One last dance

One Last Dance

the last dance!

Lyrics

the minute you walked through the door
i knew it was over
the way you swept across the floor
i knew we were doomed
you never took my hand that way before
you kissed my hand like a stranger

when you drew away i was sure
it was clearly the ending
with maybe a tear in your eye
that's only friendly
you never looked at me that way before
you looked at me like a danger

pull me close and we'll dance
a final bit of fine romance
one last chance for ovations
spin me away i won't resist
we both already know it
just take your bow and drop the curtains

the first time you caught my eye
i knew it was hopeless
still i wanted to try
to hold what no one could possess

no one had danced with me that way before
my heart flew away like a stranger
i'd never seen a light like yours before
it blinded me to the danger
i'll never know what you were looking for
the best kept secrets of strangers
i'll never know what you are leaving for
now one last dance

pull me close and we'll dance (no one had danced with me that way before)
a final bit of fine romance (my heart flew away like a stranger)
one last chance for ovations
spin me away i won't resist (i'd never seen a light like yours before)
we both already know it (it blinded me to the danger)
just take your bow and drop the curtains

pull me close and we'll dance (i'll never know what you were looking for)
a final bit of fine romance (the best kept secrets of strangers)
one last chance for ovations 
spin me away i won't resist (i'll never know what you are leaving for)
we both already know it (now one last dance)
just take your bow and drop the curtains

Music

structure

a-b-a-b-c-a-b-b-b-b-c-c

chords

verse: Em Bm
prechorus: G A Bm G, G A Bm
chorus: D A Bm G, D A Bm

Author's Notes

this song is pretty deliberately bombastic. the first part of the verse melody is ripped off from the first line of "hey big spender" from sweet charity. i wrote this at about 4 this morning and re-recorded it this evening. still might be working on refining the lyrics to the appropriate balance of cheesy and poignant. also may still work on the drums. and vocals. jesus. on the whole though i had a lot of fun making this.:)
Sara 00:49, 26 February 2007 (PST)

Comments

Holy cow. SJ, I don't even know where to start telling you how awesome this is. I'll just start an unordered list:

• The best thing about this, in my opinion, is how different it is from anything you've done before, with the possible exception of "When He Goes". There's a real vintage flavor to it courtesy of that melodic quotation, and I'm nothing if not a sucker for the showtuney tradition of 70s pop. Lord.
• That said, however cribbed from "Hey Big Spender", it might be, that opening is super hot.
• The straight 4/4 beat on the pre-chorus after the moody 6/8 of the first verse.
• The double-time refrain. Jesus! The organ makes my life.
• The melody of the whole refrain, particularly, "A final bit of fine romance"
• The ratchet rattle is mind-blowing.
• KEEPING THE DOUBLE-TIME GOING THROUGH THE REST OF THE SONG. OH MY GOD.
• The beat on the second verse is extremely rad.
• The extended second prechorus! You realize that this is hot enough to be the refrain itself. You're really making me beg for it--and then I don't even get the refrain, I get an
• ORGAN SOLO!!! AAAA! Somehow very... Pewep In The Formats!
• Really cool backing vocals on the last refrain.
• Awesome organ glisses at the end.
• The drums/percussion on this whole song are truly excellent. Best you've ever done, I think.
• I don't know if it's the awesomeness of the music, but I'm really buying the lyrics to this, too. More on them later.

Wow. This might be my favorite thing you've ever done. It's just so dynamic. That whole "first half half-time thing" is stellar.

many months later

i just listened to this again for the first time in a long time, and it's totally amazing still. nice work. is FFR playing this one? you have to! Gabemcelwain 11:54, 7 November 2007 (PST)