dance
BY /CARS Lyrics

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The right side of the wrong town
Trying to figure you out
My heart beats out of my chest
My words they go the wrong way around

Take me away, away, away
Oh to your place, your place, your place
Take me away, away, away

Yeah see my words they go the wrong way around

And she said "Put your arms around me
Do you see what I see
Two nervous people, they're taking a chance
So can I have this one last dance?"
And she said "I'm still getting over you
The last thing that I will do
Two nervous people, they're taking a chance
So can I have this one last dance?"
Oh oh oh oh

Heard you ask a friend about me
Trying to get in my mind
And I noticed you were watching me leave
Your words they make me turn around

Take me away, away, away
Oh to your place, your place, your place
Take me away, away, away
Yeah see my words they go the wrong way around

And she said "Put your arms around me
Do you see what I see
Two nervous people here taking a chance
So can I have this one last dance?"
Oh oh oh oh

And she said "Put your arms around me (Oh oh oh oh)
Do you see what I see (Oh oh oh oh)

Two nervous people here taking a chance (Oh oh oh oh)
So can I have this one last dance?" (Oh oh oh oh)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to BY/CARS' song "Dance" can be interpreted as the singer's reflection on past struggles and pain and how they have become a part of his journey towards happiness. The opening lines "Stiff as hell. Fade to black. Blackness swells" describe a moment of darkness or despair, but the following lines suggest that forgetting has brought a sense of relief and that the memory of the previous pain only serves as a reference point for comparison. The singer acknowledges that "One would struggle to find some kind of peace of mind" but asserts that he simply doesn't care about the past anymore.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of movement and progression, both physically and emotionally. The line "Even when this dance is over I won't stop moving. I will never miss a beat" can be seen as a metaphor for life and how the singer is determined to keep pushing forward. The next few lines acknowledge that the past experiences have shaped him into the person he is now and that he is grateful for the lessons learned. The final line "Thanks for getting me in. I'll get you next time" can be interpreted as a message to whoever or whatever helped him through the tough times, promising to pay it forward.

Line by Line Meaning

Stiff as hell.
Being rigid or inflexible

Fade to black.
Transitioning into a melancholic feeling or state

Blackness swells.
Intense sadness or dark emotions sets in

Forgetting never felt so Good.
The artist finds relief in forgetting the past

Yeah, remembering only as a reference.
Reminiscing about past experiences without getting stuck in them

Today is gauged by how Unhappy I am not.
Happiness is now defined by the absence of sadness

I can still hear what's going on back there and I don't Care.
The singer has moved on from the past and is indifferent to it

One would struggle to find some kind of peace of mind but I Just don't care.
Peace of mind is elusive but the artist is at peace with not having it

Once would struggle to find some kind of peace of mind.
Reiterating the idea that inner peace is difficult to attain

Even when this dance is over I won't stop moving.
Life goes on even after difficult times

I will never miss a Beat.
The singer is resilient and will keep going no matter what

I would not be able to move like this without having walked through Your door.
Acknowledging that past experiences, both good and bad, shape us

I would not. No, not without having my eyes shut Or having watched them burn.
The singer had to go through painful experiences to grow and become stronger

Shaped, redirected, reevaluated, created a new Man.
The singer has grown and become a better person despite adversity

Thanks for getting me in. I'll get you next time.
The singer thanks the person responsible for bringing them to this point but will not pay them back

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Sorcha Durham, Patrick Sheehy, Evan Hadnett, Paul Flannery, Dan Devane

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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