Dance with Me
Old 97s Lyrics

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Underneath the foreign stars
In a foreign place where they don't love you
I do care,
In the pale moonlight
Your eyes are wide
And the band plays...
Everybody wants you

And he takes your hand tenderly
And he whispers
Sweet surrender, nothing
How he feels about girls like you
Your flip flop smiles,
And your big blue eyes
On vacation

[Chorus]
Dance with me into the ocean
Roll with me into the sea
Don't tell me the world is in trouble

Do you want to dance with me?

Go, changes hands as the big waves
Crash and dream don't die
But I do
Where were you when I needed you
Right now
The telephone just rings,
I'm gonna find you...

[Chorus]

Do you want to dance with me, oh
Do you want to dance with me?

Underneath the foreign sun
With a foreign man who is gone and almost forgotten
Take everything you see
And remember us and wonder,
If you will be forgiven...

[Chorus]

Don't tell me the world is in trouble

[Chorus]

Do you want to dance with me

Do you want to dance with me, oh
Do you want to dance with me?

Overall Meaning

In "Dance With Me," Old 97s sings about a longing for someone who may be out of reach. The lyrics suggest someone who is in a foreign place, possibly on vacation, with someone else. However, despite the circumstances, the singer cares for and desires this person. The vivid description of the scene adds to the romantic and wistful tone of the song. The music plays, and it seems like everybody wants the person, but the singer wants nothing more than to dance with them. The singer is somewhat powerless as the story goes, and their attempts to find the person are unsuccessful. The chorus repeats, asking if they want to dance with them.

The lyrics also reflect a sense of loss and missed opportunities. The second verse mentions changes in hands and big waves crashing, giving the impression of instability and uncertainty. The singer feels forgotten and abandoned, wondering where the person was when they needed them. The ending suggests that the person might never return and that the only thing left is to remember them and hope for forgiveness. The song combines a sense of longing with the reality of missed chances and the fear of losing what one desires.

Line by Line Meaning

Underneath the foreign stars
In an unfamiliar place, below the foreign stars

In a foreign place where they don't love you
In an alien land where nobody admires you

I do care,
I am concerned

In the pale moonlight
In the dim and faint moonlit

Your eyes are wide
Your eyes are opened wide

And the band plays...
While the band is playing music

Everybody wants you
Everyone craves to have you

And he takes your hand tenderly
And he grasps your hand affectionately

And he whispers
And he mumbles in a low voice

Sweet surrender, nothing
Sweet abdication, void of meaning

How he feels about girls like you
How he perceives girls like you

Your flip flop smiles,
Your unreliable grins

And your big blue eyes
And your large blue-colored eyes

On vacation
While on a holiday

[Chorus] Dance with me into the ocean Roll with me into the sea Don't tell me the world is in trouble Do you want to dance with me?
Let's dance together and drown in the ocean. Forget about the world's problems. Would you like to dance with me?

Go, changes hands as the big waves
Go, the power shifts as the enormous waves

Crash and dream don't die
Crush and fantasy don't perish

But I do
But I do (die)

Where were you when I needed you
Where were you when I demanded you

Right now
At the current moment

The telephone just rings,
The telephone constantly sounds,

I'm gonna find you...
I will search for you...

[Chorus]
Same as above

Do you want to dance with me, oh
Would you like to dance with me, oh

Underneath the foreign sun
Below the unfamiliar sun

With a foreign man who is gone and almost forgotten
With a strange fellow who has vanished and almost disregarded

Take everything you see
Observe everything you perceive

And remember us and wonder,
And recall us and question,

If you will be forgiven...
If you will be pardoned...

[Chorus]
Same as above

Don't tell me the world is in trouble
Don't inform me that the world is struggling

[Chorus]
Same as above

Do you want to dance with me
Do you wish to dance with me

Do you want to dance with me, oh
Would you like to dance with me, oh

Do you want to dance with me?
Do you want to dance with me?

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: KENDALL DEWAYNE BETHEA, MURRAY HAMMOND, PHILIP WAYNE PEEPLES, STEWART RANSOM MILLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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