Careless Whisper
The Starlite Orchestra & Singers Lyrics


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I feel so unsure,
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor.
As the music dies...
Something in your eyes,
Calls to mind a silver screen,
And all those sad goodbyes.
Chorus
Im never gonna dance again,
Guilty feet have got no rhythm.
Though its easy to pretend,
I know youre not a fool.
I should have no better than to cheat a friend,
And waste the chance that Id been given.
So Im never gonna dance again,
The way I danced with you.
Chorus
Time can never mend,
The careless whispers of a good friend.
To the heart and mind,
If your answers kind...
Theres no comfort in the truth,
Pain is all youll find.
Repeat chorus
What am I without your love?
Tonite the music seems so loud,
I wish that we could lose the crowd.
Maybe its better this way,
Wed hurt each other with the things we want to say.
We could have been so good together,
We could have made this last forever...
But now, whos gonna dance with me?
Please stay.
(Alternatively):
And now its never gonna be
That way...
Repeat chorus
Now that youre gone...
Now that youre gone...
Now that youre gone...




Was what I did so wrong?
So wrong that you had to leave me alone?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in the song "Careless Whisper" by The Starlite Orchestra & Singers describe a man reflecting on the repercussions of cheating on a friend he once danced with, as he watches her dance with someone else. The lyrics convey his regret and pain as he realizes that he was foolish to betray his friend and the trust she had placed in him. The song starts with the man feeling unsure as he takes his former dancing partner's hand and leads her to the dance floor. But as the music fades away, he notices something in her eyes that reminds him of the good times they shared and the sad goodbyes that followed.


The chorus of the song depicts the pain he feels after betraying his friend. He knows that he can no longer dance with her and that his guilty feet have got no rhythm. The man acknowledges that his actions were foolish, and he realizes that he should have known better than to cheat a friend and waste the chance he had been given. The second verse continues to emphasize his regrets and the pain caused by losing a friend due to his careless actions. The man realizes that time can never mend the careless whispers of his once good friend, and the pain associated with his actions is something that he might never be able to reconcile with.


Line by Line Meaning

I feel so unsure,
I'm feeling uncertain and anxious


As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor.
Despite my doubts, I'm escorting you to dance.


As the music dies...
As the music fades away to an end.


Something in your eyes,
What I see in your eyes is striking and memorable.


Calls to mind a silver screen,
It reminds me of a movie scene.


And all those sad goodbyes.
Your expression brings to mind farewell moments that are filled with grief.


Chorus
Refrain


I'm never gonna dance again,
I won't be dancing again.


Guilty feet have got no rhythm.
It's hard to dance when you feel remorse.


Though it's easy to pretend,
I may act like everything is fine.


I know you're not a fool.
However, you're smart enough to figure me out.


I should have no better than to cheat a friend,
It was wrong of me to deceive you, my friend.


And waste the chance that I'd been given.
I regret squandering the opportunity that was given to me.


So I'm never gonna dance again,
I'm resigned to never dancing again.


The way I danced with you.
I don't want to dance the way we did in the past.


Chorus
Refrain


Time can never mend,
Time cannot repair the damage that has been done.


The careless whispers of a good friend.
The loose talk from a close friend.


To the heart and mind,
It affects both a person's emotions and intellect.


If your answer's kind...
If you respond sympathetically...


There's no comfort in the truth,
The truth can be painful and offer no solace.


Pain is all you'll find.
It'll only lead to hurt.


Repeat chorus
Refrain


What am I without your love?
Who am I if I don't have your affection?


Tonight the music seems so loud,
The music is uncomfortably loud tonight.


I wish that we could lose the crowd.
I hope we can escape from the crowd.


Maybe it's better this way,
Perhaps this is for the best.


We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say.
Our words may cause harm to each other.


We could have been so good together,
We had the potential to be great together.


We could have made this last forever...
Our relationship could have been ever-lasting.


But now, who's gonna dance with me?
I don't have someone to dance with anymore.


Please stay.
Please don't leave me.


(Alternatively):
(Or)


And now it's never gonna be that way...
Things have changed, and it'll never be like how it was before.


Repeat chorus
Refrain


Now that you're gone...
Now that you've left...


Now that you're gone...
Now that you're no longer here...


Now that you're gone...
Now that you've departed...


Was what I did so wrong?
Was my mistake unforgivable?


So wrong that you had to leave me alone?
Was it too much that you chose to abandon me?




Writer(s): George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley

Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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