Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed The Velv… Read Full Bio ↴Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books. He co-wrote the classic holiday song "The Christmas Song" (also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") with Bob Wells.

Ballerina
Mel Torme Lyrics

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Dance, ballerina, dance
And do your pirouette in rhythm with your achin' heart
Dance, ballerina, dance
You mustn't once forget a dancer has to dance the part

Whirl, ballerina, whirl
And just ignore the chair that's empty in the second row
This is your moment, girl

Although he's not out there applauding as you steal the show

Once you said his love must wait its turn
You wanted fame instead
I guess that's your concern
We live and learn

And love is gone, ballerina, gone
So on with your career, you can't afford a backward glance
Dance on and on and on
A thousand people here have come to see the show
As 'round and 'round you go
So ballerina, dance
Dance, dance!

Whirl ballerina

Once you said his love must wait its turn
You wanted fame instead
I guess that's your concern
We live and learn

And love is gone, ballerina, gone
So on with your career, you can't afford a backward glance
Dance on and on and on
A thousand people here have come to see the show
As 'round and 'round you go
So ballerina, dance

Dance

Overall Meaning

, ballerina, dance by Mel Torme is a song that speaks to the heart of every artist. The song is about a ballerina who is performing on stage, but her lover is not there in the audience. The ballerina is dancing despite the pain and heartache within her. The first two stanzas of the song give the ballerina an instruction to dance and dance well, to not forget that she must play her part to perfection. The ballerina is asked to ignore the empty chair in the second row, which symbolizes her lost love. She must dance as if the man who once was a part of her life is not worth her attention.

The song speaks to the struggle between love and art, how sometimes we have to choose between the two. The ballerina in the song chose fame over her love and now has to pay the price of loneliness. She must move on and continue to dance on stage, despite her pain, because the show must go on. It is a reminder to artists that the show must be performed regardless of how we feel inside. The song ends with a powerful message - "So ballerina, dance," reminding her of her identity as a performer and urging her to continue to pursue her passion for dancing.

Line by Line Meaning

Dance, ballerina, dance
Encouragement to the ballerina to do what she does best - dance

And do your pirouette in rhythm with your achin' heart
To express the emotions through the movement and rhythm of dance, despite personal pain

You mustn't once forget a dancer has to dance the part
A reminder that, as a performer, the show must go on and the dancer must fulfill their role

Whirl, ballerina, whirl
A call for the ballerina to spin and take control of the stage

And just ignore the chair that's empty in the second row
Advice to the ballerina to not let the absence of a loved one affect her performance

This is your moment, girl
A reminder to the ballerina that she should take advantage of the limelight and perform her very best

Although he's not out there applauding as you steal the show
Acknowledgment that the ballerina's lover is not present to cheer her on as she performs her best

Once you said his love must wait its turn
Reflection on the ballerina's past wishes to put her career over love

You wanted fame instead
Further expounding on the ballerina's past desires for recognition and notoriety

I guess that's your concern
Tone of acceptance that her past decision was her own, but not without its consequences

We live and learn
A resigned perspective on life; everything is a life lesson and we must learn from mistakes

And love is gone, ballerina, gone
Acknowledgment that the ballerina has lost her lover to her career ambitions

So on with your career, you can't afford a backward glance
Advice to move forward and not dwell on the past since there is a show to perform

Dance on and on and on
A repetitive call to keep dancing and performing to the best of her abilities

A thousand people here have come to see the show
Reminding the ballerina that she is not alone, and that her performance is for a greater audience

As 'round and 'round you go
Descriptive language to paint a picture of the spinning ballerina on stage

So ballerina, dance Dance, dance!
An uplifting call to keep dancing and perform the best show ever

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Carl Sigman, Bob Russell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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