Too Hurt to Dance
Duffy Lyrics


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I was sad there,
In the shadows of a place we used to go
Drinking cocktail after cocktail
Wondering if you'd show

My head started spinning
My mouth was feeling dry
Lost inside the music I,
I was trying not to cry

If they call it heartache
If they call it heartache
Why is the rest of my body aching
Why is the rest of my body shaking

Please Mr. DJ won't you turn the music down
Why can't you understand
I'm too hurt to dance tonight

I was sad there, looking solemn
He said I stood out from the crowd
He offered me a friendly face
To wipe away my frown

But I won't talk to strangers
There words are all the same
So I drowned inside this drinking glass
To take away the pain

If they call it heartache
If they call it heartache
Why is the rest of my body aching
Why is the rest of my body shaking

Please Mr. DJ won't you turn the music down
Why can't you understand
I'm too hurt to dance tonight

Please Mr. DJ won't you turn the music down




Why can't you understand
I'm too hurt to dance tonight

Overall Meaning

Duffy's song Too Hurt to Dance describes a heartbroken woman who is clearly struggling to move on from a past relationship. The lyrics describe the singer standing in the shadows of a place she used to go with her ex, drinking to numb the pain, and wondering if he would show up. As she becomes lost in the music, she is trying not to cry, but she reveals that her entire body is aching and shaking even though it's called heartache.


The refrain asks the DJ to turn the music down, pleading for him to understand that she is too hurt to dance tonight. The second verse reveals that a man approaches her, offering a friendly face to wipe away her frown, but she refuses to talk to strangers because their words are all the same. She decides to drown her sorrows in drinking and forget the pain. Throughout the song, the singer is portrayed as emotionally devastated, struggling to move on and heal.


The song Too Hurt to Dance is a deeply emotional and relatable ballad about the pain of heartbreak. It speaks of the universal experience of trying to forget someone while simultaneously longing to be with them again. The song's slow tempo and minor key add to its poignant quality, and Duffy's soulful voice draws the listener in, making them feel the singer's pain.


Line by Line Meaning

I was sad there,
Feeling unhappy, lonely and upset


In the shadows of a place we used to go
In a hidden place where we used to visit and enjoy happy memories


Drinking cocktail after cocktail
Drinking many alcoholic beverages, one after another


Wondering if you'd show
Thinking if you would appear to meet me


My head started spinning
My mind was getting confused and dizzy


My mouth was feeling dry
My mouth was dry due to anxiety, sadness, and dehydration from excessive drinking


Lost inside the music I, I was trying not to cry
Feeling absorbed in the music, trying not to show my tears


If they call it heartache
If they refer to this pain as heartbreak


Why is the rest of my body aching
Why am I experiencing physical pain in addition to emotional pain


Why is the rest of my body shaking
Why am I trembling or shivering all over


Please Mr. DJ won't you turn the music down
Requesting the DJ to reduce the volume of the music


Why can't you understand
Why is it difficult for you to comprehend what I'm asking for


I'm too hurt to dance tonight
I'm feeling so devastated that I can't dance tonight


He said I stood out from the crowd
He commented that I looked different and noteworthy from everyone else around


He offered me a friendly face
He gave me a warm and welcoming expression


To wipe away my frown
To make me feel better and lessen my sadness


But I won't talk to strangers
But I distrust unfamiliar people and won't engage in conversation with them


There words are all the same
Their words are predictable, unoriginal and not genuine


So I drowned inside this drinking glass
So I consumed more alcoholic drink and got lost in it


To take away the pain
In an attempt to numb my emotional and physical distress




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALBERT HAMMOND, AIMEE DUFFY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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