Leave it to Harry Styles to sneak a classic folk reference into a glittery dance track.
The singer’s new album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., just dropped – and fans digging through the lyrics quickly noticed a clever nod to legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel.
On the track Dance No More, Styles sings about ditching the pressure of always performing and simply living in the moment with everyone else on the dance floor.
“Move it side to side with your hands up high / Keep your customer satisfied and live your life / ‘DJs don’t dance no more’ they said /
We wanna dance with all our friends.”
That “customer satisfied” line? Not random.
In an interview with Zane Lowe, Styles confirmed the lyric is a subtle throwback.
“There is a Simon & Garfunkel reference. Keep your customer satisfied,” he said, pointing to the duo’s 1970 track Keep the Customer Satisfied.
But the song’s inspiration actually came from a much more personal moment – one that happened far from the stage.
“I remember going out, kind of the first time in Berlin and like standing in the middle of the dance floor and feeling so unbelievably free and like safe that I kind of just had my hands in the air and my eyes closed and I just felt these tears streaming down my face,” Styles shared.
“And it was this moment of like, I feel so alive right now.”
Check out ‘Dance No More’ lyrics:
[Intro]
Da, da-ga-da, da-ga-da, da-ga-da, da-ga-da, da
[Verse]
I don’t think we should be here, I see no water or friends
But the music keeps hitting me like a ten out of ten
So I don’t think (Got something to say)
No, I don’t think (Got something to say)
Conversation is hearing you get it all off your chest
You can come over here to tell me again and again
What you think (I’ve got something to say)
No, I don’t think
[Pre-Chorus]
Move it side to side with your hands up high
Keep your customer satisfied and live your life
[Chorus]
“DJs don’t dance no more,” they said
DJs don’t dance no more (Ah)
We wanna dance with all our friends
DJs don’t dance no more
It’s feeling like the music has been Heaven sent
And that there’s no difference in between the tears and the sweat, uh
“DJs don’t dance no more,” they said
DJs don’t dance no more
[Post-Chorus]
Pum, pum-pum-pum, pum-pum-pum, pum-pum-pum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum, pum-pum-pum-pum-pum
[Pre-Chorus]
Move it side to side with your hands up high
Keep your customer satisfied and live your life
[Chorus]
“DJs don’t dance no more,” they said
DJs don’t dance no more (Ah)
We wanna dance with all our friends
DJs don’t dance no more
It’s feeling like the music has been Heaven sent
And that there’s no difference in between the tears and the sweat, uh
“DJs don’t dance no more,” they said
DJs don’t dance no more
[Bridge]
Get your feet wet
Teach them all to respect their mother
You gotta get your feet wet
Respect, respect your mother
Be a good girl, go get it, fox
Da, da-ga-da, da-ga-da, da-ga-da, da-ga-da
[Chorus]
“DJs don’t dance no more,” they said
DJs don’t dance no more (Ah)
We wanna dance with all our friends
DJs don’t dance no more
It’s feeling like the music has been Heaven sent
And that there’s no difference in between the tears and the sweat, uh
“DJs don’t dance no more,” they said
DJs don’t dance no more
[Outro]
You gotta get your feet wet
Respect, respect your mother
In other words, Dance No More isn’t just about partying – it’s about finally getting to be part of the crowd instead of performing for it. And judging by the album’s early buzz, fans are more than happy to join him on that dance floor.
