Dance

So on the way to work this morning, I was listening to Caedmon's Call's album, "Long Line of Leavers", one of the albums I frequently listen to when I was in college, and ultimately one of my influences in writing pop rock songs because of the accessible chord progression, creative turn of words and melodic choruses.

One of my favorite songs in the album is "Dance". So this track comes on and I suddenly I had tears running down my face. The song just got to me in the most emotional way. I loved the words and the song's idea. An elderly just wanting to dance.

"Dance" is sung from a point of view of Mary who lives in an old folks home. She expresses the joy she feels every time she dances and wishes to dance some more with somebody, hopefully dancing her way out of that place. It's just so amazing how Derek Webb, the writer of the song, encapsulated this longing from the lady to 'dance'. I've always thought that the 'dance' in the song should be taken figuratively, but what got to me is how I decided that this lady just wants to dance! And ultimately that's what it's all about. We all just want to dance. What a wonderful thought.

Here's the lyrics of the song:

Dance 

My name is Mary and I'm from Greenville, Mississippi 
But this is where I live, here in this old folks' dormitory 
Every Sunday night Sarah comes to see us 
And she plays that old upright 
But Sarah always seems to leave us

When she plays something comes over me
Goes from my head all the way to my feet

And I wanna dance 
I wanna snap my fingers all night long and dance 
I wanna move around the room just like a woman in a trance 
All night, I wanna dance 
I wanna wrap my arms around your neck and dance 
I wanna listen to the music that's been ringing in my ears 
And one day I’m gonna dance my way right outta here

I had three girls and a boy but now one's gone up to Heaven 
She's with her papa now 'cause he left for lack of penicillin 
The older that I get I figure everyone is dying 
They're all dying for a change 
But I know I'm dying for some action

But days like these Sunday seems so far away 
So until then I'm gonna sit right here and here I’ll stay

I wanna dance 
I wanna snap my fingers all night long and dance 
I wanna move around the room just like a woman in a trance 
All night, I wanna dance 
I wanna wrap my arms around your neck and dance 
I wanna listen to the music that's been ringing in my ears 
And one day I’m gonna dance my way right outta here

I'd marry you, if you could dance, that's what I say
'Coz where I'm going there'll be dancing everyday

Listen to this awesome track: