Around 2006, when I wrote You Should Have Danced, we were relentlessly touring during every holiday. Nick was already working as a math teacher, while I was still a student, juggling a job at the psychology department to also fund our tours. I genuinely loved my colleagues there, the subject of psychology, and, of course, the dream we were chasing. As an independent, self-managed, self-booked band, we worked around the clock to achieve what we dreamed of: becoming full-time musicians, signing with a label. But above all, we couldn’t have done it any other way—this was our passion, with every fiber of our being screaming, Go on tour… have fun dancing!

This song, though, isn’t about that passion. It captures a vibe that was pulsing through the indie scene at the time. Franz Ferdinand burst onto the scene, and we were hooked on their sound, vibe, and songwriting. Inspired by that cool, grooving energy, I sat down and this song just poured out of me. Funnily enough, I wrote it on an acoustic guitar, which felt odd at the time because this is definitely not an acoustic song. Still, my imagination was vivid enough to hear the gritty, electric guitars in my head while composing. Nick McCarthy, a former bandmate of Nick’s from their school days, was climbing the charts with Franz Ferdinand, which was awesome. We went to their concert in Munich, and it was a blast! A bunch of old friends from their past band days were there too, making it even more special.

When we played You Should Have Danced in UK clubs, I’d often jump off the stage during the guitar solo riff and dance with the crowd on the dancefloor whenever I could. Those moments were pure magic, small clubs, great people, dancing together. That’s when I had the most fun. I can’t wait to hit the road again and relive that! The lyrics, though, aren’t deeply philosophical or world-changing. They’re about the soul of youth, grappling with the uncertainty of falling in love. It’s that push-and-pull of I want this, I don’t want this, a feeling I vividly remember from my teenage years, that shaky, unstable uncertainty of Is this love or not?

The cover picture features a beautiful little girl with a guitar, our wonderful daughter, probably around two years old at the time. She was so insistent on carrying the guitar, begging me relentlessly. I told her it was far too heavy, but she wouldn’t give up. So, I compromised, saying I’d hang it on her with my help. That wasn’t enough for her, though! Eventually, I gave in and let her hold it on her own for just a brief moment. That’s when I snapped the picture, hurrying as fast as I could because that guitar was really heavy for her!

LYRICS:

you should have danced with another girl
oh no, no, no
oh don’t let her go

you should have talked to another girl
oh no, no, no
oh don’t let her go

you should have danced with another girl
oh no, no, no
oh don’t let her go

you should have walked with another girl
oh no, no, no
oh don’t let her go

turn your face backwards seems to slow

Credits:

All music and lyrics written by: Maria Pattusch
Maria Pattusch – voc, git
Nick Pattusch – dr

Produced, Recorded, Mixed AND MAstered at The Lodge in Bridlington by: James Kenosha and Jon Maher

Design and Artwork by: Maria Pattusch

Published by: Maria Pattusch
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