SLS

Song Lyric Sunday – The Dance

Maggie

The prompt from Jim:

This week we have different ways of saying goodbye as the prompt, and the song that you chose must contain either Arrivederci, Bon-voyage, Ciao, Farewell, Goodbye, Hasta la vista, Sayonara or Shalom in the title or the lyrics.

We have all been there haven’t we? Experiencing a moment so special, so wonderful that is occupies your entire soul. Those moments we wish would last forever, but suffer tremendous heartbreak when it does not go in our favor? Or those times we swear if we could go back and do it again, we would. But would we? Those wishes and dreams are made in moments when we have no idea of the things that await us.

“The Dance” was written by Tony Arata, an American singer/songwriter. So many people ask what the song means. In this interview from the article ‘THE DANCE’ SONGWRITER TONY ARATA SHARES STORY BEHIND THE GARTH BROOKS HIT on SoundsLikeNashville.com the writer himself answers that question for us:

The idea for the song came from a scene in the movie Peggy Sue Got Married, where Kathleen Turner as Peggy Sue goes back in time and makes a decision not to marry her husband because their marriage turned out to be not so good. When she makes that decision, the pictures of her kids disappear from her locket and everything is changed.
“Something about that scene struck me so powerfully,” Arata says. “The next day I wrote the lyrics to ‘The Dance’ in about half an hour. A lot of people passed on the song because it doesn’t have a bridge. Being a new kid in town, I tried to write a bridge, but they all seemed totally out of place and unnecessary. I decided it was going to just to have to exist as it I had written it.”

There are several things about this song that resonate with me. First of all, the lyrics. Secondly, I relate to this song. It is so easy to wish things away in our lives, but yet, if we do, we would also discard the beautiful moments that lie ahead. Third, I love the piano in this arrangement by Garth Brooks and produced by Allen Reynolds. It is one of those easily recognizable intros that just gives me chills. And of course, Garth Brooks’ handling of the song was masterful and his voice perfection.

The Dance
Lyrics from Songfacts.com

Looking back
On the memory of
The dance we shared
‘Neath the stars above
For a moment
All the world was right
How could I have known
That you’d ever say goodbye

And now
I’m glad I didn’t know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives
Are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I’d have had to miss
The dance

Holding you
I held everything
For a moment
Wasn’t I a king
But if I’d only known
How the king would fall
Hey who’s to say
You know I might have changed it all

And now
I’m glad I didn’t know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives
Are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I’d have had to miss
The dance

Yes my life
It’s better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I’d have had to miss
The dance

Songwriter Tony Arata talks about The Dance and how it became Garth’s song. It must be hard to write something from your heart, give it wings and hope it lands in the right hands. I think this one did.

 

Song Lyric Sunday is hosted every Sunday by Jim Adams. If you would like to join in the fun, check out his blog for the rules and to take in all the other music posted by other bloggers.

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20 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday – The Dance”

  2. ‘Goodbye’? Lots of choices, but this was the first one that came to mind.

    Never Can Say Goodbye
    Gloria Gaynor
    I never can say goodbye
    No, no, no i, I never can say goodbye
    Every time I think Ive had enough
    And start heading for the door
    Theres a very strange vibration
    Kissing me right to the core or pericing me right to the core
    It says turn around you fool,
    You know you love him more
    And more
    Tell me why is it so?
    Dont wanna let you go
    I never can say goodbye boy
    Ooh ooh baby I never can say goodbye
    No no no no no no
    Ooh hey I never can say goodbye, boy
    Ooh ooh baby
    I never can say goodbye
    [No no no no no no] hey
    I never can say goodbye [never say goodbye, boy]
    Oh no, no, no i, I never can say goodbye
    [Never say goodbye, boy]
    I keep thinking that our problems soon are all gonna work
    Out
    But theres that same unhappy feeling,
    Theres that anguish, theres that doubt
    Its that same old dizzy hangup
    I cant do with you or without or youve had with you all your life
    Tell me why is it so? I dont wanna let you go
    I never can say goodbye boy, ooh baby
    I never can say goodbye, no no no no no no
    Hey I never can say goodbye boy, ooh baby
    I never can say goodbye, no no no no no no
    I never can say goodbye, boy,
    I never can say goodbye, no no no no no no
    I never can say goodbye, boy
    I never can say goodbye, no no no no no no
    [Never can say goodbye, boy]
    [Never can say goodbye, boy]
    I never can say goodbye, boy
    I never can say goodbye, no no no no no no
    I never can say goodbye, boy
    I never can say goodbye, no no no no no no
    Ooh ooh ooh hey I never can say goodbye, boy
    No no no baby hey never can say goodbye
    No no no no please, dont make me say goodbye
    Hey I will never say goodbye, no baby
    Oh please dont leave me, no no no no
    Hey oh I cant say goodbye, boy
    No no no baby
    Oh please dont oooh, baby

    Best wishes, Pete.

    Source: Musixmatch

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  3. My brain works in mysterious ways. I saw the word “farewell”, and ever since, the song from The Sound of Music has been stuck in my head. Aaarrrggghhh lol

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    1. That happens to me frequently. Luckily the prompts are posted in advance so there is time to change the station when that happens. But that’s a great song and a perfect goodbye!

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    1. I am glad others can enjoy this song, too. It is such an important life lesson. Garth’s handling of the song was extraordinary. Thanks for reading and listening.

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    1. This song helped make him popular. He and Tony came up through the ranks together neither knowing if they would ever make it. It took three years for Garth to secure a record deal so he could record this song. Everyone else had passed on it.

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