Dance Away
Roxy Music (Bryan Ferry) Lyrics

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Yesterday, well it seemed so cool
When I walked you home, kissed goodnight
I said "it's love" you said "all right"
It's funny how I could never cry
Until tonight and you pass by
Hand in hand with another guy
You're dressed to kill and guess who's dying?
Dance away the heartache

Dance away the tears
Dance away

Loneliness is a crowded room
Full of open hearts turned to stone
All together all alone
All at once my whole world had changed
Now I'm in the dark, off the wall
Let the strobe light up them all
I close my eyes and dance till dawn
Dance away

Now I know I must walk the line
Until I find an open door
There was I, many times a fool
I hope and pray, but not too much
Out of reach is out of touch

All the way is far enough
Dance away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Roxy Music's song "Dance Away" describe the painful feelings associated with unrequited love. The singer reflects on a previous encounter with the person he loves, where he believed everything was going well, but is now left feeling heartbroken after seeing them with someone else. He observes as they walk past him hand in hand with another guy, dressed to kill, as the singer is dying on the inside. The chorus "Dance away the heartache, dance away the tears" suggests that the singer must move on from this heartache by dancing and letting go of his emotions.

The second verse further speaks to the singer's sense of loneliness and isolation, despite being surrounded by people. The metaphor "loneliness is a crowded room, full of open hearts turned to stone" highlights the idea that even in a room full of people, we can still feel alone if we're not connected to others emotionally. The singer explains that since he is now in the dark, off the wall, he'll let the strobe light up them all as he closes his eyes and dances until dawn.

Overall, the song is about dealing with heartbreak and finding a way to move on. The singer knows that he must walk the line until he finds an open door, and while he has been a fool before, he knows that he must not get too invested in people who are out of reach. Instead, he must dance away the pain and tears.

Line by Line Meaning

Yesterday, well it seemed so cool
The past seemed great

When I walked you home, kissed goodnight
We ended our date affectionately

I said "it's love" you said "all right"
I confessed my love and you agreed to continue dating

It's funny how I could never cry
I never thought I'd get emotional like this

Until tonight and you pass by
But seeing you tonight changed everything

Hand in hand with another guy
You were with someone else

You're dressed to kill and guess who's dying?
You looked amazing and it hurts me

Dance away the heartache
I need to dance to forget my pain

Dance away the tears
I need to dance to stop crying

Dance away
I need to dance to feel free

Loneliness is a crowded room
Even surrounded by people, I feel alone