4 “Waltz” Songs That Will Leave You Misty-Eyed on the Dance Floor

How special is waltz time? There’s something about that old one-two-three, one-two-three rhythm that can be breathtakingly romantic. But with just a few lyrical twists and strategic chord changes, it can also be among the saddest of rhythms.

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These four songs not only utilize a waltz rhythm, but they also name-drop the dance in their titles. And you might just dance along to them with a tear or two in your eyes.

“The Brand New Tennessee Waltz” by Jesse Winchester

This was the attention-grabbing song on Winchester’s first album, which was produced by Robbie Robertson of The Band. He counts on folks knowing about “The Tennessee Waltz”, itself a pretty popular and sad song about that particular dance step. Winchester’s narrator addresses a new girl that he meets but quickly mentions someone else that he left behind in Tennessee. We find out that loving and leaving is a pattern for him, yet he doesn’t come off as a lothario. Instead, “a sadness too sad to be true” gnaws at him throughout the song. The lyrics hint at him being an outlaw of sorts who has no choice but to hit the road just as soon as he makes a connection.

“Hollywood Waltz” by Eagles

Tom Leadon made a name for himself as a member of Tom Petty’s early band Mudcrutch, a unit that Petty would reassemble for a few albums late in his career. If the name rings a bell in some other capacity, it could be because Leadon is the brother of Bernie Leadon, an original member of the Eagles. When The Eagles were making their 1975 album One Of These Nights, Bernie called Tom toward the end of the sessions to see if he had any in-progress works. Tom passed along an early version of “The Hollywood Waltz”. Bernie, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley then chipped in to complete the song. Henley also added the lovely lead vocals on this bittersweet beauty of a track.

“Waltzing’s For Dreamers” by Richard Thompson

Go to any Richard Thompson album, and in among the stellar guitar work and incisive, uptempo songs, you’re likely to find at least one gorgeously sad rumination on the elusive nature of love. On his 1988 LP Amnesia, “Waltzing’s For Dreamers” serves that purpose. The song’s protagonist admits his woe in the first verse due to having “bet hard on love.” He located a girl at the shindig he’s attending and hopes to pull her out to the floor so he can wallow in his sorrows. Thompson even provides dance instructions. “One step for aching, two steps for breaking,” he sighs. “Waltzing’s for dreamers and losers in love.” It’s a sorrowful lesson indeed.

“Waltz #2 (XO)” by Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith released several songs in his career with waltz rhythms, including “Waltz #2 (XO)“, one of his most well-known tracks. He released the song on his brilliant 1998 album XO, which found him indulging his love for Beatlesque psychedelia. You can hear some of that on the track, with those swirling, woozy strings tugging at the main melody. Although Smith didn’t often reveal the inspiration for his songs, many have speculated this one has something to do with the strained relationship between his mother and him. But anyone can relate to a couplet as devastating as this: “I’m never gonna know you know/But I’m gonna love you anyhow.”

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