One of the biggest surprises on Thomas Rhett’s 2024 studio album, About a womanWith “Don’t Wanna Dance,” the T-shirt hitmaker keeps her fans on their toes by incorporating Whitney Houston’s 1987 disco classic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”

This imaginative choice is emblematic of the freedom with which TR approached his seventh album. The Georgia singer-songwriter spoke to Holler ahead of the release about how he no longer worried about outside noise on this project.

“Don’t Wanna Dance” was written by Rhett along with Matt Dragstrem, Ryan Hurd, George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam and was created when Hurd sent TR a demo simply titled “Whitney”.

“Don’t Wanna Dance” revolves around Whitney Houston’s iconic song “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” with Thomas Rhett flipping the lyrics to make it a witty song about heartbreak. The emotionality of “Don’t Wanna Dance” is enhanced by the atmospheric production, haunting drum pattern, and TR’s captivating, layered vocals.

“My friends called me

Said it’s been three months

It’s time to move on

So I showed up

And they handed me a cup

I try, but it just feels wrong”

Thomas Rhett opens “Don’t Wanna Dance” in the aftermath of a particularly painful breakup, with his buddies encouraging him to get back out and hit the local bar.

“Because now they play our song, they have been playing it all night long

But it makes me want to leave

Between memories and whisky

I just want to be with someone who loves me.”

Towards the end of the evening, however, things take a turn when the DJ plays a song that had special meaning for him and his ex – presumably “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”.

“I don’t want to dance with anyone

I don’t want to be at this party

Because every sip of this drink makes me think of you

What should I do?

Baby, I just wish you would call me

Just say out of the blue that you want me

Because I don’t want to dance with anyone

If that someone is not you”

Instead of singing the original lyrics, “I wanna dance with someone,” Thomas Rhett changes the lyrics and sings wistfully, “I don’t wanna dance with someone / If that someone ain’t you.” The nostalgic song and the alcohol make him miss his old flame more than ever, and the protagonist confesses that he just wants her to call.

“When I stand here on the wall, I remember everything

Spins around like a disco ball

If I were to hold someone new in my arms, I would just pretend she was you

She would immediately see through it: “I can’t do this.”

The narrator spends the rest of the evening rooted to the spot, feeling too melancholy to dance or try his luck with someone new. Instead, he replays the memories of his time with his ex, admitting that even if he were to start a relationship with someone else, they would soon realize that he is still in love with them.

In an interview in 2024 with BillboardThomas Rhett lovingly revealed that “Don’t Wanna Dance” is already a big hit with his children: “(My) two oldest (daughters) are starting to form their own opinions about what they like. When they go to hip-hop class and a Luis Fonsi song comes on, they love it. Or they hear kids at school talking about Luke Combs or Morgan Wallen. When it comes to my music, they’ve become like my little A&R team. On the way to school, I’ll play a new demo and see if they start moving or if they want to hear it again. So in a way, they influence a lot of the music. They can recognize a bop. They love ‘Gone Country,’ ‘Back to Blue,’ and ‘Don’t Wanna Dance.’

TR explained that this was a very special track: “It was no easy task… when you want to put one of the most listened to and covered songs of all time into one of our songs, and from one of the greatest voices to ever walk the planet… I was driving down Music Row and heard it, and when the chorus came on, I thought, ‘I just can’t not try this.’ It’s heartbreaking, but it also makes you want to punch a hole in a wall because you’re so into the melody.”

“My friends called me

Said it’s been three months

It’s time to move on

So I showed up

And they handed me a cup

I try, but it just feels wrong

–

Because now they’re playing our song, they’ve been playing all night

But it makes me want to leave

Between memories and whisky

I just want to be with someone who loves me

–

I don’t want to dance with anyone

I don’t want to be at this party

Because every sip of this drink makes me think of you

What should I do?

Baby, I just wish you would call me

Just say out of the blue that you want me

Because I don’t want to dance with anyone

If that someone is not you

–

I stand here at the wall and remember everything

Spins around like a disco ball

–

If I were to hold someone new in my arms, I would just pretend she was you

She would see through it, I can’t do that

–

I don’t want to dance with anyone

I don’t want to be at this party

Because every sip of this drink makes me think of you

What should I do?

Baby, I just wish you would call me

Just say out of the blue that you want me

Because I don’t want to dance with anyone

If that someone is not you

Someone, not you

–

Between memory and whisky

I just want to be with someone who loves me

–

I don’t want to dance with anyone, with anyone

–

I don’t want to dance with anyone

I don’t want to be at this party

Because every sip of this drink makes me think of you

What should I do?

Baby, I just wish you would call me

Just say out of the blue that you want me

Because I don’t want to dance with anyone

If that someone is not you

–

Someone is not you, yes

No, if that someone is not you

That someone is not you”

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