Dancing In The Dark

Ahhhh, the high school dance. The nervousness, the awkwardness, the politics, the hands on hips, the side-to-side dance moves...it was the best of high school times, it was the worst of high school times. But talk about high school dances and one question that will almost invariably come up is, "what was the last song at your high school dances?" Let's see if any of these ring a nostalgic bell for you...

Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)

Of course we had to start with this one. For multiple generations the classic, goto last dance song at high school dances was Stairway to Heaven. It was perfect because it started off slow and was such a long song...the problem was that fast part in the second half that made for some really awkward hands-on-each-other's-hips dancing.

Atlantic Records, Wikimedia Commons

Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)

The connection between high school dances and Stairway to Heaven is so strong that the Barenaked Ladies even had this awesome verse on the song Grade 9 (from their 1992 debut album Gordon):

I've got a red leather tie and pair of rugger pants/I put them on and I went to the high school dance/Dad said I had to be home by eleven/Aw, man, I'm gonna miss Stairway to Heaven.

Jim Summaria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

End Of The Road (Boyz II Men)

For some, it was this Boyz II Men classic that signalled the end of the road for that evening's dancing festivities. If you hadn't made your move yet, this was your last chance to ask someone to dance. Not only did End Of The Road end many a high school dance it was also the last music video played on British music station, Magic TV before it shut down in 2024.

Najeeb Ishak, Flickr

All My Life (K-Ci & JoJo)

There are last dance moments that we will remember for all our lives. For some of them it was this K-Ci & JoJo hit that was playing when they occurred.

Paras Griffin, Getty Images

Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)

For some, it was the most wonderful 3 minutes and 45 seconds of the night.

Alex G, Flickr

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing (Aerosmith)

In high school, getting the nerve to ask your crush to dance and waiting for their reply often felt like waiting for an asteroid to collide with earth—but getting that "yes" was like being Ben Affleck speeding off in that rocket towards the girl you loved with the asteroid exploding behind you (getting a "no" was like being Bruce Willis on that exploding asteroid). Ok, so we may have taken the Armageddon metaphor too far, but the point is—I Don't Want to Miss a Thing was the last song at many high school dances.

Selbymay, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

More Than Words

More Than Words said what we were thinking during those last dance moments with our sweetheart: "Hold me close, don't ever let me go".

SebastyneNet, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Closing Time (Semisonic)

Since it was high school—not only couldn't we stay there, but most of us DID have to go home.

Andy Witchger, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

November Rain (Guns N' Roses)

At over 9 minutes long, this awesome Axl Rose track—like Stairway To Heaven—gave us lots of up close tie with our dance partner. But, also like the aforementioned Led Zeppelin song, November Rain ends with a couple minutes of uptempo guitar rock that had the ability to stomp on our mojo if we weren't careful.

Delusion23, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)

We're thinking this one made a comeback at high school dances after the movie Ghost became a hug hit.

Orange County Archives, Flickr

The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh)

We know that not all schools allowed cheek to cheek dancing. But if they did...

Stefan Brending, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

I Swear (All-4-One)

This second single off of All-4-One's debut album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and many more than that closing up high school dances around the country.

Sry85, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Return to Innocence (Enigma)

This song was pretty big in the mid-90s, especially in Europe. But it did reach as high as 4 on the Hot 100, so there were probably high school's on both sides of the pond ending with this one.

Tim, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

To Be with You (Mr. Big)

We feel like this is a good last dance track—and deep inside we hope you feel it too.

Jamiecat, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

With or Without You (U2)

Hopefully with you.

U2start, Flickr

My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)

As the dance came to a close—if you weren't slow dancing to this song with someone, you were running around with your arms spread wide, yelling "I'm the king of the world!"

celebrityabc, Flickr

Good Riddance (Green Day)

This one feels more like a graduation song then a last dance song. But maybe that's just us.

Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)

What most of us wanted back in high school was a last dance slow song that lasted over 7 minutes and was slow the whole time. Well, like the song says, you can't always get what you want. If you got the album version with the choir at the beginning, than you did get over 7 minutes of dance time. But, as many of you may know, most of it isn't hold-your-partner-close slow.

Jim Pietryga, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Last Dance (Donna Summer)

Is it a little to "on the nose"? Maybe. But in high school sometimes we needed direct and literal. that being said...

Francesco Scavullo, Wikimedia Commons

I'll Make Love to You (Boyz II Men)

We can just picture the chaperon's freaking out as this one blasted from the gymnasium speakers.

s_bukley, Shutterstock

In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)

This one was difficult. You try dancing while holding a boombox over your head and tell us it isn't hard.

Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Free Bird (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

For some high schooler's their dances would end with Free Bird whether they called out for it or not.

Andrew King, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Purple Rain (Prince)

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go kept Prince's Purple Rain out of the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but not out of the last dance spot in many high schools.

Allen Beaulieu, Wikimedia Commons

Amazed (Lonestar)

For those High School with a country-vibe, Lonestar's Amazed was a go to end of dance track.

U.S. Air Force, Wikimedia Commons

Drops of Jupiter (Train)

You couldn't escape this song on the radio or at high school dances in the early-2000s.

Chad J. McNeeley, Wikimedia Commons