Tony arata

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.