Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994. Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002.
I Don't Wanna Go
Blues Traveler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulling me closer in
Back and forth and dance
Remember the way that you
Dare me, scare me chance
Fate clearly telling me
This one right here
Now
I don't wanna go, I wanna hold your hand
Let's skip the show and leave it up to the band
I don't wanna go til we're done with the dance
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
Bus leaves tomorrow for a foreign land
Ain't nothing wrong with a one night stand
But I'll stay here forever if you say that I can
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
Spotlight, flashlight, can
We make it happen
Forever be your man
Now is the moment I
Break my, make my stand
Promise you now that I
Sweetly, completely
Am
I don't wanna go, I wanna hold your hand
Let's skip the show and leave it up to the band
I don't wanna go till we're done with the dance
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
Bus leaves tomorrow for a foreign land
Ain't nothing wrong with a one night stand
But I'll stay here forever if you say that I can
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
And I've
Come to know the moon
From every angle in every sky
As I
Want to come to know you
That climbs up into my every alibi
I don't wanna go, I wanna hold your hand
Let's skip the show and leave it up to the band
I don't wanna go until we're done with the dance
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
I don't wanna go, I wanna hold your hand
Let's skip the show and leave it up to the band
I don't wanna go until we're done with the dance
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
Bus leaves tomorrow for a foreign land
Ain't nothing wrong with a one night stand
But I'll stay here forever if you say that I can
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
I don't wanna go, I wanna hold your hand
Let's skip the show and leave it up to the band
I don't wanna go until we're done with the dance
I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go
Blues Traveler’s “I Don’t Wanna Go” is a song about the singer’s desire to stay with his lover and forego his planned trip overseas. The song’s lyrics describe the singer being pulled closer to his lover by moonlight hands, dancing with her as fate tells him that she is the one. He wishes to hold her hand and spend more time with her, even if it means skipping his trip to a foreign land that he had planned for. He suggests that there is nothing wrong with having a one-night stand, but he wants to stay with her forever if she allows it. The singer makes it clear that he is willing to break and make his stand, promising his lover that he completely and sweetly is hers.
The song’s melody, instrumentation, and lyrics all come together to deliver a haunting message of desire and uncertainty. The instrumentals accentuate the chorus, which stresses the singer's priority of holding his lover's hand throughout the song. The lyrics’ use of the moonlight hands and flashlight imagery emphasizes the fleetingness of the moments they share, adding to the song's dreamlike tone. The singer wants to seize the moment, as he may not get another chance to spend time with his lover like this.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night moonlight hands
The gentle touch of moonlight guided me towards someone special
Pulling me closer in
I was drawn towards this person, physically and emotionally
Back and forth and dance
We moved in sync, connected in our movements
Remember the way that you
I recall how you made me feel in that moment
Dare me, scare me chance
You challenged and pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I trusted you enough to take the risk
Fate clearly telling me
The universe seemed to be aligning for us to be together
This one right here
You are the one I want to be with
Now
In this present moment
Bus leaves tomorrow for a foreign land
The reality of our circumstances is that I have to leave soon
Ain't nothing wrong with a one night stand
Some people are content with brief connections, but that's not enough for me
But I'll stay here forever if you say that I can
I am willing to make sacrifices and compromise to be with you
Spotlight, flashlight, can
I am ready to take center stage and make a commitment to you
We make it happen
Together, we can make our relationship work
Forever be your man
I want to be by your side for the long haul
Now is the moment I
I am prepared to seize this opportunity and take a chance on us
Break my, make my stand
I am willing to take risks, overcome my fears, and take a stand for our love
Promise you now that I
I am making a commitment to you, right here and now
Sweetly, completely
With all my heart, without holding anything back
And I've
In my experiences and learnings, I have
Come to know the moon
Learned and understood the nature of the moon, its essence of guidance and illumination
From every angle in every sky
From every different perspective and circumstance
As I
In that same way
Want to come to know you
Want to understand and connect with you on a deeper level
That climbs up into my every alibi
That fills every excuse or explanation that I have for not being with you
I don't wanna go, I wanna hold your hand
I want to stay with you, keep you close to me
Let's skip the show and leave it up to the band
Let's forget about the chaos of the world and just focus on our own rhythm
I don't wanna go til we're done with the dance
I don't want to end this magical moment until we have fully experienced it together
I don't wanna go
I don't want to leave you at all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CARRIE RODRIGUEZ, JOHN C. POPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sam Atwood
How often does he play this one live? I'm going to see him next month.
CrossBonesAlex
Great song
YounaPeachum
Merci Itunes