.
  25. ^ Monsaingeon, Bruno (2002). Sviatoslav Richter: Notebooks and Conversations. Princeton University Press. p. 102.
  26. ^ Yuzefovich 1985, pp. 145–146.
  27. ^ "Khachaturian, a Leading Soviet Composer, Dies at 74". The New York Times. 3 May 1978. (archived)
  28. ^ Shneerson, Grigory Mikhailovich [in Russian], ed. (1982). Арам Хачатурян: Страницы жизни и творчества: Из бесед с Г. М. Шнеерсоном [Aram Khachaturian: Pages of Life and Work: From Conversations with G. M. Shneerson] (in Russian). Moscow: Sovetsky kompozitor. p. 112.
  29. ^ "Happy Birthday Aram Khachaturian!". Armenian General Benevolent Union. 6 June 2013. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014.
  30. ^ AGBUvideo (6 June 2013). "Saber Dance on the Street: AGBU, APO and Emporium Celebrate 110th Anniversary of Aram Khachaturian". Retrieved 15 March 2017 – via YouTube.
  31. ^ Emporium Armenia (5 June 2013). "Sabre Dance on the Street. Սուսերով պար՝ փողոցում/ Suserov par". Retrieved 15 March 2017 – via YouTube.
  32. ^ a b "Classical Selections of EP Singles ...". Billboard. August 29, 1953. p. 29.
  33. ^ "Khachaturian*, Fabien Sevitzky Conducting The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra* – The Sabre Dance". Discogs. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025.
  34. ^ March, Ivan (2011). "Khachaturian Gayaneh; Spartacus". Gramophone. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021.
  35. ^ "Retail Record Sales: Best-Selling Records by Classical Artists". Billboard. 10 April 1948. p. 30.
  36. ^ "Retail Record Sales: Best-Selling Records by Classical Artists". Billboard. 26 June 1948. p. 27.
  37. ^ "Retail Record Sales: Best-Selling Records by Classical Artists". Billboard. 10 April 1948. p. 39.
  38. ^ "Best-Selling Records by Classical Artists". Billboard. April 3, 1948. p. 26.
  39. ^ "The Year's Top Selling Classical Artists Over Retail Counters". Billboard. 1 January 1949. p. 19.
  40. ^ Hoffman, Frank, ed. (2005). Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound, Volume 1: A-L. New York: Routledge. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-203-48427-2.
  41. ^ a b c d e "Kaput in Russia; Wins U.S. Acclaim". Lawrence Journal-World. (via AP). 17 March 1948. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023.
  42. ^ Yuri Temirkanov / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. "Khachaturian: Suites from the Ballets Spartacus & Gayaneh (March 1986)". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021.
  43. ^ Stanley Black / London Symphony Orchestra. "Khachaturian: Spartacus; Masquerade; Gayaneh (Release Date October 23, 1989)". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019.
  44. ^ Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra / Alexander Lazarev. "Aram Khachaturian: Sabre Dance from Gayaneh; Excerpts from Spartacus & Masquerade (Release Date March 8, 1994)". AllMusic.
  45. ^ "Loris Tjeknavorian Khachaturian: Gayne (Complete Ballet); Selections from Spartacus; Masquerade Suite". AllMusic. March 22, 2005. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021.
  46. ^ a b Boyd, Caleb Taylor (15 May 2020). "Oscar Levant: Pianist, Gershwinite, Middlebrow Media Star". Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Washington University in St. Louis. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021.
  47. ^ "Retail Record Sales: Best-Selling Records by Classical Artists". Billboard. 15 May 1948. p. 25.
  48. ^ Faris, Jocelyn (1994). Ginger Rogers: A Bio-bibliography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-313-29177-7.
  49. ^ "Khachaturian, Aram". Current Biography Yearbook. 9. New York: H. W. Wilson Company: 345. 1949.
  50. ^ Heifetz, Jascha. "Sabre Dance, arrangement for violin & piano (after Khachaturian's Gayane) (1948)". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021.
  51. ^ "The Priceless Piano of Liberace". Discogs. Archived from the original on 15 October 2025.
  52. ^ "Liberace Plays the Saber Dance". EVTV1. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014.
  53. ^ "Liberace playing Saber Dance". showmanlee. 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023. Here is Liberace performing Saber Dance from the 50's{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  54. ^ "Liberace and the Trinidad Tripoli Steelband with Sabre Dance (1970)". Liberace Girl. Oct 1, 2018. With Mike Douglas * The David Frost Show
  55. ^ [52][53][54]
  56. ^ "Liberace Legendary Liberace: Musical Highlights of the PBS Special". AllMusic. June 5, 2002. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021.
  57. ^ "Georges Cziffra: Ses Enregistrements Studio, 1956–1986 Danse du Sabre (after Khatchaturian's Gayaneh), for piano". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  58. ^ "А.Хачатурян "Танец с саблями" из балета "Гаянэ". Играют Михаил Рожков и Георгий Миняев (1966)" (in Russian). State Television and Radio Fund. 3 December 2019. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023.
  59. ^ "Михаил Рожков и Георгий Миняев - Танец с саблями [Mikhail Rozhkov and Georgy Minyaev - Sabre dance]" (in Russian). Armenian Museum of Moscow. Archived from the original on 26 October 2025.
  60. ^ Covell, Roger (January 27, 1986). "Galway carries it off with a plausible air". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 6. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023.
  61. ^ "The Billboard Picks [Week Ending January 30]". Billboard. February 7, 1948. p. 32.
  62. ^ ""Bourgeois" Composers". Life. 23 February 1948. p. 48.
  63. ^ "Soviets throw book at Beria". Life. New York. December 28, 1957. p. 17. Meanwhile a musical revolt was stirred up in Russia by Aram Khachaturian, one of the U.S.S.R.'s leading composers, who wrote the U.S. juke box favorite of 1948, Sabre Dance.
  64. ^ Taruskin, Richard (2009). Music in the Late Twentieth Century: The Oxford History of Western Music. Oxford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-19-979600-7. Khachaturian .. famous in the West for some colorful concertos and a ballet suite containing a rousing "Sabre Dance" that became a jukebox hit.
  65. ^ Petrak, Albert M., ed. (1985). "Khachaturian, Aram Ilyich". David Mason Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers (1st ed.). Garden City, New York: Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation. pp. 1329–30. ISBN 978-0-385-14278-6. Meanwhile its flashy "Sabre Dance" had conquered the U.S.S.R.'s new American allies and at one time was a standard on juke-boxes.
  66. ^ [62][63][64][65]
  67. ^ "Juke-Box Red". Music. Newsweek. Vol. 31. New York. 1948. p. 72. ...the music agenda in this country shows plenty to indicate that 1948 may be Khachaturian Year in the United States.
  68. ^ Sforza, John (2014). Swing It!: The Andrews Sisters Story. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 115–116. ISBN 9780813148977.
  69. ^ Birnbaum, Larry (2013). Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll. Scarecrow Press. p. 116. ISBN 9780810886384.
  70. ^ "Scratching the Surface". The Saturday Review of Literature. 31 (1): 48. 1948. Not to be outdone by Levant, Woody Herman has recorded a dance-band version of the "Sabre Dance."
  71. ^ Nimmo, H. Arlo (2007). The Andrews Sisters: A Biography and Career Record. McFarland & Company. p. 249. ISBN 9780786432608.
  72. ^ "Most-Played Juke Box Records". Billboard. May 22, 1948. p. 35.
  73. ^ Collins, Jeff (2022). Rock Legends at Rockfield (1st ed.). Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 10. ISBN 9781915279057.
  74. ^ a b Sherman, Paula M. (April 1998). "Dave Edmunds: Subtle as a Flying Mallet". In Music We Trust. Archived from the original on 26 October 2025.
  75. ^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, HP (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar. Hal Leonard. p. 93. ISBN 9780793540426.
  76. ^ Lemmy; Garza, Janiss (2003). White Line Fever: The Autobiography. Pocket. p. 101.
  77. ^ "Sabre Dance". officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021.
  78. ^ "Love Sculpture – Sabre Dance". hitparade.ch (in German). Swiss Hitparade. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022.
  79. ^ "Love Sculpture – Sabre Dance". dutchcharts.nl. DutchCharts. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022.
  80. ^ "Love Sculpture: Sabre Dance". offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022.
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