Chords + Lyrics | I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’
Intro
| D | Daug | D6 | D7sus2 D7 | (guitar intro)
| G | Gm | G/A A | G/A A D/A Dsus4/A |
||: D (G/D)| D (Dsus4 Dsus2) :|| (piano)
Verse 1
| D (Dsus4) | D (Dsus4 Dsus2) |
Wake up in the morning with a head like, “What ya done?”
| G (Gsus4) | G (Gsus4 Gsus2) |
This used to be the life, but I don’t need another one.
| D (Dsus4) | D (Dsus4 Dsus2) |
You like cuttin’ up and carrying on, you wear them gowns.
| G (Gsus4) | G (Gsus4 Gsus2) |
So how come I feel so lonely when you’re up getting down?
Bridge 1
| Bm | F#m |
So I’ll play along when I hear that special song.
| Am7 | G |
I’m gonna be the one who gets it right.
| Bm | F#m |
You’d better move when you’re swayin’ round the room.
| Am7 | G |
Looks like the magic’s only ours tonight.
Chorus 1
| D (G/D) | D (G/D) |
But I don’t feel like dancin’ when the old Joanna plays.
| G (C/G) | G (C/G) |
My heart could take a chance, but my two feet can’t find a way.
| A | C G |
You’d think that I could muster up a little soft-shoe gentle sway.
| D (G/D) | D (G/D) |
But I don’t feel like dancin’, no sir, no dancin’ today.
Chorus tag 1
| D (G/D) | D (G/D) |
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, even if I find nothin’ better to do.
| G (C/G) | G (C/G) |
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, why’d you pick a tune when I’m not in the mood?
| A | C G | D (G/D) | D (G/D) |
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, I’d rather be home with the one in the bed till dawn, with you.
Instrumental 1
| Gm | C | Gm | C |
| Gm | C C# | D G/D D | D (Dsus4 Dsus2) |
Verse 2
Cities come and cities go, just like the old empires.
When all you do is change your clothes and call that versatile.
You got so many colors, make a blind man so confused.
Then why can’t I keep up when you’re the only thing I lose?
Bridge 2
So I’ll just pretend that I know which way to bend.
And I’m gonna tell the whole world that you’re mine.
Please understand, when I see you clap your hands.
If you stick around I’m sure that I’ll be fine.
Chorus 2
But I don’t feel like dancin’ when the old Joanna plays.
My heart could take a chance, but my two feet can’t find a way.
You’d think that I could muster up a little soft-shoe gentle sway.
But I don’t feel like dancin’, no sir, no dancin’ today.
Chorus tag 2
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, even if I find nothin’ better to do.
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, why’d you pick a tune when I’m not in the mood?
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, I’d rather be home with the one in the bed till dawn, with you.
Instrumental 2
||: Bm | F#m | Am7 | G :||
Middle 8
| D | D(#5) | D6 | D7 |
You can’t make me dance around but your two-step makes my chest pound.
| G | Gm | A | A | N.C |
Just lay me down as you float away into the shimmer light.
Chorus 3
But I don’t feel like dancin’ when the old Joanna plays.
My heart could take a chance, but my two feet can’t find a way.
You’d think that I could muster up a little soft-shoe gentle sway.
But I don’t feel like dancin’, no sir, no dancin’ today.
Chorus tag 3
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, even if I find nothin’ better to do.
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, why’d you pick a tune when I’m not in the mood?
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, I’d rather be home with the one in the bed till dawn, with you.
Chorus tag 4
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, even if I find nothin’ better to do.
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, why’d you pick a tune when I’m not in the mood?
Don’t feel like dancin’, dancin’, I’d rather be home with the one in the bed till dawn, with you.
Outro
||: D (G/D) | D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D :||
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ Chords: Exploring the Unique Progressions
Whenever a great pianist writes a song, we tend to hear some clever chord extensions—and that’s certainly the case with the chords for I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’.
Let’s break each section down, starting with the guitar intro:
| D | Daug | D6 | D7sus2 D7 |
| G | Gm | G/A A | G/A A D/A Dsus4/A |
This progression centres around the I – IVm movement, with the Daug hinting at the Gm at first. When we finally land on G, it’s immediately followed by Gm (IV – IVm). The G/A – A movement is another classic trick, which could also be seen as G – A11.
Compare the last part with Never Too Much and Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough—the latter was likely a reference track when Scissor Sisters produced this song.
The Piano Riff
Here’s how I’d describe the chords in the piano riff:
||: D (G/D) | D (Dsus4 Dsus2) :||
This doesn’t easily translate to guitar, although it is possible, here’s a link to the TAB lesson where I explain how: I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Verse
As the verse begins, the piano riff continues although with a few small but important modifications. The G/D is now a Dsus4 in the first bar.
The entire concept is then moved to a G although on the guitar we need to use a different inversion (check the TAB).
| D (Dsus4) | D (Dsus4 Dsus2) |
| G (Gsus4) | G (Gsus4 Gsus2) |
Chorus + Tag
The chorus and tag is simplified as we now play slash chords again and don’t vary the second bar, like this:
| D (G/D) | D (G/D) |
| G (C/G) | G (C/G) |
The last line moves like this:
| A | C G | D (G/D) | D (G/D) |
That C chord functions as a bVIIx, adding a bit of tension.
Bridge + Instrumental 2
The bridge introduces a surprisingly sophisticated progression:
| Bm (VI) | F#m (III) | Am7 (Vm) | G (IV) |
The Bm (VI), F#m (III), and G (IV) follow familiar territory, but the Am7 is the standout. The easiest way to interpret it is as a bVIIx chord, much like the C earlier in the song, but with the V chords root in the bass. You could also describe it as a Vm, depending on how you view the harmony.
Instrumental 1
After the first chorus, we get a new instrumental section—but this time, we’ve modulated:
| Gm | C | Gm | C |
| Gm | C C# | D G/D D | D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D |
A minor chord moving to a major chord a fourth above is a II – V progression. In this case, it’s a II – V in F, which makes sense as F is the relative major of Dm. Essentially, this is a modal interchange from D major to D minor—a smooth yet unexpected twist.
As a guitarist, you must decide if you or someone else is playing the lead line here. In the TAB lesson, I’ve written both a rhythm part and the lead line for you.
Second Instrumental + Middle 8
The next instrumental section returns to the bridge chords, leading into a brand new section (middle 8):
| D | D(#5) | D6 | D7 |
| G | Gm | A | A | N.C |
Here, we chromatically manipulate the D chord—similar to what Ray Charles does in Georgia On My Mind.
This is followed by another IV – IVm movement, resolving to V, where we briefly pause—building anticipation for the final chorus.
The Grand Finale
Now, we’re set up to proudly declare that we’re definitely not going to be dancing…
Yeah, right!
Here’s a chord chart—your best approach is to play along with the original recording. Take a few moments to study the chart, then use it as a quick reference. There’s a lot to take in!
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Download my chord chart as a static PDF and/or in the iReal Pro format:
Using iReal Pro, you could change the key—though doing this with the chords in I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ sounds like a bit of a nightmare to me!
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ TAB | Course Preview
In the course, we look at TAB for all sections, sometimes both rhythm and lead lines so you can choose what to play depending on what your band mates do.
As a preview, here’s that intro lead line, this may be one of those that you learn and then on the gig, the keyboard player just starts the song with the big riff!
Co-Written with Elton John
With clear nods to Elton John, Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees, December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) by The Four Seasons, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing by Leo Sayer, and George Michael’s Faith, Scissor Sisters‘ I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ was destined to be a smash hit.
The Elton John influence isn’t just a passing resemblance—Elton actually co-wrote the song with Scissor Sisters! Released in 2006 as the lead single from Ta-Dah, it became their biggest hit, reaching the top 10 in over twenty countries.
To truly appreciate how this modern disco classic was written, you must study I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’’s chords and lyrics carefully—it’s a masterclass in songwriting.
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ (Scissor Sisters) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
