Thanks for the Dance – English Lyrics

• By: Leonard Cohen
• Album: Thanks for the Dance

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a profound experience, and Leonard Cohen's 'Thanks for the Dance' offers a unique opportunity to delve into the poetic and nuanced world of English. Through this song, you can learn about expressing complex emotions like gratitude, nostalgia, and acceptance with simple yet powerful language. The song is special because it's a final, tender message from a legendary artist, making the learning process not just educational, but also deeply moving.

[English]

Thanks for the dance

I'm sorry you're tired

The evening has hardly begun

Thanks for the dance

Try to look inspired

One two three, one two three one

There's a rose in your hair

Your shoulders are bare

You've been wearing this costume forever

So turn up the music, pour out the wine

Stop at the surface, the surface is fine

We don't need to go any deeper

Thanks for the dance

I hear that we're married

One two three, one two three, one

Thanks for the dance

And the baby you carried

It was almost a daughter, or a son

And there's nothing to do, but to wonder if you

Are as hopeless as me, and as decent

We're joined in the spirit, joined at the hip

Joined in the panic, wondering

If we've come to some sort of agreement

Da, da, da-da

Da, da, da-da

It was fine, it was fast

We were first, we were last

In line at the Temple of Pleasure

But the green was so green, and the blue was so blue

I was so I, and you were so you

The crisis was light as a feather

Thanks for the dance

It was hell, it was swell, it was fun

Thanks for all the dances

One two three, one two three, one

Da, da, da-da

Da, da, da-da

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dance /dæns/ A1	noun - a series of movements matching the rhythm of music verb - to move rhythmically to music
tired /taɪərd/ A2	adjective - feeling a need to rest
rose /roʊz/ A2	noun - a flower with a sweet scent
bare /bɛər/ B1	adjective - uncovered
wear /wɛər/ A2	verb - to have something on your body
music /ˈmjuːzɪk/ A2	noun - vocal or instrumental sounds organized in time
wine /waɪn/ A2	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes
married /ˈmærid/ B1	adjective - having a spouse
carried /ˈkærid/ B1	verb - to hold and transport
hopeless /ˈhoʊpləs/ B2	adjective - without hope
decent /ˈdiːsənt/ B2	adjective - respectable
spirit /ˈspɪrɪt/ B2	noun - the non-physical part of a person
panic /ˈpænɪk/ B2	noun - sudden uncontrollable fear verb - to feel sudden uncontrollable fear
agreement /əˈɡriːmənt/ B2	noun - a mutual understanding
temple /ˈtɛmpl/ B2	noun - a place of worship
pleasure /ˈplɛʒər/ B2	noun - a feeling of happiness
crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ C1	noun - a time of intense difficulty
swell /swɛl/ B1	verb - to become larger adjective - very good