Careless Whisper
Julio Iglesias 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 goodbyes

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

Should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
No, I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth, pain is all you'll find

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

Should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
No, I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Living without your love

Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we'd want to say

We could have been so good together
We could have lived 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 not a fool

Should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
No, I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

What did I do so wrong?
So wrong, so wrong




Without you [Incomprehensible]
So wrong

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Julio Iglesias’s “Careless Whisper” detail the singer’s regret over cheating a friend and the painful consequences that have come from it. The song opens with the singer acknowledging their uncertainty as they take their partner's hand and lead them to the dance floor. The moment is filled with bittersweet nostalgia as “something in [their] eyes calls to mind a silver screen / and all its sad good-byes". The singer then regrets their actions, acknowledging that they “should’ve known better than to cheat a friend / and waste the chance that [they’d] been given."


Despite these regrets, the singer knows that the damage has been done and the relationship can never be the same. The song suggests that the ignorance of the friend is the only comfort they can find, as the truth is painful. The chorus emphasizes the singer's guilt, as they declare “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." They desperately wish they could go back in time and change things, but the situation is now irreversible, and they're left only with regret and pain.


In the final moments of the song, the singer recognizes that the relationship has ended and that things can never return to the way they were before. The sadness and vulnerability of the moment are palpable as the singer recognizes that they ‘could have been so good together / we could have lived this dance forever / but now, who's gonna dance with me? Please stay.’ The song’s emotional power lies in its ability to capture the sense of loss and regret that often comes with realizing that a relationship is irretrievably broken.


Line by Line Meaning

I feel so unsure
I'm not confident in my actions


As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
I am leading you in this interaction


As the music dies, something in your eyes
As things come to a close, your expressions reveal your true feelings


Calls to mind a silver screen
It reminds me of movies


And all its sad good-byes
Endings which are miserable


I'm never gonna dance again
I will never do this again


Guilty feet have got no rhythm
My feet are guilty of leading me down the wrong path


Though it's easy to pretend
Even though I could lie about it


I know you're not a fool
You are aware of what's happening


I should've known better than to cheat a friend
I should have been more honest with you instead of deceiving you


And waste the chance that I'd been given
I missed an opportunity


So I'm never gonna dance again
I won't do this again


The way I danced with you, oh
The way we interacted with each other


Time can never mend
Time won't heal the damage that has been done


The careless whispers of a good friend
The reckless sharing of thoughts with someone I considered my friend


To the heart and mind
It affected me emotionally and intellectually


Ignorance is kind
Not knowing the truth wouldn't hurt as much


There's no comfort in the truth
The truth won't bring any solace


Pain is all you'll find
Only agony is left


Tonight the music seems so loud
At this very moment, the music is overwhelmingly noisy


I wish that we could lose this crowd
I want to be alone with you


Maybe it's better this way
Perhaps it's for the best


We'd hurt each other with the things we'd want to say
We'd argue harshly if we opened up


We could have been so good together
If things had gone better, we could have had a successful relationship


We could have lived this dance forever
We could have kept our connection strong


But now, who's gonna dance with me?
I am left alone now


Please stay
I'm begging you to remain by my side


now that you're gone
Ever since you departed


(Now that you're gone) was what I did so wrong, so wrong
I realize now how much I messed up


That you had to leave me alone?
Was my behavior the main cause of why you left?




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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