Careless Whisper
Ben Folds with Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
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As I take your hand
And lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies
Something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen
And all it's sad goodbyes
I'm never gonna dance again
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Time can never heal
Careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Baby it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have made this last forever
But now who's gonna dance with me
Please stay
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
The song Careless Whisper by George Michael has been covered by many artists, but the version by Ben Folds with Rufus Wainwright brings a unique depth to the lyrics. The song is about regret and the consequences of cheating on a friend. The opening lines express uncertainty and hesitation, as the singer takes their partner's hand and leads them to the dance floor. As the music dies, the singer sees a reflection of something on the silver screen, something that brings to mind the sadness of goodbyes. The repetition of the phrase "I'm never gonna dance again" emphasizes the finality and regret of the situation, as the singer realizes they have lost something important.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of ignorance and truth. The singer acknowledges their mistake in cheating a friend, and there is no comfort in the truth of the pain and hurt that their actions have caused. The line "We could have been so good together" is a poignant reminder of the lost potential and missed opportunities. The final plea for the partner to stay is a last-ditch effort to salvage something from the wreckage of the failed relationship. The way Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright deliver the lyrics with their unique voices adds an emotional depth to the song that makes it a moving and relatable ballad.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel so unsure
I feel uncertain and hesitant
As I take your hand
As I hold your hand
And lead you to the dance floor
And guide you to where we can dance
As the music dies
As the music gradually stops playing
Something in your eyes
Your eyes are expressing something to me
Calls to mind a silver screen
Makes me think of a movie scene
And all it's sad goodbyes
And all of the doleful goodbyes in it
I'm never gonna dance again
I will never dance like this again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
I feel guilty and have lost my sense of rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
Even though I can pretend to be comfortable
I know you're not a fool
I know you are not naive
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
I should have been aware not to betray a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
And fail to take advantage of an opportunity given to me
So I'm never gonna dance again
So I will never dance this way again
The way I danced with you
The way I danced with you specifically
Time can never heal
Time cannot fully recover something
Careless whispers of a good friend
Gossipy remarks from an old friend
To the heart and mind
That affect both the heart and the mind
Ignorance is kind
Not knowing can be merciful
There's no comfort in the truth
The truth can be harsh and uncomfortable
Pain is all you'll find
You will only find pain
Tonight the music seems so loud
The music is overwhelming tonight
I wish that we could lose this crowd
I hope we could get away from all of these people
Baby it's better this way
It might be better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We would cause each other pain by saying what we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have had a great relationship together
We could have made this last forever
We could have made this relationship last forever
But now who's gonna dance with me
But now who will dance with me?
Please stay
Please stay with me
I'm never gonna dance again
I will never dance this way again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
I feel guilty and have lost my sense of rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
Even though I can pretend to be comfortable
I know you're not a fool
I know you are not naive
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
I should have been aware not to betray a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
And fail to take advantage of an opportunity given to me
So I'm never gonna dance again
So I will never dance this way again
The way I danced with you
The way I danced with you specifically
Contributed by Nathan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@roxaneauer360
This is a perfect example of the difference between being born with it and then honing it, and just honing it. Rufus is a gift from the gods!
Ben Folds is amazing in this and especially because he owns it so beautiful.
And of course his piano playing is better, Rufus is right.
Two true artists having fun!! So great!
❤
@paulvillarreal1588
How have I not had this in my life until now? My thoughts echo a lot of other comments I'm seeing.
I was already a huge fan of both individually, but together this was just magic.
I prefer this over the original, by a landslide.
And the little tag on the end from Ben is so funny.
Perfect youtube find.
@lynnemonkman6316
Rufus can do no wrong. Sets my soul on fire. Legend.
@EllenBeal
I saw "Ben Folds" and "Rufus Wainwright" in the title, and my heart did a flippity.
@philmcflurry
My claim to fame is that I was there for this... and Rufus offered me a cigarette later that night.
@ppeglar
But ddi you also have chocolate milk?
@philmcflurry
@@ppeglar damnit. I should have seen that one coming. I have a lot of regrets. Le sigh.
@claumouz
Lucky you!
@Ankit-ph5dr
@@ppeglar ahahahahaha
@bogi_jb
Oh to be offered a cigarette by Rufus Wainwright!
@michaelseanbradley4894
I was in the crowd for this show 8 years ago and still count this as one of those transcendent musical moments in ones life. It had been threatening to rain all day and earlier in the show, Rufus was playing the Agnus Dei and the skies opened up and down poured. It made my knees weak. One of the best moments from one of the best shows I have ever been lucky enough to be at. (I almost didn't go because of the weather...so glad that I did)
@tk77519
Sometimes you strike gold after gold when strolling through youtube