Yo La Tengo – Last Days of Disco

Saw you at a party
You asked me to dance
Said music was great for dancing
I don't really dance much
But this time I did
And I was glad that I did this time

And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more

Where I belong, where I belong

I wasn't dressed right, I rarely am
You told me that you didn't care
I laughed as you wobbled in your platform shoes
You laughed when I called Andrea true Anita Ward

And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more

Where I belong, where I belong

And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
It asked "Do you remember?"
And I remember, remember like it wasn't long ago
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more

Where I belong, where I belong


Lyrics submitted by punchyk

Last Days of Disco song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • +8
    General Commentthis song reminds me of little awkward high school proms in old gymnasiums. but it's about love and happiness and dancing and people who make you feel good about yourself and lamenting over that time you danced to that one song with that nice person who didn't care how bad you were at dancing and you felt perfectly comfortable.
    exactlyfivepoundson October 27, 2010   Link
  • +5
    General CommentWow, No one has had much to say on this song. This is by far one of my favorite Yo La Tengo songs. It's exploring the emotions of a guy who is pretty sidelined in life. We all know the guy. He's geeky and lonely and wants to have an emotional connection. But has no idea how. He also feels that somehow he deserves to be sidlined. That since he is so bad at social interactions that he needs to be content with it.

    He first see's a girl he knows at a party. And she wants him to dance. He's very uncomfortable and feels out of place. He dances with her and conveys how uncomfortable he is and she doesn't care. So, he is in essence remembering one time where he felt happy, and that this social interaction was not forced and worked well.

    They did a great job of painting that picture of akwardness and the feeling of not belonging.
    I would love to know if he is referring to a real song. Does anyone know it? Also, if anyone knows who Andrea is

    "You laughed when I called Andrea true Anita Ward"
    matsientston September 11, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General Commenti associate this song with the after effects of having your heart broken, where you look back
    inthenewon June 01, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General CommentI've always liked to think that this song is about when Ira and Georgia first met. I hope it's true, since it's so beautiful.
    JackWhiteon January 27, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Commentmatsientst, Andrea True (True was her surname) was a disco singer and so was Anita Ward.
    swinglineron October 19, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThis lyrics make me think that is an old man talking to her wife in her grave, remembering old times...
    Alienoon December 02, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI agree jackwhite...it always reminded me of georgia and ira's first encounter.
    kinder1984on January 06, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Commentanyone else think the title is a reference to the whit stillman movie? am i totes off and wrong?
    twee!on January 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthe perfect song to share with Cali on a sunday afternoon
    juanon September 24, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis reminds me of an idealized version of a dance like homecoming, most likely during a slow dance. Either way, I feel as if I am the narrator (or I wish I was!)

    no song interpretation, the lyrics are easy enough to understand.
    bamvolstoneon September 19, 2004   Link

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