The dance
The Sounds Of Garth Brooks Lyrics
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The dance we shared 'neath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I a king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance
"The Dance" is a song written by Tony Arata and recorded by Garth Brooks. The song is about a man reflecting on a past relationship that ended, and how he's come to the realization that the heartbreak was worth experiencing because it was a part of the experience of love. The man is grateful for the moments he had with his ex-partner, even if it ended in hurt. The nostalgia present in the song is conveyed by the opening line of the chorus, "And now I'm glad I didn't know / The way it all would end, the way it all would go."
Throughout the song, the singer looks back on the shared moment, a dance they shared under the stars, where everything seemed perfect. The line "For a moment all the world was right" highlights an important aspect of the song, that sometimes the little moments in life feel like the best ones, even if they don't last forever. The song's message is that it's better to have love and lost than to have never loved at all. The metaphorical use of "The Dance" indicates that the way we choose to go through life is like a dance, with many unexpected twists and turns, but we should embrace it because that's how we learn to navigate our own unique paths.
The song was released in 1990 and became a commercial hit, reaching the number one spot on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. It was named the Song of the Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Despite being released over 30 years ago, the song remains popular today and has been covered by numerous artists, including The Voice contestant Matt McAndrew and Ed Sheeran.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking back on the memory of
Reflecting on a past experience
The dance we shared 'neath the stars above
The romantic moment they shared under the stars
For a moment all the world was right
In that moment everything felt perfect
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye
Unaware of the impending goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
Grateful for the unknowing
The way it all would end the way it all would go
The eventual outcome of their romance
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
Allowing life to happen can lead to both good and bad experiences
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Without taking chances, he would have never had the beautiful moment of the dance
Holding you I held everything
The immense love he felt for his partner
For a moment wasn't I a king
Feeling powerful and in control of his life
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
If he had known how it would end, he wouldn't have felt like a king
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
Wondering if he could have changed the outcome if he had known
Yes my life is better left to chance
Embracing the uncertainty of life
I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance
Without taking risks, he would have never experienced the beautiful moments in life
Contributed by London L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@anthonybrandmeyer401
My wife and I danced to this song on our wedding day. the day the Lord took her beautiful smile and her beautiful face from me I heard this song on the radio on my way to the funeral home. I pulled the car over on the shoulder of the road and just cried. While sitting there remembering all our great memories together a cop pulls up behind me and says are you ok. I was like I'm heading to the funeral home to bury my wife and our wedding song came on so I took a moment to pull over and savior and to shed some tears. The officer was 💯 percent understanding And he got teary eyed also. He was doing his job . And I invited him to the funeral. Sure enough he showed up. I just want to thank officer Henderson for checking on me. While I was parked there.
@lynnlakotich6331
Awwwwww that's so sweet and touching 😢 I lost my sweet Dakota baby (brother) unexpectedly two months ago.
Holding you (him) I held everything thing ❤
@marynichols-bergin6401
Wow! Beautiful story.
@JamesBrown-td5he
I know the feeling brother. Pure hopeless. My wife was 33. No reason to live anymore.
@JamesBrown-td5he
If you ever want to reach out let me know. I cry every day man. And I was a strong guy. I cried maybe 3 times in the last decade.
@JamesBrown-td5he
Yes I was a king. Only because I had her.
@haroldbrown5308
This is just beautiful- Now, at 75, I was king; my wife and friends are gone. I just happy to have this music . Thank you.
@robhowlett2817
aw man im so sorry for your loss. life is so beautiful but so harsh. stay strong. my parents are in there 70s . were all gonna go through what you're feeling
@mandimansion4806
I'm so sorry, but you are so lucky and privileged to have so much love and such a long life. My soulmate died 6 years ago at 26 yrs old, and my best friend at 20. If you need a friend my Facebook is Amanda McVay, the photo is a sketch of me and my baby.
@trenchant2
Hey Harold my brother. See you in the end.