The two variations on "Theme from a Symphony" were the first recordings to feature Coleman's electric band, which later became known as Prime Time. The symphony referenced in the title of the two tracks is Coleman's Skies of America.
William S. Burroughs was present for the recording of "Midnight Sunrise",[10] which was recorded with the Master Musicians of Jajouka in 1973. The compact disc reissue features an alternate take of this composition which is not present on the vinyl or earlier CD issue.
Dancing in Your Head was voted the 15th best album of the year in The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll for 1977.[11] It was the first album by a jazz artist to make the poll. Robert Christgau, the poll's creator, ranked it number 11 on his own year-end list.[12]
The album was identified by Chris Kelsey in his Allmusic essay "Free Jazz: A Subjective History" as one of the "20 Essential Free Jazz Albums".[3]
^DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly, eds. (October 27, 1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 152. ISBN0679737294. Dancing in Your Head (1977) brought another breakthrough, as Ornette turned himself loose on a very funky version of rock-jazz fusion
^Ranaldo, Lee (2012). "Interview with William S. Burroughs". In Colin Fallows & Synne Genzmer (eds), Cut-ups, cut-ins, cut-outs, p. 48. Vienna: Kunsthalle Wien. ISBN3869843152.