In 1969, Ray Benson and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) co-founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and soon after they found themselves opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC.[1] A year later, they moved to East Oakland, California at the invitation of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After being mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine by Van Morrison, they landed a record deal with United Artists. In 1973, their debut album, Comin' Right At Ya was released by United Artists. At the request of Willie Nelson, they left Oakland for Austin in 1974.
Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been presented numerous awards throughout their career. Most recently, the 16th Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Award for the making of "A Ride With Bob", recognition by Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin, Texas, and the Darrel K. Royal Music Patron Award by The Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association. In 2007, The Austin Chronicle recognized Asleep at the Wheel for Band of the Year, Best Country Band, and into their Hall of Fame. Benson was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, was given The Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and recognized as an Outstanding Producer by the National Academy of Recording Arts in 1988. He has also been given numerous Citations of Achievement by Broadcast Music, Inc. for his work in the country music field. Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been one of the strongest names in Country Music for the last forty years.
Dance With Who Brung You
Asleep at the Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be a fickle fool,You came here with a gal, who's always been your
pal, don't leave her for the first unattached girl, it just ain't cool
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
you to the bash
Verse 1
old Western Swing and drove 'em wild
Then a talent scout from Vegas said "Boy, play and sing this way"
And in one short year he was broke and in L.A.
(Chorus)
Instrumental Break (same as the and Chorus) then
verse 2
You gotta be real careful what you wish for, 'cause you just might get
the whole darn thing, Be sure what you want is something you can use-
Or you might wind up half dead, just singing the Blues
Chorus (and end with)
If you dance with who brung you to the bash---
Dance with who brung you to the bash
The lyrics to "Dance With Who Brung You" by Asleep at the Wheel convey an important piece of advice for anyone attending a party or event. The song suggests that it's important to stay true to the person who brought you and to avoid being a "fickle fool" by abandoning them for someone else. The song compares life to a long race, and suggests that staying with a reliable partner or friend will ultimately lead to more fun and happiness in the long run.
The first verse tells the story of a friend from Texas who was a talented Western Swing musician. Despite being successful, the musician was convinced by a talent scout to switch styles and move to Los Angeles. The result was that he became broke and disillusioned, demonstrating the importance of staying true to one's roots and not being swayed by fame or fortune.
The second verse reminds listeners to be careful what they wish for, as they may not always be satisfied with the outcome. The song suggests that it's better to choose something practical and useful rather than something that may lead to disappointment and regret.
Overall, "Dance With Who Brung You" is a catchy and upbeat song with an important message about loyalty and staying true to one's roots.
Line by Line Meaning
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
You must stick with the person who brought you here and has been with you all along.
Don't be a fickle fool,
Don't be unfaithful or unreliable in your choices.
You came here with a gal, who's always been your pal, don't leave her for the first unattached girl, it just ain't cool
Don't ditch your loyal friend for a new and available opportunity. It is not a decent thing to do.
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run, 'cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung you to the bash
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. If you stick with the people who are with you through thick and thin, you'll have a more enjoyable life.
I had a friend from Texas, he really had some style, he sang that good old Western Swing and drove 'em wild
I knew a charming guy from Texas who could perform Western Swing music well and had a loyal following.
Then a talent scout from Vegas said "Boy, play and sing this way" And in one short year he was broke and in L.A.
A talent agent from Vegas persuaded him to change his style of music, but he ended up losing his money and moving to L.A. in just a year.
You gotta be real careful what you wish for, 'cause you just might get the whole darn thing, Be sure what you want is something you can use- Or you might wind up half dead, just singing the Blues
You need to be cautious about what you desire because it may have unintended consequences. Make sure the things you pursue are beneficial, or you may end up disappointed and miserable.
If you dance with who brung you to the bash---
If you stick with your loyal companions and don't abandon them, you will have a happy and fulfilling life.
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@maggie041955
Lyrics
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Don't be a fickle fool, you came here with a gal, who's always been your
Pal, don't leave her for the first unattached girl, it just ain't cool
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'Cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
You to the bash
I had a friend from texas, he really had some style, he sang that good
Old western swing and drove 'em wild
Then a talent scout from vegas said "boy, play and sing this way"
And in one short year he was broke and in L.A.
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'Cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
You to the bash
You gotta be real careful what you wish for, 'cause you just might get
The whole darn thing, be sure what you want is something you can use
Or you might wind up half dead, just singing the blues
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'Cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
You to the bash
If you dance with who brung you to the bash
Dance with who brung you to the bash
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: R. Benson
Dance With Who Brung You lyrics © Bob-a-lew Songs
@nicolsavoy71
Love this song. Good message and makes you want to dance
@csrock423
how can you NOT dance to this song!!!! Love it.
@robertadupree7656
I loved it guys 👏
@eightinches6094
Ray's awesome.
@maggie041955
Lyrics
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Don't be a fickle fool, you came here with a gal, who's always been your
Pal, don't leave her for the first unattached girl, it just ain't cool
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'Cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
You to the bash
I had a friend from texas, he really had some style, he sang that good
Old western swing and drove 'em wild
Then a talent scout from vegas said "boy, play and sing this way"
And in one short year he was broke and in L.A.
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'Cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
You to the bash
You gotta be real careful what you wish for, 'cause you just might get
The whole darn thing, be sure what you want is something you can use
Or you might wind up half dead, just singing the blues
You got to dance with who brung you, swing with who swung you,
Life ain't no forty-yard dash, be in it for the long run,
'Cause in the long run you'll have more fun, if you dance with who brung
You to the bash
If you dance with who brung you to the bash
Dance with who brung you to the bash
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: R. Benson
Dance With Who Brung You lyrics © Bob-a-lew Songs
@2300Kenzie
Smooth, wonderful and rich. Nothing more American than this.
@mikecarr1378
Ray IS the Coolest !