Save the Last Dance for Me

Album: Best of the Drifters (1960)
Charted: 2 1
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  • You can dance
    Every dance with the guy
    Who gives you the eye
    Let him hold you tight

    You can smile
    Every smile for the man
    Who held your hand
    'Neath the pale moonlight

    But don't forget who's taking you home
    And in whose arms you're gonna be
    So darlin'
    Save the last dance for me, hmm

    Oh, I know (oh, I know)
    That the music's fine (yes, I know)
    Like sparkling wine (oh, I know)
    Go and have your fun (yes, I know, oh, I know)

    Laugh and sing (yes, I know)
    But while we're apart (oh, I know)
    Don't give your heart (yes, I know)
    To anyone (oh, I know, yes, I know)

    But don't forget who's taking you home
    And in whose arms you're gonna be
    So darlin'
    Save the last dance for me, hmm

    Baby, don't you know I love you so?
    Can't you feel it when we touch?
    I will never, never let you go
    I love you, oh, so much

    You can dance (you can dance)
    Go and carry on (you can dance)
    'Till the night is gone (you can dance)
    And it's time to go (you can dance, you can dance)

    If he asks (you can dance)
    If you're all alone (you can dance)
    Can he take you home (you can dance)
    You must tell him, no (you can dance)

    'Cause don't forget who's taking you home
    And in whose arm's you're gonna be
    So darlin'
    Save the last dance for me

    'Cause don't forget who's taking you home
    And in whose arm's you're gonna be
    So darlin'
    Save the last dance for me, hmm

    Save the last dance for me, hmm-hmm
    Save the last dance for me, hmmm
    Save Writer/s: Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
    Publisher: Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 15

  • Dave R. from Modesto CaAbout 35 years ago (can it be that long?) I went to a club where a beautiful woman was celebrating her 41st birthday. She was having a blast dancing with all kinds of men. Her husband danced every few songs with her and had a blast watching. When it was about a half-hour before closing time the couple shook everybody's hand and then danced the last few songs together.
  • Carlton Lugini from Leicester UkI've known the full story of this song for years and it's such a great song but when you think of the back story as you listen to the song just makes it beautiful
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyFormer Drifter and solo star Ben E. King died Thursday (May 1st, 2015) at the age of 76.
    May he R.I.P.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 2nd 1960, Damita Jo performed "I Will Save the Last Dance for You" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #39 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; thirty-three days later on December 5th it peaked at #22 {for 1 week}...
    And also on this date in 1960 the Drifters' "Save the Last Dance for Me" was at #1 on the Top 100, and fifty-five days earlier on Sept. 8th, 1960 they performed the song on the 'Bandstand' show {See next post below}...
    Damita Jo had three other records make the Top 100 chart; "Keep Your Hands Off of Me" {#75}, "I'll Be There" {#5}, and "If You Go Away" {#68}...
    R.I.P. to Damita Jo DuBlanc {1930 - 1998}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 8th 1960, the Drifters performed "Save the Last Dance for Me" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time it was in its first week on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, at position #78; six weeks later on October 17th, 1960 it would peak at #1 {for 3 non- consecutive weeks*} and spent a total of 18 weeks on the Top 100...
    It also reached #1 {for 1 week} on Billboard's R&B singles chart...
    Between 1954 and 1966 the super group had thirty-six Top 100 records; with five making the Top 10, their next biggest hit was "There Goes My Baby", and it just missed being their second #1 when it peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on August 17th, 1959 {and it took the King to keep it out of the top spot, Elvis' 'A Big Hunk O’ Love"...
    * Between "Save the Last Dance for Me's" 1st and 2nd week at #1, "I Want to Be Wanted" by Brenda Lee, was in the top spot.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 28th 1974, "Save The Last Dance For Me" by the DeFranco Family featuring Tony DeFranco entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #84; and on June 16th, 1974 it peaked at #18 (for 1 week) and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    The family group had two other top 100 hits; "Heartbeat - It's A Lovebeat" (#3 in 1973) and "Abra-Ca-Dabra" (#32 in 1974)
  • Anthony from Penngrove, CaAlthough "Lonely Avenue" is well researched and complete it suffers from the same stereotypes as many biographies of disabled people--namely, the authors consider their subjects' disabilities to be a tragedy. A more realistic perspective of Doc Pomus and his disability is explored by Ken Emerson in his 2006 book "Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era." Emerson portrays Pomus as a savvy and assertive singer and songwriter who considered his disability to be an aspect of his identity like race or social class. "Save the Last Dance for Me" is remarkable in its willingness to show both vulnerability, "You can dance-every dance with the guy who gives you the eye," and self-confidence, “But don't forget who's takin' you home and in whose arms you're gonna be,” particularly for a disabled man in the 1950s.
  • Harry from Baltimore, MdIt wasn't just any wedding invitation or any dance. It was written by Doc Pomus after his own wedding where he couldn't even dance with his own wife because he was crippled by polio.

    The book "Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life & Times of Doc Pomus" is excellent, and when you read the full story of this song, you will cry -- just like the lead singer of the original band did when he was told the full story during the recording session.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn late 1960 Damita Jo released an answer song; "I'LL SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR YOU"; it peaked at #22 and stayed in the Top 100 for 12 weeks...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 31st, 1960 "Save the Last Dance For Me" reached #1 on the R&B chart; the song it replaced at the top spot was "Kiddio" by Brook Benton, it had been #1 for nine consecutive weeks!!!
  • Claire from Miller's, MdThey played Michael Buble's version of this song at my 8th grade dance last night as in May the 8th. It waz alot of fun:D
  • John from New York, NyDoc Pomus had polio and needed crutches and a wheelchair to get around so he wasn't able to dance. He was at a dance with his wife and after watching her dance that evening wrote this song.
  • Fred from Laurel, MdThis is a true gem of the period, and I'm not just saying so because one of the songwriters shares my last name! (No relation--honest!) In fact, I never knew who wrote this until just now. But having heard this many times, still, it always seems welcome to my ears. Great message, great tune, great delivery, great arrangement, what more is there to say? *** Pierre/Chelsea,PQ/Can--I'm not familiar with which songs are their work, but if they wrote a bunch of the Drifters' hits, then you're absolutely right!

  • Pierre from Chelsea, Quebec, CanadaWhat a great team : somebody should write down of the whole bunch of hit those guys have signed in the past. Same greatness with Leiber - Stroller...
  • Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumA very beautiful song of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. In the 70's Mort Shuman came to France to make a second career as a singerand he sang a very soft/slow French version of this song. Nevertheless I prefer The Drifters' version.
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