Danette McMahon
I wanted to write you a song
I thought it would take too long
The busy hours in the day always get in the way
So, I pushed them aside for awhile
You’re the reason my smile is brighter
It’s you and your love I desire
It’s the little things you do, you don’t even know you do
Makes me want to shout from a mountain top
I love you
Chorus:
So, come dance with me spin me fast
Hold me close, let me feel your warm breath on my cheek
‘Til the end of time, you can trust that I’m
Gonna make it worth your stay, each and every day
They say good things come to those who wait
But, I’d begun to think it was too late
Then you came along, now my doubts are gone
Glad my eyes were open and my heart was, too
Bridge:
Forget the past, leave it behind
You’ve had to go through a lot, just like me
Starting here, starting now
Let me help you see how this was meant to be
Chorus:
Won’t you come dance with me, spin me fast
Hold me close, let me feel your warm breath on my cheek
‘Til the end of time, you can trust that I’m
Gonna make it worth your stay, each and everyday
Come dance with me
Story
What do you get for the ‘man who has everything’? Well, Ricky Diaz, Jr. received this song as a birthday gift, May 7, 2017…pre-marriage!
April 2016, I met up with friends at a real popular hang for musicians. We all loved the band, Encore. That night, a very well respected pianist/big band leader/arranger/composer, Ricky Diaz, Sr., was having a huge celebration with all his family.
It worked out, after sitting in that nite, I got hired by Lay Arredondo, to work with his band!
Some of the Diaz family would pop in now and then…they had been close to Lay for years. One in particular caught my eye. I was told he was Ricky, Jr.. I watched as he interacted with his family, often hitting the dance floor with his beautiful mom. I was eventually introduced. One night I approached him, asking if he’d buy some of my homemade cookies, for a fundraiser. He bought two packs and blames those cookies for everything! (They really are good cookies!🤪)
He seemed to start coming in more often, without family, too. My boss, Lay, had been watching us interact for months and encouraged Ricky to get me on the dance floor. Well, it was a fast paced Latin tune and they stretched it out FOREVER! I mean FOREVER! The shoes I had on were not ready for it but I didn’t really feel my feet, at the time! I was laughing so hard because what was second nature to him had me spinning all over the place! We finally went out on a date, a few weeks later! (My feet had finally recovered!)
Nine months later, that dance floor experience is what inspired this song. After not having written for ten years, I was shocked that this one came together in just a few days. I am not a proficient pianist, by any means, but I proudly and lovingly stumbled through this number, unwrapping his gift. The gift that keeps on giving, you might say!
Of course, a Latin groove was essential for this song. As my producer, Duke Davis, and I got closer to organizing and arranging the songs for “No More Excuses”, I had an idea. I reached out to Paul Chester, asking him to work on a guitar solo for the intro. He surprised me with exactly what was needed to complement this song, setting up the scene for romance. In the studio, the day we were recording, I pinpointed what his intro symbolized for me. It represents the months Ricky and I watched each other, from a distance, and then we started finding ways to sneak in conversations.
Ricky will often accuse me of being a good ‘closer’. I guess these lyrics would be a perfect example! “Forget the past, leave it behind! You’ve had to go through a lot, just like me. Starting here, starting now, let me help you see how, this was meant to be.”
I think this is definitely the mushiest song on the album, but the words “I Love You” are only mentioned one time. But…..they are shouted from a mountaintop!! I hope y’all will enjoy Ricky’s birthday gift! Pour a glass of your favorite wine and have a little spin on the dance floor!