Dancing With Tears In My Eyes

Album: Lament (1984)
Charted: 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This international hit was released in 1984, a time when anxiety over nuclear war was at a peak. The song describes the terror a nuclear war would bring, describing the last day on earth after the bomb. The narrator hears the news that "It's Over" and drives home to be with his lover.

Comments: 13

  • 80's Kid from EnglandBrilliant and moving. Music at its best back in a time when lyrics and audio actually went together. Tells a story, evokes emotion and never gets old. We came so close to accidental nuclear annihilation in 1984. Though happily oblivious as a kid like in the video, my poor mom who would of been the same age as Diana Weston in that, must of been worried sick... Hard to watch the upper hand in quite the same way again too.
  • Clueless In Seattle from Duh! SeattleI think this song is about a vampire who is given a garlic press during his high school reunion.
  • AnonymousFor anyone who was not alive in the 80's - This was completely about nuclear annihilation!
  • The Guru from New ZealandIt's about having an affair, finding a new love and the realisation that the old relationship has died.
  • Clodhopper from East CaliforniaI prefer the John Foxx Ultravox but this song is good.
  • Wimbledon Fiend from Wimbledon CommonI think this is about the Wombles of Wimbledon being driven out of their rubbish collecting duties by a corrupt city councilor who has connections to a mafia backed refuse company
  • Lugi from Bologna, ItalyShameless Trivia: It shares the title with "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" Words and Lyrics by Al Dubin and Joe Burke, a 1930 song.
    Sung by Ruth Etting, it song reached #1 on the charts in 1930.
    In fact I came here because of her.
    The lyrics are about a man that is dancing with tears in his eyes,
    "'cause the girl in my arms isn’t you".
  • Jim from Long Beach, CaLove this song. Ultravox at their finest hour..
  • Howard from Wakefield, United KingdomOne of my favourites, alongside 'Love's Great Adventure' & 'Reap The Wild Wind'. You can hear George Martin's influence in the latter song. Ultravox's music is catchy & haunting.
  • Ralf from Frankfurt, GermanyThis is one of my favorite songs from the 80s. Having watched the video again after so many decades, I am pretty sure, it is NOT about nuclear war NOR about a dying romance. The song simply deals with the maximum credible accident at a nuclear power plant.

    No one is having an affair. They drank the champagne "to forget the coming storm".

    Great song & great video (especially the sad ending) :-(
  • Dave from San Diego, CaI think this song, given that it was released in 1984, at the begining of the AIDS crisis, when so many of us lost so many lovers, friends, dance partners, is about a gay man, dancing at a club, crying because so many of his closest friends are dead or dying...
  • Ret from Bristol, United KingdomAside from the synth squawks, this is about as good as they got (aside from All Stood Still), sunset pianos and a melancholy lyric from the ever-sincere Midge Ure
  • Doug from Los Angeles, CaI never interpreted this song to be about nuclear war. I don't know if the band ever stated this is what it's about. The video depicts a nuclear holocaust, but it was a reactor meltdown, not a bomb. I saw this as a symbol of a dying romance. How about the line (repeated several times in the song), "Living out a memory of a love that died"? Also in the video we see an open champagne bottle when he gets home, it suggests the woman was having an affair. (4/30/09)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Love of The Beach Boys

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-OutsSong Writing

The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take.