Track 3 of the album Last Call, Low Light · 2007
The Last Dance Card
“A dance card is such a small piece of paper to hold so many evenings. I kept the piano barely above a whisper for it.”
jazz ballad · supper-club · nostalgic ballad · 3:55
Lyrics
I found it in the lining Of a coat I haven't worn A little paper dance card With the corners soft and torn Seven names in pencil In a hand I used to know And the last line, left empty From a night so long ago Who was meant to take the last dance Who was meant to hold my hand I kept the space beside the music For a step I never planned Now the pencil's gone to silver And the band has all gone home But I still keep the last dance For the one I've never known I danced with every name there Every one was kind and true A sailor and a schoolteacher And a boy in a borrowed blue But when the band struck midnight And the lanterns burned down low I stood beside the curtain Holding all I did not know Who was meant to take the last dance Who was meant to hold my hand I kept the space beside the music For a step I never planned Now the pencil's gone to silver And the band has all gone home But I still keep the last dance For the one I've never known Maybe it was you, my dear Across the room, in the light Maybe it was only hope Dressed up for the night So I'll turn the lamp down gently And I'll hum the old waltz through I'll take that empty last line And I'll write a name there, too It's mine, it's mine, it's finally mine It's mine to dance it through The last dance was always waiting For me to dance with you Who was meant to take the last dance Who was meant to hold my hand I kept the space beside the music For a step I never planned Now the pencil's gone to silver And the band has all gone home But I still keep the last dance And at last I'm not alone The last dance, the last dance Mine to keep, mine to keep