Last Dance
Jewel Lyrics


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Your lungs fill up with concrete
Her voice is all you can hear
Red lips and a screwdriver
Wrapped around some mink-clad smear
And you know that she's a diamond
In this damn jukebox hell
'Cause fools gold only fools fools
In two-bit hotels.
But she's cooler than all that
She's a real high-class cat
She's queen of the last dance rodeo.

But under the gas lamp
The air is thick and velvety
Your bones filled with hunger
Your heart filled with longing
You're no longer human
You're an insatiable hole.
You wanna bury your face forever
In the navel of her soul
'Cause you know

All you need is a heart to call home
All you need is a heart to call home
That's all.

Light bulbs, and nylons
And plastic chandeliers
Objects are only objects,
They can't feel when you're near
And tangerine lips
And lily-white breasts
These things are eternal
Inside them humanity rests.
The skin is like a seashell
You listen to the soul
Like an old-time radio show.

But under the gas lamp
The air is thick and velvety
Your bones filled with hunger
Your heart filled with longing

You're no longer human
You're an insatiable hole.
You wanna bury your face forever
In the navel of her soul
'Cause you know

All you need is a heart to call home
That's all.

But don't wander too far
On one constant star
Darkness exists, except where you are
Your feet are filled with wandering
They follow your own
'Cause everywhere you are
Feels like home.
So search all you miners
You hunters of dreams
Look in the alleyways
For what you know is not what it seems
And fame, all you maidens,
It don't exist too long
But at least look behind you
And see your own shadow's gone
Don't you know it's the last rodeo
You gotta find yourself a cowboy
Or someone to keep you
Warm when it snows

But under the gas lamp
The air is thick and velvety
Your bones filled with hunger
Your heart filled with longing
You're no longer human
You're an insatiable hole.
You wanna bury your face forever
In the navel of her soul
'Cause you know

All you need is a heart to call home




All you need is a heart
All you need is a heart to call home

Overall Meaning

In the song "Last Dance" by Jewel, the artist portrays a picture of a person who is in a jukebox hell, listening to a woman's voice while his lungs are filled up with concrete. He describes the woman as a diamond in the middle of fools' gold, making her unique as she is a high-class cat that rules the last dance rodeo. The sound of the air is thick and velvety under the gas lamp, and it fills the person's bones with hunger and his heart with longing. He becomes insatiable and only craves to bury his face in the navel of the woman's soul.


Despite the chaos and the feeling of being lost, he understands that all he needs is a heart to call home. Objects such as light bulbs and nylons are just things and cannot feel when someone is near, but humanity rests within the person, such as the tangerine lips and lily-white breasts. The skin is likened to a seashell, where one can listen to the soul-like an old-time radio show. The artist encourages individuals to find themselves by searching for what they believe is not what it seems. Although people may search for fame, it doesn't last long, and it's vital to have someone to keep one warm during the snow.


One interesting fact about the song is that the song was featured in the American drama film "Ride with the Devil" directed by Ang Lee in 1999. The song has a country and western feel with upbeat drumming and guitars. Furthermore, the song is part of Jewel's second album "Spirit," which features popular hits such as "Hands" and "Down So Long." Additionally, the album won critical acclaim and was a commercial success, reaching platinum status in the United States.


Another fascinating fact about the song is that it was written by Jewel and produced by Patrick Leonard, who is known for his collaborations with Madonna. The song was not released as a single but still managed to attract fans due to its inclusion in the movie. Another critical aspect of the song is its powerful lyrics, which have been interpreted in numerous ways, including the concept of moving on and finding peace.


Chords:


Verse: Bb, F, Gm, Eb,


Chorus: Bb, F, Gm, Eb


Line by Line Meaning

Your lungs fill up with concrete
You feel suffocated and trapped in your current situation.


Her voice is all you can hear
The subject is completely enamored with the woman and can't focus on anything else.


Red lips and a screwdriver
The woman is both dangerous and alluring.


Wrapped around some mink-clad smear
The woman is surrounded by materialistic and superficial people.


And you know that she's a diamond
The subject recognizes the woman's true value and sees her as precious.


In this damn jukebox hell
The environment they are in is noisy and overwhelming.


'Cause fools gold only fools fools
Cheap and fake things only deceive or trick people who are foolish.


In two-bit hotels.
This kind of deception happens in cheap, run-down hotels.


But she's cooler than all that
The woman is beyond the fake and superficial environment around her.


She's a real high-class cat
The woman is sophisticated and classy.


She's queen of the last dance rodeo.
The woman is the most sought-after person in this final dance event.


Light bulbs, and nylons
These material things are nothing compared to human emotions and relationships.


And plastic chandeliers
Even the most glamorous of decorations can't compare to the importance of a person's inner self.


They can't feel when you're near
Objects can't return emotions or affection, unlike humans.


And tangerine lips
The woman's lips are compared to the color of a tangerine fruit.


And lily-white breasts
The woman's breasts are compared to the purity of a lily flower.


These things are eternal
These physical attributes may last forever, but they do not determine a person's worth.


Inside them humanity rests.
A person's true value comes from their humanity, not their physical appearance.


The skin is like a seashell
The comparison reveals how a person's soul resides underneath the surface of their physical shell.


You listen to the soul
The subject values a person's essence above anything else.


Like an old-time radio show.
The soul resembles a nostalgic and timeless radio program that always plays in the background of life.


But don't wander too far
The subject should not stray too far away from their true self.


On one constant star
Stay focused on what is important in life.


Darkness exists, except where you are
The subject is a light in the darkness and brings hope and positivity to others.


Your feet are filled with wandering
The subject has an urge to explore and discover new things.


They follow your own
The subject has an idea of what they are looking for, and will follow their intuition to find it.


Feels like home.
The subject feels at home wherever they go because their true home is within themselves.


So search all you miners
The subject urges others to search for what they truly desire.


You hunters of dreams
People who chase their dreams and aspirations should keep looking until they find what they're after.


Look in the alleyways
The subject advises to search in unexpected places and to the pay attention to the details that others may miss.


For what you know is not what it seems
One should be careful not to make assumptions about what they see and hear, as things are not always as they seem.


And fame, all you maidens,
The subject speaks to young women hoping for fame and fortune.


It don't exist too long
Fame can be fleeting and temporary, so it is not something to depend on for happiness.


But at least look behind you
One should take a moment to reflect on where they have been and the journey they have taken.


And see your own shadow's gone
One should let go of the past and not let it hold them back.


You gotta find yourself a cowboy
The subject advises to find someone to stand by you and support you through tough times.


Or someone to keep you
One should find a companion to rely on and be there for them.


Warm when it snows
This is a metaphor for finding someone who can provide comfort and security through hard times.


All you need is a heart to call home
What is most important in life is to have love and human connection.


All you need is a heart
The core of our being is our humanity and our capacity for love and connection.


That's all.
That is the most fundamental and valuable thing in life.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JEWEL KILCHER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Hector Astete Zúñiga

Really love this song. All you need is a heart indeed

FRANK KILCHER

One of the best song that I've ever heard....🌹🙏💪🔥😘

J W

What??? A second song drop in one day?!?!

John Palmer

Such a voice . What a intelligent, gifted artist. Beautiful on the inside and out.

Macario Ramirez

Remember me dear oli ,my love remember me

Macario Ramirez

I am needing you dear.i am kolob

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