Dave Koz (born David Koz, March 27, 1963) is an American jazz saxophonist a… Read Full Bio ↴Dave Koz (born David Koz, March 27, 1963) is an American jazz saxophonist and radio host.

Koz often draws comparisons to another well-known saxophonist, David Sanborn. Because the two sound almost alike, Koz is sometimes billed as the second coming of Sanborn.

Koz graduated from UCLA with a degree in mass communications in 1986 and started into his musical career almost immediately afterwards playing for crooner Bobby Caldwell. For the rest of the 1980s, Koz served as a session musician in several bands, toured with artists such as Richard Marx, and played in the house band on Arsenio Hall's late-night talk show.

In 1990, Koz decided to pursue a solo career. The move proved to be successful, and his self-titled album earned high praise from critics and fans alike. His later albums include Lucky Man, The Dance, and Saxophonic. Saxophonic was nominated for both a Grammy and an NAACP Image Award.

In 1994, Koz began hosting a syndicated radio program, "The Dave Koz Radio Show" (formerly "Personal Notes"), featuring the latest music and interviews with who's who in the genre. He is currently co-host of the morning show on 94.7 The Wave, a smooth jazz station in Los Angeles.

In 2002, Koz started a record label, Rendezvous Entertainment, with Frank Cody and Hyman Katz. One of the first albums from that label was Golden Slumbers: A Father's Lullaby, which came at the time his brother Jeff became a father for the first time.

Koz also performed "Faces of the Heart", which served as the theme song on the ABC hit soap General Hospital from 1993 to 2004.

Koz came out publicly as a gay man in an April 2004 interview with The Advocate magazine. Later the same year, he was named by People magazine as one of their "50 Hottest Bachelors" in their June issue.

In 2006, Koz was selected to host a syndicated afternoon show for Broadcast Architecture's new Smooth Jazz Network. The show, based in Los Angeles, will be broadcast on other Smooth Jazz stations across the country. Koz and Ramsey Lewis will become the only two Smooth Jazz personalities to host two different syndicated shows during the week.

The dance
Dave Koz Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Looking back on the memory of
the dance we'd shared under neath the star above
for the moment all the world
how could i've known that ever say goodbye
and now i'm glad did know the way would it end
the way would it go
our lives are better left to chance
coul'd i miss the pain but now had

to miss the dance
the dance
the dance
but could i miss the dance
holding u i held everything
for the moment was a king
how could i've known that ever say goodbye
and now i'm glad did know the way would it end
the way would it go
and i life better left could i miss the pain
but now i had to miss the dance
the dance

the dance
could i miss the dance

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dave Koz's song "The Dance" depict a nostalgic reflection as the singer looks back at a beautiful moment in the past where he shared a dance with someone special under the starry sky. The lyrics convey the emotions of not wanting to say goodbye at that time and not knowing how their future would unfold. The singer sings about the regret of missing out on such a poignant occasion, yet acknowledges that life is unpredictable and that all events, even when they cause pain, are left to chance. The singer subtly suggests that although he regrets missing the dance, perhaps it was for the better in the long run.

The lyrics portray a bittersweet contemplation on the fleeting nature of life and how we cherish the moments we share with others. The dance becomes a metaphor for the transience of life's most beautiful moments. The singer experiences a moment of pure bliss and beauty, but it can never be captured again, as much as he would like it to be. The song's message is a testament to the fact that sometimes, the things that we cherish and want to hold onto in life slip through our fingers, and there is nothing we can do but cherish the memories and move on.

Line by Line Meaning

Looking back on the memory of
Reflecting on a past experience

the dance we'd shared under neath the star above
Recalling a specific moment of dancing with someone under the stars

for the moment all the world
Feeling completely present in that moment and disconnected from everything else

how could i've known that ever say goodbye
Expressing surprise and regret for not realizing that the moment would end and saying goodbye was inevitable

and now i'm glad did know the way would it end
Finding some solace in hindsight and knowing that the end was unavoidable

the way would it go
Acknowledging the unpredictability of life

our lives are better left to chance
Believing that outcomes are not predestined and that taking chances is important

coul'd i miss the pain but now had
Feeling the pain of loss but also recognizing the value of the experience

to miss the dance
Regretting the loss of the moment of dancing

the dance
Repeating the regret for the loss of the dance

but could i miss the dance
Asking a rhetorical question about whether the memory of the dance could ever be forgotten

holding u i held everything
Feeling complete happiness and fulfillment while holding the person during the dance

for the moment was a king
Feeling on top of the world in that moment

how could i've known that ever say goodbye
Repeating the surprise and regret of not realizing that the moment was fleeting

and now i'm glad did know the way would it end
Repeating the comfort found in knowing that the moment had to end

the way would it go
Repeating the acknowledgement of life's unpredictability