This time around, he uses the metaphor of slow dancing in the dark to characterize a failing relationship—just like a slow dance where you can’t see your partner’s face, his relationship with this person is intimate but ultimately impersonal.
Joji first previewed the song on May 12, 2018 at the Blurry Vision Festival. He announced its official release on September 7, along with teaser photos from the music video.
Slow dancing in the dark
Joji Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want my life in two (just want my life)
Just one more night
Waiting to get there
Waiting for you (all night)
I'm done fighting all night (waiting for you)
When I'm around slow dancing in the dark
You have made up your mind
I don't need no more signs
Can you?
Can you?
Give me reasons we should be complete
You should be with him, I can't compete
You looked at me like I was someone else, oh well
Can't you see?
I don't wanna slow dance (I don't want to slow dance)
In the dark
Dark
When you gotta run
Just hear my voice in you (my voice in you)
Shutting me out of you (shutting me out of you)
Doing so great (so great, so great)
You
Used to be the one (used to be the one)
To hold you when you fall
Yeah, yeah, yeah (when you fall, when you fall)
I don't fuck with your tone (I don't fuck with your tone)
I don't wanna go home (I don't wanna go home)
Can it be one night?
Can you?
Can you?
Give me reasons we should be complete
You should be with him, I can't compete
You looked at me like I was someone else, oh well
Can't you see?
I don't wanna slow dance (I don't want to slow dance)
In the dark
Dark
In the dark
Dark
The song 'Slow dancing in the dark' by Joji initially gives the impression of a romantic song. However, on deeper interpretation, it becomes clear that Joji is addressing the crippling feeling of loneliness and the fears that stem from the prospect of falling in love. The first stanza begins with Joji expressing his desire to be alone and have his life in two. The second line refers to his struggle with a decision, which is also the central theme of the song. Joji knows he wants to be with someone, yet he is paralyzed by the fear of losing his independence. He counts one more night until he can finally muster the courage to make a decision.
The chorus ‘when I'm around slow dancing in the dark, don't follow me, you'll end up in my arms’ is an invitation and a warning all at once. Joji is suggesting that the person should not give in to their attraction because he is not ready for anything more than friendship. He has made up his mind, and he does not require any more signs. At the same time, he acknowledges that he enjoyed the intimacy of slow dancing in the dark, and he's afraid it may have sent the wrong signal to the person.
In the second stanza, Joji pleads with the object of his affection, asking for reasons why they should be together. He is aware that the other person is already involved with someone, and he can't compete with their relationship. Joji also feels unnoticed and unimportant because the person they are with did not recognize them when they looked at them. The last line 'I don't wanna slow dance in the dark' repeats the sentiment that he is not ready for a relationship, at least not one that involves losing his independence.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want a friend (just me)
I don't want someone who is just a friend, I want someone who is more and my life to be shared with them
I want my life in two (my life in two)
I want my life to be shared with someone else, creating two halves that make a whole
Just one more night
One last night to be spent together
Waiting to get there
Patiently waiting for the moment to arrive
Waiting for you (all night)
Waiting for the other person to arrive and spend time together
I'm done fighting all night (waiting for you)
I'm tired of arguing and fighting all night while waiting for the other person to arrive
When I'm around slow dancing in the dark
When we're together, dancing slowly in the darkness
Don't follow me, you'll end up in my arms
Don't resist me, you'll eventually succumb to my advances
You have made up your mind
You've made a decision
I don't need no more signs
I don't need any more indications or hints
Can you?
Can you understand or relate to what I'm saying?
Give me reasons we should be complete
Tell me why we should be together and make each other whole
You should be with him, I can't compete
You should be with someone else, I can't measure up to them
You looked at me like I was someone else, oh well
You didn't see me as myself, but that's okay
Can't you see? (Can't you see?)
Can't you understand or realize what's going on?
I don't wanna slow dance (I don't want to slow dance)
I don't want to take it slow, I want to move forward
In the dark
Hidden away from the world, keeping things private
When you gotta run
When you have to leave quickly
Just hear my voice in you (my voice in you)
Just remember what I said to you and carry it with you
Shutting me out of you (shutting me out of you)
Pushing me away and closing yourself off
Doing so great (so great, so great)
Acting like everything is going well, ignoring the problems
You
Referring to the other person
Used to be the one (used to be the one)
I used to be the one who was always there for you
To hold you when you fall
To be there for you when you're struggling and need support
I don't fuck with your tone (I don't fuck with your tone)
I don't like the way you're speaking to me
I don't wanna go home (I don't wanna go home)
I don't want to leave, I want to keep spending time with you
Can it be one night?
Can we just have one more night together?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: George Kusunoki Miller, Jonathan Patrick Wimberly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@petropus143
I don't want a friend (Just me)
I want my life in two (My life in two)
(Please one more night)
Waiting to get there
Waiting for you (Waiting for you)
(Just one more night)
(I done fight it all night)
When I'm around slow dancing in the dark
Don't follow me, you'll end up in my arms
You done made up your mind
I don't need no more signs
Can you?
Can you?
Give me reasons we should be complete
You should be with him, I can't compete
You looked at me like I was someone else, oh well
Can't you see?
I don't wanna slow dance
In the dark, dark
When you gotta run
Just hear my voice in you (My voice in you)
Shutting me out of you (shutting me out of you)
Doing so great (So great, so great)
You
Used to be the one to hold you when you fall
Yeah, yeah, yeah (When you fall, when you fall)
I don't fuck with your tone (I don't fuck with your tone)
I don't wanna go home (I don't wanna go home)
Can it be one night?
Can you?
Can you?
Give me reasons we should be complete
You should be with him, I can't compete
You looked at me like I was someone else, oh well
Can't you see?
I don't wanna slow dance (I don't wanna slow dance)
In the dark, dark
In the dark, dark
@theussrsatomicbomb
When he was Filthy Frank, he made me cry laughing.
Now that he's Joji he just makes me cry.
@badentertainment5062
Same
@ahnrho
Damn.
@Username-mm8fk
The same things that makes us laugh, makes us cry
@babymochi9228
The USSR's Atomic Bomb ONG
@hangxuan6648
Pewdiepie Shopping smoke ?
@Baseds__Backup_Account_3
This man deserves so many awards for transforming so much pain into art.
@MoeSaad194
what pain ? can u give more context about what happened to him ?
@RealNick04
@@MoeSaad194 joji was born with a condition that gives him seizures when under stress and his voice was hurting him a lot when he was making youtube videos as filthy frank
@PilarZamoraSaucedo
brogiago