Before coming together to form the duo, Fredriksson and Gessle were already established artists in Sweden, with Fredriksson releasing a number of solo albums and Gessle being the lead singer and songwriter of Gyllene Tider, which had three No. 1 albums. On the advice of the managing director of their record label, they came together to record "Neverending Love", which became a hit single in Sweden.
After the release of Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!, a greatest hits record, the duo took a hiatus before returning with the albums Have a Nice Day (1999) and Room Service (2001). They continued to chart in other territories, mainly in Europe and Latin America, where they earned various Gold and Platinum awards until the beginning of the new millennium. In 2002, the duo took a break from recording and touring when Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Gessle went on to release solo albums and reunited with Gyllene Tider before Roxette took to the stage together again for the first time in 8 years, in 2009, during Gessle's European Party Crasher tour. In 2011, they released Charm School, their first studio album in ten years, which was followed by Travelling in 2012. Their latest studio album, Good Karma, was released in 2016.
Their songs "It Must Have Been Love" and "Listen to Your Heart" continue to receive wide radio airplay, with both singles recently receiving awards from BMI for achieving five million radio plays. They have sold an estimated 75 million records worldwide, with over 10 million in certified units from Germany, the US and the UK, achieving gold and platinum certifications for Joyride and Look Sharp! in all three regions.
On 18 April 2016, an official statement was released, cancelling the last leg of the RoXXXette 30th Anniversary Tour due to concerns about Marie Fredriksson's health. As her doctors have advised her to refrain from playing live, she will no longer tour with Roxette. Fredriksson stated: "Sadly, now my touring days are over and I want to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful fans that has followed us on our long and winding journey." Gessle added: "The joyride on the road is over now – but we sure had fun, didn't we?" Roxette has also worked in the studio on their tenth studio album, Good Karma. They have worked with young producers from Sweden like Addeboy vs Cliff "to inject new blood into the Roxette sound". Remixes aside, this is the first time that they have allowed anyone outside of the Roxette canon to produce new music. On 8 April 2016, the lead single off the album, "It Just Happens", was released. The album followed on 3 June 2016.
Per Gessle toured Europe in October and November 2018 as "Per Gessle's Roxette" with a set that lent heavily on the band's back catalogue.
Dance Away
Roxette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every close encounter, every kiss, every caress.
Even the truth has got that bitter taste of a lie.
Well, I can read his lips but I can't read his mind.
I can see him dance away now oh oh -- oh oh oh.
He was one of the kind that seems so hard to find.
There's a change of weather, now he leaves me far behind.
That I don't matter to him came as such a surprise.
And I can see him dance away now...
The lyrics of Roxette's song Dance Away describe a relationship in which the singer is struggling to understand the true feelings of her partner. While she can decipher every word he says and every gesture he makes, she cannot access his innermost desires and emotions. The singer also comes to realize that her partner is not as committed to the relationship as she is, evident in his tendency to "dance away" from her. This metaphorical dance symbolizes the end of their connection, as he abandons her.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of betrayal and disappointment. The singer discovers that her partner is not the man she thought she knew, and that even his apparent truths contain elements of deception. Her disillusionment is expressed through the reference to the bitter taste of a lie. Ultimately, the song captures the confusion and heartbreak that can arise when we are unable to understand the intentions of those we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a hidden meaning in everything he says
He speaks with hidden intentions and I need to decipher what he truly means every time he says something.
Every close encounter, every kiss, every caress
Even physical intimacy with him has a hidden agenda and I need to read between the lines to understand the true meaning behind it.
Even the truth has got that bitter taste of a lie
Even when he speaks the truth, it feels as though he is lying because there is always a hint of deception in his words.
Well, I can read his lips but I can't read his mind
I can understand his words, but I cannot comprehend what's going on in his mind, which makes me feel like I am missing out on something important.
I can see him dance away now oh oh -- oh oh oh
He is leaving me behind and going away, and there's nothing I can do to stop him. I see him moving on with his life, and I am left behind to deal with the aftermath.
He was one of the kind that seems so hard to find
He was a unique and rare person to find, someone who stood out from the crowd in a good way.
There's a change of weather, now he leaves me far behind
Things have changed, and he is no longer with me. He has moved on, and I am left behind, unable to keep up with his pace.
That I don't matter to him came as such a surprise
It was a shock for me to realize that I don't hold any significance in his life anymore. I thought I was important to him, but now I see that I was wrong.
Well, I can read his lips, I thought I read his eyes
I believed that I understood his intentions, even though I couldn't read his mind. However, I was wrong, and I misread his actions and emotions.
And I can see him dance away now...
He has moved on and is dancing away from me, and I am left behind to deal with the sorrow and pain of his departure.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARIE FREDRIKSSON, PER GESSLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind