Careless Whisper
Franco Lorca Lyrics


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I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind the silver screen
And all its sad good-byes

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

Shoulda known better than to cheat a friend
And waste this 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 am wishing that we could lose this crowd
But maybe it's better this way
We hurt each other with the things we wanna say

We could have been so good together
We could have danced this dance forever
But no one'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, know you're not a fool

I shoulda known better than to cheat a friend
And waste this chance that I've been given




So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Franco Lorca's "Careless Whisper" tell the story of a person who is taking someone they are attracted to out to dance. As the music fades, something in the person's eyes reminds them of a silver screen and all the good-byes that come with it. This realization leads the person to admit that they are guilty of cheating their friend and wasting the opportunity to be with the person they are dancing with. The music, although loud, only makes this regret more poignant.


The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm never gonna dance again" which reinforces the sadness and regret in the lyrics. The phrase takes on even more significance when paired with the line, "Guilty feet have got no rhythm" which implies that the singer's own guilt and remorse are preventing them from being able to enjoy the music or dance. The song concludes with a plea for the person the singer is dancing with to stay with them since no one else will dance with them anymore.


Overall, "Careless Whisper" is a beautifully written song that explores themes of regret, guilt, and longing in a poignant and relatable way.


Line by Line Meaning

I feel so unsure
I am uncertain about my actions


As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
I am guiding you to the dance floor


As the music dies, something in your eyes
As the music fades, I see something in your eyes


Calls to mind the silver screen
It reminds me of Hollywood romantic movies


And all its sad good-byes
And the heartbreaking farewells in those movies


I'm never gonna dance again
I won't ever dance again


Guilty feet have got no rhythm
I feel ashamed and cannot dance properly


Though it's easy to pretend
Even though it's simple to act like everything's alright


I know you're not a fool
I realize that you understand the situation


Shoulda known better than to cheat a friend
I should've been wise enough not to betray a friend


And waste this chance that I've been given
I ruined the opportunity I had


So I'm never gonna dance again
Thus, I won't dance anymore


The way I danced with you
I will never dance with the same joy and passion as I did with you


Tonight the music seems so loud
The music is overwhelming tonight


I am wishing that we could lose this crowd
I desire for us to be alone and escape this environment


But maybe it's better this way
Perhaps, it is better to face the reality of our situation


We hurt each other with the things we wanna say
Our words have caused wounds to each other


We could have been so good together
We could have had a great relationship


We could have danced this dance forever
We could have continued our romance without any end


But no one's gonna dance with me
Sadly, no one wants to dance with me anymore


Please stay
I plead for you to stay with me


I know you're, know you're not a fool
I understand that you're not naïve




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew J. Ridgeley, George Michael

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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