Change Partners
Ambrose and His Orchestra Lyrics


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Must you dance every dance with the same fortunate man?
You have danced with him since the music began.
Won't you change partners and dance with me?
Must you dance quite so close with your lips touching his face?
Can't you see
I'm longing to be in his place?
Won't you change partners and dance with me?
Ask him to sit this one out.
While you're alone,
I'll tell the waiter to tell
Him he's wanted on the telephone.

You've been locked in his arms ever since heaven knows when.




Won't you change partners and then,
You may never want to change partners again.

Overall Meaning

The song "Change Partners" by Ambrose and His Orchestra is a plea from a man who wants to dance with a woman who has been dancing with the same man since the music began. The man asks the woman to change partners and dance with him instead, as he longs to be in the other man's place. He wonders why the woman dances so closely with her current partner, with their lips touching, and urges her to ask him to sit this one out while they dance. He even goes as far as asking the waiter to tell him that he is wanted on the telephone so that they could have a chance to dance together.


The song captures the sentiment of jealousy and longing, as the man watches the woman he desires dance with another. He wants to be in the other man's place, and he thinks that if they change partners, she might never want to change partners again. It's a romantic song that speaks to the idea of taking risks and taking a chance with someone new.


Line by Line Meaning

Must you dance every dance with the same fortunate man?
Do you have to keep dancing with the same guy all night long?


You have danced with him since the music began.
You've been dancing with him from the very start of the party?


Won't you change partners and dance with me?
Why don't you try dancing with me instead?


Must you dance quite so close with your lips touching his face?
Do you have to dance so intimately with him, your lips brushing against his cheek?


Can't you see I'm longing to be in his place?
Don't you realize how much I wish I could be the one holding you instead?


Won't you change partners and dance with me?
Why don't you give me a chance to dance with you instead?


Ask him to sit this one out.
Maybe you could ask him to take a break from dancing for a while.


While you're alone, I'll tell the waiter to tell him he's wanted on the telephone.
While you're not together, I'll have the waiter tell him he needs to take a call.


You've been locked in his arms ever since heaven knows when.
You've been dancing in his arms for so long that it feels like forever.


Won't you change partners and then, you may never want to change partners again.
Just try dancing with me once, and you might never want to dance with him again.




Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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