"Are we human or are we dancer"

[RC Vikings]

I think someone explained this earlier but I can't find it. What the hell does that mean.

[RobinFinderson]

I believe the lyric is "denser."

What does it means? Are we human, or are we something more than human. Mr. Flowers spends a good part of the song on his knees, looking for the answer. I think this is Brandon's Mormony goodness shining through his fruity pop exterior.

I like the song. Has anyone heard the rest of the LP? Is it all as good?

[8BR]

I don't know RC, but the question reminded me of, "Are We Not Men?"

I was listening to devo just the other night and what I think is a flawless post-punk track...

[YOUTUBE]ZdFY8IIvd4g[/YOUTUBE]

[RobinFinderson]

Ok, so with a little more investigation, it turns out that it is 'dancer.' Better yet, it is supposedly a reference to a Hunter S Thompson quote where he was criticizing his generation as a bunch of 'dancers.'

Anyhow, here is the video, shot in what looks like Goblin Valley in So Utah. They turned off the embed feature for this one.

[RC Vikings]

Ok, so with a little more investigation, it turns out that it is 'dancer.' Better yet, it is supposedly a reference to a Hunter S Thompson quote where he was criticizing his generation as a bunch of 'dancers.'

Anyhow, here is the video, shot in what looks like Goblin Valley in So Utah. They turned off the embed feature for this one.

Here is someone's take on it.

Rated +2 This is an intriguing track. Although not as strong lyrically as others, still the Killers provoke thought.

I think the imagery speaks of 'dancers' as almost like 'puppets'. Brandon is speaking of letting go, "platform of surrender" "cut the cord" "close your eyes, clear your heart" This "letting go" is to cease to be "Human" because he no longer has life, (eyes closed, cleared heart) and he feels like a "Dancer", a puppet on strings.

The puppet versus human contrast is throughout. To be human is to have life and choice. To be dancer is to be controlled by strings or "cords"

He uses a play on words, instead of "vital signs" his "signs are vital" and "my hands are cold", i.e. lifeless, he is lifeless, and reading his signs are vital in knowing what he really is. He goes on to "say goodbye" to everything (soul and romance, etc), embarking into that "open door"

Like a slouched puppet, he's on his knees. Puppets have no strength in their legs. Yet he wants to "be let go" and to "cut the cord" could refer to losing his strings and being freed from control, no longer being a puppet. Or it could refer to no longer being human. If you "cut the cord", you pull life support on someone. In mythology, The Fates, "cut your cord" and you die, no longer with the life that makes one Human.

The great thing about this song is I can't figure out if he decided he is "human" or "dancer" and maybe he hasn't decided either, "Am I human....or am I dancer."

Great song after a couple of listens, gotta love the

[RobinFinderson]

Here is from an MTV Interview:

"It's taken from a quote by [author Hunter S.] Thompson. ... 'We're raising a generation of dancers,' and I took it and ran. I guess it bothers people that it's not grammatically correct, but I think I'm allowed to do whatever I want," he laughed. " 'Denser'? I hadn't heard that one. I don't like 'denser.' "

Thompson is a personal hero of mine, so this revelation is intriguing (I think Gonzo, the life and work of Dr. Hunter S Thompson, is now on video, so put in your Netflix queue!). I take Thompson's 'dancers' to mean performers -- people ready to get up on stage and play a part, but not ready or willing to do the heavy lifting required to bring about real change. That is about the perfect description of most of the boomers during the sixties. Mr. Flowers seems to see a bit of that in the current generation as well, which might be true. It looks like we are going to have a bit of an economic crucible, so we just might find out what we are really made of.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

I like the song. Has anyone heard the rest of the LP? Is it all as good?

It just dropped today, I'm listening to it right now on Rhapsody. So far, so good.

[SteelBlue]

Listening to Day and Age on Rhapsody right now and I'll definitely be buying this one. Once again they deliver me right back to the happy days of my youth from the keyboards to the baselines to Flowers' Robert Smith like delivery but without the overproduced sound that the 80's tended to deliver. I've only given it one listen, (actually I'm only halfway through it) but this cd is already fun as hell.

[Donuthole]

Thompson is a personal hero of mine, so this revelation is intriguing (I think Gonzo, the life and work of Dr. Hunter S Thompson, is now on video, so put in your Netflix queue!). I take Thompson's 'dancers' to mean performers -- people ready to get up on stage and play a part, but not ready or willing to do the heavy lifting required to bring about real change. That is about the perfect description of most of the boomers during the sixties. Mr. Flowers seems to see a bit of that in the current generation as well, which might be true. It looks like we are going to have a bit of an economic crucible, so we just might find out what we are really made of.

I like that interpretation a lot. Much better than the "human vs. puppet" take (no offense, RC. I realize it wasn't your personal take), which I find overly-simplistic and tired (hello NSYNC!). Under Robin's interpretation, I find the question not merely valid, but poignant. Just in analyzing the decisions i've made in my young professional career, I can see the "human vs. dancer" dilemma.

Upon graduating from law school, I turned down an offer at a large "billing factory" and accepted an offer at the small firm I clerked with the previous two summers, all in the name of a better family life. But was that the real reason? Sure, my hours are great. There is absolutely no question that I work significantly less hours than most 3rd year attorneys. At the large firm, I would have been required to bill 2000 hours a year. At my present firm, I have no minimum billable. But did I really turn down the longer hours (and much bigger paycheck) for family (human), or did I turn it down out of laziness (dancer)? Did I choose the easier paycheck over the better job because it required less heavy lifting and more playing the part?

[SteelBlue]

Forgot to mention one of the funnier aspects of this cd. In yet another Killers tip of the cap to the 80's they have attempted to resurrect the saxophone solo. I actually began laughing when I heard it for the first time but they're dead serious. Apparently the sax player will even tour with them this winter.

[jay santos]

I told Steelblue I'd been listening to this album but not heard enough to fall in love with it. I have now. I'm totally diggin this album. Love the sound. Not a song on it I don't like.

[Solon]

"It's taken from a quote by [author Hunter S.] Thompson. ... 'We're raising a generation of dancers,'

I like how it lists some of the things that make us human - faith, virtue, good, soul, romance, devotion.

[CardiacCoug]

We have tickets to see Brandon & Co. when they are in Houston next month.

Last time they were here I wasn't that impressed, but they're one band that my wife and I both like, so we'll be seeing them again.

The audiences at some of these concerts are interesting. I've never been to any large gathering in Houston that had a smaller percentage of African Americans in the audience than the first Killers concert we attended. Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up show was perhaps a close second.