Careless Whisper
Andrew Ridgeley Lyrics

Time can never mend
The passage of time can never undo or repair the damage caused by a careless whisper from a good friend.

The careless whisper of a good friend
The thoughtless revelation of a secret or the betrayal of a good friend's trust can cause irreparable harm to the recipient.

To the heart and mind
This type of harm affects both the emotions and the rational thought processes of the person affected.

If your answer's kind
If the response to the careless whisper is gentle and understanding, it cannot erase the pain caused by the betrayal.

There's no comfort in the truth
Even though honesty is the best policy, sometimes the truth hurts so much that no amount of honesty can make the situation better.

Pain is all you'll find
The result of a careless whisper is almost always pain, even if the friend had good intentions.

I should have known better, yeah
The singer regrets not being more careful and aware of the consequences of their actions, implying they are guilty of revealing a secret or betraying a friend's trust.

I feel so unsure
The character is feeling unsure of themselves and their actions, likely due to the guilt they feel for betraying their friend.

As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
The artist is taking their friend's hand and leading them to the metaphorical 'dance floor' where they will bear their soul and reveal their guilt.

As the music dies
The music ending is a metaphor for the end of their relationship due to the events that have transpired.

Something in your eyes
The singer can tell from their friend's eyes that they are aware of the betrayal and are devastated by it.

Calls to mind a silver screen
The artist sees the sadness in their friend's eyes and it reminds them of a sad movie scene.

And all its sad goodbyes
The singer is reminded of the final goodbyes in sad movie scenes, suggesting that their friendship is ending due to the careless whisper.

I'm never gonna dance again
The singer has lost the ability to dance (a metaphor for living joyfully and carefree) now that their guilt has rendered them incapable of feeling joy.

Guilty feet have got no rhythm
The guilt the singer feels has taken away their ability to dance joyfully and has made them feel out of sync with the world around them.

Though it's easy to pretend
It's easier to pretend that everything is okay, but the guilt is always there, lurking beneath the surface.

I know you're not a fool
The artist knows their friend is intelligent and will see through any attempts to hide or dodge accountability for the careless whisper.

I should have known better than to cheat a friend
The singer is acknowledging that their behavior was a betrayal, and they should have been smart enough to avoid it.

And waste a chance that I'd been given
The singer feels like they wasted a chance to have a good relationship with their friend, and they regret it deeply.

So I'm never gonna dance again
The artist has lost their ability to be happy and carefree, and they feel unworthy of enjoying life and its pleasures.

The way I danced with you
The artist cannot hope to have a dance (or a friendship) as magical and free-spirited as the one they had with their friend.

Never without your love
The artist needs the love of their friend to feel complete and whole. Without it, they feel lost and incomplete.

Tonight the music seems so loud
The singer is feeling overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of the world around them, and they wish they could escape it all.

I wish that we could lose this crowd
The artist wants to be alone with their friend, away from the prying eyes of the world, where they can talk and reconcile.

Maybe it's better this way
The singer is unsure if reconnecting with their friend is a good idea, given the harm they caused. They worry that it might be better to stay away.

We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
The singer worries that a conversation with their friend will only hurt them more, as they both want to express their hurt and pain.

We could have been so good together,
The singer regrets what happened between them, pointing out that they could have shared a wonderful friendship if they'd been more careful and trustworthy.

We could have lived this dance forever
The artist dreamed of a lifelong friendship with their friend, where they could continue to share joy and happiness together.

But now, who's gonna dance with me?
The artist is grieving the loss of their friend, and they feel like they'll never find another friend who understands them and shares their values.

Please stay
The singer is making a desperate plea to their friend to stay with them, to not abandon them in their guilt and sorrow.

Now that you're gone
The singer is acknowledging that their friend is gone, and they feel lost and bereft without them.

What I did that was so wrong?
The artist is still struggling to understand why they betrayed their friend, and they worry that they'll never be able to make it right.

So wrong that you had to leave me alone?
The artist is blaming themselves for the breakup of their friendship, wondering if they were really that horrible a friend that their friend had to leave them alone.