Last Dance
Neil Young And The Stray Gators Lyrics


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Wake up, it's a Monday morning
No time left to say goodbye
Can't breathe and the lights are changing
You can live your own life
Making it happen
Working on your own time
Laid back and laughin'
Oh, no, oh, no

Headlights, make it home by sundown
Feeling that the day is through
Return back to where you come from
You can live your own life
Making it happen
Working on your own time
Laid back and laughin'
Oh, no, oh, no

You wake up in the mornin'
And the sun's comin' up
Its been up for hours and hours and hours
And hours and hours and hours
It's been up for hours and hours and hours
And you light up the stove
And the coffee cup, it's hot
And the orange juice is cold, cold, cold
Monday morning
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
It's time to go
Time to go to work

You can live your own life
Making it happen
Working on your own time
Laid back and laughin'
Oh, no, oh, no

No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no
No, no, no




No, no, no
No, no, no

Overall Meaning

The song "Last Dance" by Neil Young opens with the singer waking up to a Monday morning, indicating a new beginning to the week. There isn't much time to say goodbye, suggesting that the singer may be leaving an emotional situation behind to start afresh. The lyrics "can't breathe and lights are changing" give a feeling of stress, tension, and being rushed. But the next line, "you can live your own life," indicates that the singer has taken control and is making things happen. He could be working on his own terms and own time, but still, he is laid-back and laughing, indicating a sense of contentment.


The second verse brings in the image of headlights and sundown, which usually denotes the end of the day. The singer feels that the day is over and is ready to return back from where he began. The singer wants to live life on his own terms, make things happen, work with his timing, and still be laid-back and jovial. The use of "No, no, no" towards the end gives a sense of defiance against something. It could represent the singer's unwillingness to give up his newfound control over his life or resist the pressure to conform to societal norms.


Line by Line Meaning

Wake up, it's a Monday morning
It's the start of the workweek and time to begin again.


No time left to say goodbye
You have to hurry along quickly and leave behind the weekend.


Can't breathe and the lights are changing
The stress of work is already starting to build for the day, and time is not on your side.


You can live your own life
Despite the struggles of the day, you can still find meaning and happiness in the things that make you content and independent.


Making it happen
With determination and effort, you can accomplish your goals and create your own destiny.


Working on your own time
You have the power to manage your own workload and time, giving you the liberty to create a life that suits you.


Laid back and laughin'
Through all the difficulties, you can still maintain a relaxed attitude and find joy in the simple things.


Headlights, make it home by sundown
After a long day at work, all you want to do is make it home before the sun goes down.


Feeling that the day is through
Even though the day is over, the feeling of its impact remains with you.


Return back to where you come from
Returning back to where you live and recharge, where you feel most like yourself.


You wake up in the mornin'
The cycle of life continues and you start again the next day.


And the sun's comin' up
The world is always moving forward, and you have to keep up.


Its been up for hours and hours and hours
The sun has already been up for a long time before you even wake up, and time waits for no one.


And you light up the stove
Starting your day with a routine, simple task that brings you comfort and sustenance.


And the coffee cup, it's hot
The little things in life can be the most satisfying, like a warm cup of coffee in the morning.


And the orange juice is cold, cold, cold
The contrast of hot and cold in your morning routine brings balance to your day.


Monday morning
The start of the workweek and all the challenges that come with it.


No, no, no
A repetition of the feeling of resistance and reluctance towards the demands of the day.


No, no, no, no, no
The weight of the day seems overwhelming and indomitable.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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