The Dance

Album: Garth Brooks (1989)
Charted: 36
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, written by Tony Arata, Brooks makes a statement that it is best not to know how things will end, because if you do then you may deprive yourself of certain experiences: You might miss the pain, but you also might miss the dance. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Chris - Atlanta, GA
  • This was honored as both the 1990 Song of the Year and Video of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.
  • This was one of two #1 Country singles from Brooks' self-titled debut album. The other was "If Tomorrow Never Comes."
  • When Tony Arata wrote this tune, he was a little-known Nashville songwriter. At a random open-mic night at Nashville's Douglas Corner, he met another little-known songwriter, Garth Brooks. "We were both doing whatever we could to stay in Nashville, trying to get our songs heard by anybody. The only folks listening, however, were other songwriters as no one else was usually at our shows," Arata recalled on his website. When Brooks heard "The Dance," he told Arata that if he ever got a record deal he was going to cut it. The rest was history.
  • Arata said on his website the inspiration for the song was a scene from the movie Peggy Sue Got Married. He writes, "Kathleen Turner discovers she can't alter one aspect of her past without affecting the rest. No one gets to pick their memories, thankfully."
  • The song spent four weeks atop the Country chart. However it didn't reach the Hot 100 as at the time that tally's airplay feed only included data from pop-formatted radio stations.
  • Lauren Duski, competing for coach Blake Shelton's team on The Voice, performed the song during the 2017 season finale. The following week, Duski's take became the first version of "The Dance" to chart on the Hot 100 when it debuted at #92.
  • The Irish boy band Westlife released their version on their 2006 covers set, The Love Album.
  • Although he loved the song, Brooks was hesitant about recording it because he didn't think it sounded country enough. His producer, Allen Reynolds, gave him the push he needed when he said, "You don't cut this song, it will be the biggest hit you never had."
  • The piano intro was inspired by a movie Brooks and his wife had seen in a near-empty theater the night before the recording session. A slow-motion montage used a similar piano riff and stuck with the singer, who told his manager, Bob Doyle, about it. Brooks was surprised when Doyle knew exactly what he meant because he was at the same movie. "He and his wife were one of the four couples in there," the singer recalled in his book The Anthology Part 1: The First Five Years. "'Yeah,' he says, 'Let me play you something.' Roll tape and, boom that's how the song starts."
  • Brooks' version is much different from Arata's demo, so much so that Arata didn't even recognize his own song when he heard it. The songwriter told Sounds Like Nashville in 2020: "He had a vision for it that I never had. When he played the album for me, I listened to all 10 cuts and thought to myself, 'Well I guess it didn't make it.' It was the last cut on the album, and I didn't recognize my own song. That proves what a great artist he is, and what a great producer Allen Reynolds is, and also the musicians who were involved with the recording of the song. Garth made it his song, he didn't just copy the demo. He heard it in his heart and he and Allen were able to explain it to the musicians. My demo starts on a major chord, no piano, so you can imagine the first time I heard it and it was a dramatic minor chord that opens the song!"
  • The music video, directed by John Lloyd Miller, uses archival footage of people who tragically died while pursuing their dreams, including President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., champion bull rider Lane Frost, country singer Keith Whitley, actor John Wayne, and the crew of the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger. Miller also directed clips for Reba McEntire ("What If"), Vince Gill ("Go Rest High On That Mountain"), and George Strait ("Check Yes Or No").
  • In 2001, Brooks performed this at a NASCAR awards ceremony in honor of Dale Earnhardt, who died in a collision at the Daytona 500 that February.
  • Brooks performed this on the final episode of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on February 6, 2014.
  • This has been recorded by jazz musician Dave Koz, English pop singer Michael Ball, and country singer Mindy McCready.
  • During Brooks' appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in early 2021, the host told him she'd found comfort in the song during her divorce from Brandon Blackstock.

    A few months later, on June 6, 2021, Brooks was in the audience when Kelly Clarkson performed the song at the Kennedy Center Honors. "That woman is a true friend to a song," the Country Music Hall of Famer said. "She's amazing."

Comments: 25

  • Edie Flint from Gulfport, FlBack on March 20th, 1994, my husband and I had a very special wedding our song was The Dance. My husband passed away on June 8th, 2023 and today June 22nd I remembered this morning that our song was The Dance needless to say I immediately went to the website Garth Brooks Lyrics to The Dance I sang the song with you and had a good cry. Thank you, Garth, for those BEAUTIFUL words & song.
  • Larry Ward from Cumming, GaWhat a perfect song to have when you are suffering the loss of a Truly, Deeply Loved Person. I was soooo deeply in love with my wife of almost four years. I was truly totally infatuated with Every Day with Her. Then a horrific car wreck took her instantly! My world was crushed along with my heart. But, I gave her eulogy with a power of delivery only capable with God’s help AND knowing that every second of our DANCE was filled with endless efforts to show our Love for Each Other!! What a comfortable feeling, even in saying The Last Goodbye. Four months later, I had to do the same for my Only Son! Then 45 days later for The Greatest Mom four kids could ever have! The Dance Thank You, Garth!
  • Okebiro Nyakundi from KenyaGot a huge playlist that mainly contained rock songs which had about seven songs from Brian Adams' here I'm album, but what struck me most was THE DANCE Garth Brooks delivered the sad sickening sad feeling and I love it whenever I wish to be alone and thoughtful
  • Lynda from Moses Lake WaI saw a video of Garth Brooks singing The Dance and a ballerina was dancing to the song. I never found it. Can you?
  • Susan from Hartland, VtListening to this YouTube, it does not sound like the Garth Brooks versi0n to me. I just heard this song on the radio and the voice was totally different. Maybe this is a live version and the other is more polished.
  • Bob from Kingwood, TxThis was the class song for the class of 1991 at Boling High School in Boling, Texas. Rest in peace, Krysti.
  • Jojo from Baton Rouge, LaI hate this song and any other one by Barff BBrooks, he really sucks, thanks for taking country music down to where it is today. he's an arrogant A@@h@le
  • Michael Scott from Punta Gorda, FlOutside of Athens, Ga. at the end of the summer of 2005, my closest cousin was rembered by a thousand guests that jammed a church. With my uncle Leon we were lucky to find 2 empty seats upstairs. This song was beautifully played on piano and sung by a cousin of one of the writers. Steve was the most impressive guy, this was his favorite.
  • Arthur Nalimma from Santiago City, Philippinesi really love the song because it reminds me of my boyfriend,because although i am a gay,he loves me then but he left for his study
  • Cathy from Cheshire, CtMy interpretation of this song is that of a marriage,life in that marriage and a divorce. And that you never know what lies in store for us and our life
  • Dara from Barnesville, OhI loved in the video for the song. It showed all the fallen Celebs that died before their times
  • Zach from Marion, InGarth Brooks is truly a god! He needs to go back on tour. This song is related to the deaths of JFK, Martin Luther King, and a few other celebrity deaths.
  • Kd from Weeki Wachee, FlNever take what you have for granted. I lost my girlfriend 14 years ogo due to the hands of another but I would rather have gone through the pain of her death than never to have known her at all. Great song.
  • Carrie from Ansonia, CtMy sister's fiance, and two of my very good friends were killed in a car accident. When i heard this song, it made me feel so much better, because, if i had never known them, i wouldn't have to feel the pain and miss them so much. But, i would rather have felt that pain, then never to have known them, becasue they touched my life in so many ways.
  • M.j. from Calgary, AbThe dance is actually Garth brooks favorite song to preform and sing. That is why it is always the last song on an album.
  • Caitlin from Brisbane, AustraliaMy grandmother passed away on my 19 brthday and I was really close to her. My family let me choose one song to play at her funeral and i chose this one. When i was younger my grandma used to dance with me to her old records. She may be gone but by choosing my birthday as her day to go, she's telling me to never forget her and always remember the fun times we spent together. Love you granny (12/05/1918 - 26/02/2007)
  • Mixermatt from Bloomington, MnIt's a song that will have you thinking that a risk should have been taken somewhere in life. For life is a dance
  • George from Jo'burg, South AfricaGarth has this way of making you feel what he feels when he performs a song. The first time I heard this song was on the "This is Garth Brooks" video and it made me think of my mom and how things could have been had she not died. This was also the theme song on the commemorative dvd's I sent out to my family on the 10th anniversary of her death and that of my fathers.

    The song itself gives one the idea to think of how the present and the past would have been different should we have not said goodbye to someone.

    On my list of 100 favorite songs... This is no. 1.
  • Alaina from Non Ya, MoI love this song. I chose this song 2 be played @ my dads funeral.
  • Dee from Los Angeles, CaI love music in any form. Country music is not among my first choices. However, among the country songs I love i.e. I Walk the Lline, Ring of Fire, I Will Always Love You, The Dance is my top 5. I listen to The Dance as a source of inspiration when people deeply disappointment me and when the issues surrounding the fizzled long-term romantic relationships get me down. I'm always prompted to stear my energies to self-improvement to become the person I need and seek to spend time showered in their energy.
  • Derek from Bowling Green, KyNot a big country fan, but I love this song. It's inspirational for those who fall on hard times in life. Especially break up's...it goes along with the saying "Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all."
  • Cory from Morden, CanadaI always felt that LeAnn Womack's "I Hope You Dance" was an unfair rip-off of this song. Using dancing as a metaphor for living life is the whole basis for this song, and for "I Hope You Dance" to completely rip off that theme has always irked me.

    Garth's "The Dance" is one of the greatest Country songs of all time, though most experts will say that "Low Places" is the best Garth song of all time.
  • Falyn from Okc, OkI LOVE this song. It reminds me not to miss out on life. Take risks. Love life.
  • Cheryl from Richmond, VaThis song reminds me of a night under the stars at the river with a guy who was a friend of mine. I wanted our relationship to be more, but he wasn't ready, b/c he had recently been dumped by his longtime girlfriend. I was hurt, but I understood. I eventually met someone else. My friend & I would never get a chance to see if we could be more than friends again. But we had a wonderful time that night just talking & holding hands for awhile. I'm glad that we at least had that time together.
  • Nicole from Kenosha, WiThis song is amazing, I really love it. It inspires me to do things and take risk and live my life and not worry about what might happen, because you could be missing out on something great, I would rather die young doing something I want then die old missing out on a great life.
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