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Bobby Vee Lyrics


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I was at a dance when he caught my eye
Standin' all alone lookin' sad and shy
We began to dance, swaying' to and fro
And soon I knew I'd never let him go

Blame it on the bossa nova with its magic spell
Blame it on the bossa nova that he did so well
Oh, it all began with just one little dance
But then it ended up a big romance
Blame it on the bossa nova
The dance of love

(Now was it the moon?)
No, no, the bossa nova
(Or the stars above?)
No, no, the bossa nova
(Now was it the tune?)
Yeah, yeah, the bossa nova
(The dance of love)

Now I'm glad to say I'm his bride to be
And we're gonna raise a family
And when our kids ask how it came about
I'm gonna say to them without a doubt

Blame it on the bossa nova with its magic spell
Blame it on the bossa nova that he did so well
Oh, it all began with just one little dance
But then it ended up a big romance
Blame it on the bossa nova
The dance of love

(Now was it the moon?)
No, no, the bossa nova
(Or the stars above?)
No, no, the bossa nova
(Now was it the tune? )
Yeah, yeah, the bossa nova
(The dance of love)

(Now was it the moon?)
No, no, the bossa nova




(Or the stars above ?)
No, no, the bossa nova

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bobby Vee's song, "Blame It on the Bossa Nova," tell the story of a woman who meets a man at a dance where he is standing alone, looking sad and shy. As they begin to dance, they soon become mesmerized by the bossa nova's magical spell, which leads to a blossoming romance that culminates in their marriage and starting a family. The woman credits the bossa nova dance for bringing them together, as they get married and raise their children.


The song's chorus repeats “Blame it on the bossa nova”, suggesting that the magic of the music and dance was responsible for the couple's deepening emotions and eventual commitment. The verses allude to the romantic and sensual beat of the bossa nova, with the lyrics painting a picture of a dimly lit dance floor while the couple sways to and fro in each other’s arms. The lyrics also suggest the role of fate and destiny, as the woman muses that she was never going to let her partner go and that the bossa nova was almost like a supernatural force pulling them together.


Overall, "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" is a whimsical and upbeat love song, full of clever wordplay and catchy rhythms. The lyrics and the music blend together seamlessly to create a joyful and carefree picture of falling deeply in love.


Line by Line Meaning

I was at a dance when he caught my eye
I first saw my future partner at a dance


Standin' all alone lookin' sad and shy
My future partner appeared lonely and shy


We began to dance, swaying' to and fro
We started dancing together with a gentle movement


And soon I knew I'd never let him go
I knew quickly that I wanted to keep my future partner close


Blame it on the bossa nova with its magic spell
The magic of the bossa nova is the reason for our love


Blame it on the bossa nova that he did so well
My partner’s excellent bossa nova dancing skills caused our love


Oh, it all began with just one little dance
Our love started with just one dance


But then it ended up a big romance
That one little dance led to a big romance


The dance of love
Our love started with dancing to this particular bossa nova song


(Now was it the moon?)
Did the moon have anything to do with it?


No, no, the bossa nova
No, it was the bossa nova


(Or the stars above?)
Did the stars have anything to do with it?


No, no, the bossa nova
No, it was the bossa nova


(Now was it the tune?)
Did the tune have anything to do with it?


Yeah, yeah, the bossa nova
Yes, it was the bossa nova tune that sparked our love


(The dance of love)
Our love dance was the bossa nova


Now I'm glad to say I'm his bride to be
I'm happy to say that I'm engaged to him


And we're gonna raise a family
We're planning to have a family together


And when our kids ask how it came about
If our children ever ask how our love story started


I'm gonna say to them without a doubt
I'll tell them without hesitation


Blame it on the bossa nova with its magic spell
Our love story began with the magical bossa nova


Blame it on the bossa nova that he did so well
My partner’s excellent bossa nova dancing skills caused our love


Oh, it all began with just one little dance
Our love story started with just one dance


But then it ended up a big romance
That one little dance led to a big romance


Blame it on the bossa nova
Our love story wouldn't have happened without the bossa nova


The dance of love
Our love dance was the bossa nova




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@natashachapin1567

This was my dads song to me, we danced to it at my wedding and shared many memories of listening to it together. I lost my dad in may to cancer, just 2 months after my daughter, his first grandchild was born. Today I shared this song with her the first time and while my heart hurt and the tears streaked my face I also laughed and smiled as I danced with her to it as I did with my daddy.

@michaelamilesmiles2097

He will be dancing up there ❤

@Harp_and_Guitar_Moving_Forward

🎶🎶❤

@guadalupemichaels1817

God this made me cry.

@astrogeraldo2836

Que história linda de pai e filha!

@peterdefabio9470

Well, I was going to comment on what a great video this is, with Bobby looking magical alone on the screen, but your story was so touching and beautiful, that I defer to you.

29 More Replies...

@patriciafallis3354

I loved this song as a teenager and love it just as much today at 69

@sophias7030

And I love it today too at 22 years of age 😊❤

@macram22

Me the same...

@mrellen5

Me too at age 75!

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