"Dance like nobody's watching" when you blog

I'm one of those people who can't remember the words to a song. It's awful... lots of tunes floating around in my head but I don't know what they are.  I was reminded this week of how powerful good lyrics are. "Dance like nobody's watching... " could be the byword of good blogging. I.e., write from the heart. Take a few risks. Don't focus on what others will think of you. Although that's awfully hard to do. I always have a moment of panic when I hit "publish." Will it sound OK? Have I made a fool of myself??

"Dance like nobody's watching... " comes from country singer Kathy Mattea's 1989 song, "Come From The Heart."  The other lines go: "Sing like you don't need the money... Love like you'll never get hurt." I Googled this to be sure it's right!

Comments

[l.m.orchard]

You don't know me, but you might like to read two more posts I wrote that agree completely with this:

http://www.decafbad.com/blog/2004/08/29/blogging_without_thought

http://www.decafbad.com/blog/2004/09/22/bloggingyourbliss

[Fenton]

I usually freak out more about email because when it is official email (i.e., at work), then everyone takes it as if it's Talmudic law you're writing about.

It's just an email. It's just a blog post. It's just saying something. No need to freak out.

Of course everyone does so you have to say 1% of what you actually wanted to say.

Blogs are slightly different though because everyone know not to "trust" them. By everyone, I mean anyone who isn't immersed in the culture.

[wee kee]

great site

[Yolanda Krag]

i think it is just a matter of time that people will get use to this culture.

[webmaster]

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth."
-- Mark Twain

[Paul Day]

Hi,

Your blog came up when I searched on "dance like Nobody's watching", but actually I think the following from www.phrases.org.uk may be more accurate about where the phrase comes from:

"In Reply to: Re: love like you've never been hurt posted by Brian from Shawnee on January 24, 2005 at 19:09:58:

: : : The sayings usually go somthing like this.
: : : Work like you don't need the money,
: : : dance like no one is looking,
: : : and love like you've never been hurt.
: : : Any ideas as to author(s), source, exact wording, etc.?
: : : My first post, thank you.
: : : Sid

: :
: : It's been attributed to Satchel Paige, Hall of Famer.

: Hmm, I've always thought the famously egotistical, athletically talented, insatiable womanizer Satchel Paige was a lot earthier than that. Quotes I know to be attributed to him are "Don't look over your shoulder. Someone may be gaining on you." and "Age is nothin' but mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter."

I don't think you'll find a source for this phrase. It appears on lots on Irish sites, though it's hard to say whether it is Irish in origin or has simply been adopted by the Irish.

Old Irish proverb:
Work like you don't need the money;
dance like no one is watching;
sing like no one is listening;
love like you've never been hurt;
and live life every day as if it were your last.

Guy Clark transformed it into a memorable song;
You got to sing like you don't need the money
Love like you'll never get hurt
You got to dance like nobody's watchin'
It's gotta come from the heart
If you want it to work "

[Lieske]

I only know a quote by Meme Grifsters and it goes like this:
You gotta dance like nobody's watching, dream like you will live forever, live like you're going to die tomorrow and love like it's never going to hurt.