You Gotta Give It a Whirl
One of the hallmarks of a really good song is its ability to remain useful years after its introduction. It could be that the melody is inspiring, that the time it was popular reminds you of someone who had an impact on you, or that the lyrics convey a truth that comes in handy time and again.
Such is the case with “Life’s A Dance,” released 15 years ago this week. It was the debut single for John Michael Montgomery and a fine piece of work by songwriters Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin. It actually meets all three of the previous points: I can’t stop humming it once I get started, it reminds me of someone who broke my heart that same month but taught me some important (if unintended) lessons, and the storyline about facing up to your fears still resonates all these years later.
The singer’s insecurities over a girl are rather unusual in popular music: “Trying to find the courage to ask her out/Was like trying to get oil from a water spout.” Within a couple more lines, the storyteller in the song confesses that he never did find the courage and that the regret still haunts him in adulthood. But he did learn something out of the experience: “Sink or swim, you gotta give it a whirl.”
It’s one of the things I’ve found to hold true repeatedly, that the best things in my life came when I was willing to take a look at my biggest fears, breathe deep, then plunge forward. Risk is a scary thing and a life filled with only risk would be much too dramatic. But a life without it would be dull. The sentiment is similar to a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fall.” Resilience is something Americans love. “Life’s A Dance” -- by waltzing through risk, failure and renewal -- is an excellent reminder.
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B.W. LaRoy says:
It’s also one of those songs, very much like the lasting hit rock songs…where you have to listen to a couple of the lines over and over or look up the actual lyrics in order to figure out what the words are. I heard Seskin telling a group of songwriters one time about how the song breaks the rules…because the chorus and the verse start on the same note/chord. He said it was such a struggle to simply realize that the song had to break a “rule”…and to accept the fact…because it simply sounded so good anyway. BW
Kirk says:
This entry showcases what country music is all about. A country song, a good one, is all about life’s experiences. Whether its telling a what seems simple story, a difficult situation in life, or just a fun song, a country song’s mission in life is to help guide us and to be a vehicle to remembering your own specific memories and assistance in dealing with life.
Leeann says:
And you can’t beat the catchy violin/fiddle throughout the song.