In 2007, Knowles began to record music again. Her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008) deviated from the pop-oriented music of her debut to Motown-inspired sounds from the 60's and 70's. It peaked at number nine on the US Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from critics. She followed this up with the 1980s pop and R&B-inspired EP True (2012) on Terrible Records and her imprint Saint Records. Her third studio album, A Seat at the Table (2016) was released to widespread critical acclaim and became her first number-one album in the United States. The album's lead single, "Cranes in the Sky" won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Her fourth studio album, When I Get Home, was released in March 2019 to further critical acclaim.
Knowles was heavily influenced by Motown girl groups and says that her first passion is songwriting. Frequently compared by the media to her sister Beyoncé, Knowles has claimed that they have different aspirations and are musically different. She has been ranked by Billboard as the 100th most successful dance artist of all-time, and in 2017 was honored with the "Impact Award" at Billboard Women in Music. Her other ventures include an endorsement deal with Rimmel London and a line of hip-hop-oriented merchandise for young children.
Dancing in the Dark
Solange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Water my roses with sweet liquor
Be a stranger to fears
But see I only wanted to be, be your girl
To love you in the ways you never know
But you can't love me, No you can't love
If you don't even love yourself
But I got more enough in reasons
To see this ain't our season
I should be leavin'
Oh these leaves dancing in the dark
But you got my heart (heart)
And I don't want us to part baby
You're sweeter than spring
Nobody's ever been more
I know you'd give me the shirt off of your shoulders
You'd give me the world Ooh
But see I only wanted to be your woman
To give you all the things I know I can
But you can't know me, no you can't know me
If you don't even know yourself
Oh I still wanna be there
But I got more enough in reasons
To see this ain't our season
I should be leavin'
Oh these leaves dancing in the dark
But somehow you got my heart
And these leave I want 'em to fall
And these leaves I can't shake 'em off
With these leaves I can't leave at all at all
And I should be dancing, baby dancing (oh)
And I should be dancing, baby dancing
Yeah I should be grooving, baby grooving
Yeah I should be moving on my own
But you got my heart
And I don't want us to part baby No
We keep on blooming
You plant a smile everyday
Oh, but I could be swimming in the dead end
'Cause I know you're ways (oh)
But see I only wanted to be, be your girl
To show you all the things you've never known
But you can't love me
No you can't love me
If you don't even love yourself
Oh I still wanna be there
But I got more enough in reasons
To see this ain't our season
I should be leavin'
These leaves dancing in the dark
But somehow you got my heart, oh baby
Oh darling, come on baby
And I should be dancing, baby dancing (I should be dancing baby, oh)
And I should be dancing, baby dancing
Yeah I should be grooving, baby grooving
Yeah I should be moving on my own
At the surface level, Dancing in the Dark seems to be a song about loving someone who doesn't love themselves. The singer is torn between her desire to be with this person and her realization that it's not healthy for her to stay in the relationship. She uses the metaphor of leaves dancing in the dark to represent their relationship - beautiful, but ultimately fleeting and unsustainable. Throughout the song, she also expresses her own willingness to love and give to this person, but is held back by their self-destructive tendencies.
Going deeper, Dancing in the Dark can also be interpreted as a commentary on society's expectations of women in relationships. The singer is constantly trying to fulfill the role of the "girlfriend" - giving and nurturing, without receiving the same level of emotional investment in return. She recognizes the toxicity of this dynamic, but is torn between her love for this person and her societal conditioning to always prioritize his needs over her own.
Overall, Dancing in the Dark is a complex and layered exploration of the struggles and contradictions inherent in loving someone who doesn't love themselves, while also critiquing the broader societal expectations and gender roles that limit women's agency in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel walking diving in tears
I am overwhelmed with emotion
Water my roses with sweet liquor
I want to nurture my growth, despite the harmful effects of indulgence
Be a stranger to fears
I want to live freely and without fear
But see I only wanted to be, be your girl
I had hoped to have a romantic relationship with you
To love you in the ways you never know
To show you love in ways you have never experienced
But you can't love me, No you can't love
You cannot love me while you do not love yourself
If you don't even love yourself
Self-love is necessary for love of others
Oh I still wanna be there
Despite our incompatibility, I am still drawn to you
But I got more enough in reasons
I have plenty of reasons to leave this relationship
To see this ain't our season
It is not the right time for us to be together
I should be leavin'
I need to end this relationship
Oh these leaves dancing in the dark
This imagery represents the beauty and melancholy of a relationship that is coming to an end
But you got my heart (heart)
Despite everything, you still have my heart
And I don't want us to part baby
I am afraid of losing what we have, even though it is not healthy
You're sweeter than spring
I appreciate your kindness and sweetness
Nobody's ever been more
You are wonderful in a unique way
I know you'd give me the shirt off of your shoulders
You would give me anything I wanted, but that is not enough to make me stay
You'd give me the world Ooh
You are willing to do anything to make me happy
But see I only wanted to be your woman
I wanted to have a committed relationship with you
To give you all the things I know I can
I know I have a lot to offer in a relationship
But you can't know me, no you can't know me
You cannot truly know me if you do not know yourself
If you don't even know yourself
Lack of self-awareness prevents true connection with others
But somehow you got my heart
My feelings for you have not gone away, despite my better judgement
And these leaves I want 'em to fall
I want this relationship to come to an end
And these leaves I can't shake 'em off
I am having trouble letting go of this relationship
With these leaves I can't leave at all at all
I am trapped in this relationship, unable to end it
And I should be dancing, baby dancing (oh)
I should be moving on with my life, instead of staying in an unhealthy relationship
Yeah I should be grooving, baby grooving
I need to move on with my life and find happiness elsewhere
Yeah I should be moving on my own
I need to live my life independently, without relying on someone else for my happiness
We keep on blooming
Despite our issues, we still have moments of happiness and growth
You plant a smile everyday
You bring joy and positivity to my life
Oh, but I could be swimming in the dead end
This relationship may be preventing me from achieving my goals and dreams
'Cause I know you're ways (oh)
I am aware of your issues and the negative impact they have on our relationship
And I should be dancing, baby dancing (I should be dancing baby, oh)
I need to get out of this relationship and start living my own life
And I should be dancing, baby dancing
I deserve to be happy and free, unburdened by a toxic relationship
Lyrics © SMV Schacht Musikverlage GmbH & Co. KG, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chris Thomas, Heinz Kiessling, Marcello Grasso, Solange Knowles, Steve Sanz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind